A look at the SdKfz

Many of the vehicles used by the German Army during the Second World War proved themselves to be highly adaptable to serve in a range of roles other than that for which they were originally intended. Perhaps the most versatile range of all were the half-tracks, such as the SdKfz 251, for example, which was configured into no fewer than 23 separate roles and further designs which did not enter service.

A variety of half-track designs were used by the German army, varying in size but of such importance they continued to be produced through the entire war. Indeed, these were among some of the last vehicles still being built right up to the end of the war. These half-tracks, because of their adaptability to serve in any role, were the workhorses of the German Army, deployed to all theaters of fighting and used in all campaigns.

One of the most important vehicles was the SdKfz 7, which saw a number of variants developed. It was an important prime mover for towing artillery from 88mm guns, in either the anti-aircraft or anti-tank role, all the way up to the much larger and heavier guns such as the 150mm calibre sFH18 howitzer (Schwere Feldhaubitze; Heavy Field Howitzer). Development of the SdKfz 7 began in 1934, just as Germany started its re-armament program in earnest, in response to the army’s need for a half-track vehicle capable of either towing or carrying on board loads of up to 8 tons.

The lead company in the design was Krauss-Maffai and a number of vehicles were prepared for field trials with the first models entering service in 1938, being referred to as a “Gepanzerte Zugkraftwagen” (Armoured Gun Tractor). The vehicle was not armoured in the true sense and those parts which did have protection only had 8mm armor. The other companies which came to be involved with either its direct production, or one of the variants derived from the basic version, were Borgward and Saurer in 1943. Between them the three companies produced some 12,187 of all types between 1935 and 1945.

The front of the SdKfz wheels were fitted with hydro-pneumatic tyres with steering being provided through a conventional steering column and wheel configuration. Torsion bars provided the suspension to the track layout, which was comprised of seven pairs of overlapping double wheels, known as “schachtellaufwerk” (interleaved running gear) with the drive sprocket at the front, but no supporting return rollers.

Versions of the SdKfz 7 would be found serving from the desert wastes of North Africa to the sub-zero Steppes of Russia and all across Europe. From 1942, the Italian company of Breda produced around 250 vehicles under licence. These were known as the Breda Tipo 61 by the time the country capitulated in 1943. Examples of the SdKfz 7 captured by the British in North Africa were sent to the company of Bedford Motors, with the hope of producing a copy. Six prototypes, known as Traclats, were ready by June 1945, but by then the war was over and spiralling development costs halted the the program.

The first examples of the SdKfz 7 were issued to the Schwere Panzerjagerabteilungen (Heavy Anti-Tank Gun Battalions) of the Wehrmacht in 1939, making them ready to take part in the Polish Campaign. The vehicle entered service with units of the Waffen SS as an artillery tractor. Anti-aircraft units of the Luftwaffe also used the SdKfz 7 to move their 88mm guns. In addition to towing artillery, the vehicle could also transport up to 12 men to serve as crews for the guns, with soldiers sitting on forward-facing bench-type seats in the rear along with their personal kit and weapons. A supply of ready-to-use ammunition was also carried, with further supplies of ammunition being transported by other accompanying vehicles.

The SdKfz 7 had a soft canvas tilt, which could be extended to protect the passengers and river from the weather. However, the sides were still left exposed, which did allow the passengers to deploy rapidly to bring the towed gun into action. Although the trucks were open-sided, some wartime photographs show vehicles with armored superstructures added to the sides for protection, but as this was not standard fitting it is believed the modification may have probably been completed in a field workshop. Only the driver’s cab and engine compartment were fitted with standard armor protection and even then only to 8mm thickness.

As the war progressed, production was modified to contend with the shortages in raw materials, especially a reduction in the use of metal. In response, a more simplified version of the SdKfz 7 was developed. This used wooden planking to create hinged drop-sides and tail gate, giving it a truck-like appearance. The seating arrangement became two rows of wooden bench-type seats, mounted back-to-back, and with the drop sides and tail gate the crew had three points through which to board and exit.

