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SdKfz 2 kleines Kettenkraftrad (Kettenkrad)

1941 COLD WAR WORLD WAR 2

History of SdKfz 2 Small Chain Motorcycle (Kettenkrad)

One of the most famous German half-tracks of WWII became the SdKfz 2 small chain motorcycle HK 101 (commonly known as "Kettenkrad"). The car is a small three-person design that incorporates the front of the motorcycle for steering and a custom rear passenger area built on a sprocket assembly.

Thus, the Kettenkrad was a small non-armored half-track, an adjunct to the large, mature breed used by the German army, whose uses eventually proved to be versatile for the German army.

The concept of the Kettenkrad vehicle was born through a patent granted in June 1939 by engineer Heinrich Ernst Kniepkamp. The resources of the German motorcycle group NSU Werke AG in Neckarsulm made the concept a reality, and the vehicle has attracted the interest of the growing German military. The military recognizes the value of a compact system to its Army and Airborne Divisions.

It can be used as a prime mover for artillery systems or heavy cargo loads, ATVs or ATVs. In each role, Kettenkrad has several distinct advantages over traditional motorcycles, full-fledged half-tracks, or pack animals.

The Kettenkrad's compact size allows the system to be transported relatively easily by powered aircraft (Junkers Ju 52), gliders or trucks, and it can easily maneuver the rubble of French and Soviet towns and villages due to its inherent agility. Road speeds are excellent, around 43 mph on ideal surfaces, allowing it to keep up with (or overtake) mechanized formations. The tracked nature of the design enables the small vehicle to navigate rough terrain, such as the Rocky Mountains and 60 percent inclines, and even traverse low-lying water sources.

The track also ensures that the vehicle can turn in a tight radius if necessary.

The Kettenkrad is operated by an operator who sits in a barrel-like housing behind the motorcycle handlebars that guide the front rubber tire wheels. In front of it is the dashboard, which is placed horizontally and equipped with the appropriate system instruments. On either side of the seat are two fuel tanks that double as armrests.

His lower back is supported by a protruding superstructure designed by Kettenkrad. Behind the driver is a two-seat passenger area, with the passenger facing the rear. Handrails (earlier versions were made of metal tube, later with solid railings) provided a degree of safety, although the overall design was exposed to the elements. The towing unit is mounted on the rear of the vehicle to accommodate various wheeled battlefield equipment. A special two-wheeled wagon (SdAnh 1 "Sonderanhanger") is designed together with the Kettenkrad system itself and should be used in combination wherever possible.

The vehicle does not have any onboard communications suite and is provided with self-defense weapons by the crew.

The Kettenkrad is powered by an automotive-grade engine unit a liquid-cooled Opel Olympia four-cylinder 1,478-litre engine producing 36 hp at 3,400 rpm. The engine is linked to a three-speed transmission system. Top road speed is 43.4 mph and range is 161 miles. The size of the car includes a barrel length of 3 meters, a width of 1 meter, a height of 1.2 meters, and a total weight of 1.56 tons.

The suspension is served by a torsion bar system to the four wheels on one side of the track, and the drive sprocket is mounted on the front of the assembly.

The basic Kettenkrad prime mover was developed into two other different production forms, both designed to lay communication lines for the advancing German army. The SdKfz 2/1 small Kettenkraftrad for long distance cables in the field has a thin tube skeleton mounted in the central part of the Kettenkrad hull (behind the drive) to accommodate the communication cable reels, while the similar SdKfz 2/2 small Kettenkraftrad is used in the heavy field The long-haul cables are completed with another heavier frame to accommodate large communication spools.

Both versions allow rapid laying of communication lines.

In 1940, the German military was interested in the small vehicle enough to order the first 500. Deliveries of the design began in 1941, and by June, German soldiers were enjoying the benefits of their new car as they deployed on the Eastern Front during the war with the Soviet Union. In service, the type is classified as a "prime mover" and is designed to transport a portable battlefield gun and part of its crew - which is easy to do. Transport capacity proved better than initially expected, resulting in an increase of 1,208 units in production in 1942. This total was then surpassed in 1943 with a production of 2,450 units.

At this point, additional production resources (Stettin's automaker Stoewer Werke) were added to meet demand, and a further 4,490 examples were delivered in 1944, marking the peak of Kettenkrad production throughout the war. Only due to a lack of additional resources, either related to other programs or unavailable to Germany at that time of the war, the production of the Kettenkrad system suffered in the final months of the war.

With the fall of Berlin to the Soviet Union in May 1945 and the end of the war in Europe, Kettenkrad production was temporarily halted.

The Germans certainly appreciated their nimble little Kettenkrads and used them in a variety of battlefield roles beyond initial expectations. In addition to the two-wheeled carriage designed for Kettenkrad, it can carry many types of small and large towed guns (marked 75mm) and various trailer designs. It can help free stuck vehicles and traverse areas that are too narrow for tanks and half-tracks, or too soft for infantry and wheeled vehicles. It proved to be the perfect combination of tank and motorcycle, so much so that the Luftwaffe Airborne took the system very seriously it matched the waiting Junkers Ju 52 transport perfectly. Kettenkrad had a certain curiosity about the Allies, who apparently never fully appreciated the value of the Kettenkrad, as many reports put the car at the center of travel for many U.S. service members.

In addition to combat service on the Eastern Front, Kettenkrad was used in the Western Front and North Africa campaigns.

After the war in Europe, Kettenkrad was put back into production, although it was sold as a civilian product to farmers who appreciated the small machine transport aspect. It is believed that around 550 examples were made during this period.

By 1949, a total of 8,345 Kettenkrad samples had been produced. Today, they are available as museum collections or privately owned - their engines are still in use.