In its basic version, the SdKfz7 was a sturdy and reliable vehicle with a good capacity in its rear cargo area that made it suitable for a variety of roles. This resulted in a number of projects, some of which were cancelled. Two self-propelled anti-aircraft gun projects were completed and entered service. These versions required modification, such as fitting sides which could be folded down and secured to provide a large working platform on which the gun crews could traverse the weapons through a full 360 degrees to keep tracking an aircraft target while firing. Some vehicles were fitted with range-finding equipment for use with artillery batteries and also pioneer units. Other vehicles were also fitted with 3-ton winches for vehicle recovery. There is even a possibility that some may have been used as ambulances.

First was the SdKfz 7/1, referred to as the 2cm Flakvierling 38 auf Fahrgestell Zugkraftwagen 8t, with production running from mid-1943 until October 1944. Reference sources vary on the number produced, ranging from as low as perhaps 319 up to 750 to maybe 800. Both armored and unarmored driver’s cab versions were built, but all were used exclusively by the FlaK units of the Luftwaffe. Everything about the basic vehicle remained the same except the rear seats were stripped out to permit the fitting of the gun mounting for the quadruple 2cm FlaK 38. A full 360-degree traverse by hand was possible and the guns could be elevated between -10 degrees and +100 degrees to allow ground and aerial targets to be engaged. The SdKfz 7/1 towed a special trailer called the Sonder Anhanger 56, which carried extra ammunition.

At around the same time, the SdKfz 7/2 was also being developed which, fitted with a single FlaK 36 L/98 3.7cm caliber on a mounting in place of the rear seats. This was termed the 3.7cm FlaK 36 auf Fahrgestell Zugkraftwagen 8t. The gun could be traversed through a full 360 degrees by hand and elevated between -8 degrees and +85 degrees to permit ground and aerial targets to be engaged. Some reference sources claim only 123 of this version was built from around 1943 until February 1945, while other sources state that perhaps as many as 1,000 were produced. Like the SdKfz7/1, this variant was used exclusively by the FlaK units of the Luftwaffe and towed a similar ammunition trailer called the Sonder Anhanger 57. Both versions were fitted with the Flakvisier 40 for aiming and each appeared with armored and un-armored drivers’ cabs.

Development of a third self-propelled anti-aircraft gun version of the SdKfz 7 was started — this would have been the fourth variant of the basic vehicle. IT was armed with the 5cm FlaK41 gun to become the Sonderfahrgestell (Special Purpose Chassis) auf Zugkraftwagen 8t. It is believed that only a very few pre-production vehicles were made in this series in 1942 and it’s unlikely the version went into production and certainly never entered service. The main reason for cancelling the project was probably due to the fact the 5cm caliber FlaK 41 did not prove to be an effective anti-aircraft weapon.

Finally, apart from the basic SdKfz 7 version and the two self-propelled anti-aircraft variants which went into production and entered service, there was a fourth variation of the design. This was fitted with a fully enclosed armoured superstructure and designed for use as a control post in launching mobile versions of the long-range V2 rocket. This variant was called the “Feuerleitpanzerfahzeug Fur V2 Raketen auf Zugkraftwagen 8t” (Fire Control AFV for V2 Rocket Prime Mover Semi-tracked vehicle) and left little resembling the original SdKfz 7 on which it was based. These vehicles served as the towing unit for the massive rockets, and also provided the command, control and communications center for firing instructions.

After the war, surviving examples of the SdKfz 7 were used by several armies, including post-war Czech Army, along with other former German vehicles such as the SdKfz 251. From its role as a basic prime mover for artillery, the SdKfz 7 made a long journey to becoming an essential component in the cutting edge of rocket science on the battlefield.

It can truly be said of the SdKfz 7 that it had a full and varied service. The example seen in these photographs accompanying this feature illustrates one of the late production versions and comes from the Bruce Crompton Collection in the UK. It is marked up with the unit emblem of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.

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