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SdKfz 11 leichter ZugKraftwagen 3t

1938 WORLD WAR 2

History

The Liechter Zugkraftwagen SdKfz 11 was under development, while another light half-track was being developed for the re-equipment of the German army, the SdKfz 10. The SdKfz 10 is rated at 1 ton towing, while the SdKfz 11 is rated at 3 tons, meaning it can carry larger 3.7cm anti-aircraft guns, up to 10.5cm leFH 18 series field systems. Design work continued from 1934 to 1938, initially including Hansa-Lloyd and Goliath (Borgward AG), and from 1937 the design was associated with Hanomag in Hanover, who took over the line and eventually produced the SdKfz 11. Production covered the period from 1938 to the end of the war in 1945, of which about 9,000 were produced.

Several notable variants also emerged.

The final product is a 16,000-pound vehicle that measures 18 feet long, 6.6 feet wide, and 7 feet high. The standard No. 2 operator and extra seats allowed for another six to eight (though wartime pressures often resulted in many infantry being squeezed into the truck).

Power comes from a Maybach HL42 TRKM 6-cylinder liquid-cooled petrol engine producing 100 hp, linked to a Honomag U50 series drivetrain. The chassis is suspended from a torsion bar assembly with 13 inches of ground clearance - giving the vehicle quite a bit of off-road capability.

The rear drive components feature a track wheel design similar to that of a main battle tank, while the front drive components mimic a truck. The front wheels, while steerable as a unit, have no power, making steering a bit complicated on softer terrain. Rotating the wheels more than 15 degrees causes assistance from the track (via braking), which helps steer long cars.

Range is up to 150 miles (87 miles off-road), while pavement speeds can reach 33 mph.

The SdKfz 11 was intended from the outset for artillery towing and for heavy German Army weapons such as field guns, howitzers and anti-tank guns. They provided great mobility that matched the newly conceived theory of mechanization of the German army. The SdKfz 11 series proved so successful in their pusher role that over time they replaced the larger (and more expensive) SdKfz 6 pushers. The series expanded with official variants and other field modifications that (in the latter case) produced unofficial variants as the war progressed.

These half-tracks were not only used as artillery transport vehicles, but also as ammunition/supply vehicles for German artillery batteries.

Notable variants of the SdKfz 11 include the basic personnel carrier model. SdKfz 11/1 was used as ammunition for the 10 cm Nebelwerfer 35/40 series rocket launchers. The SdKfz 11/2 is a chemical decontamination model, while the SdKfz 11/3 is designed for chemical spray action.

The SdKfz 11/4 was used as an ammunition replenishment vehicle for the Nebelwerfer 41 series 15cm rocket launchers, while the SdKfz 11/5 had a similar range, albeit with a two-block wooden torso structure in the rear bed section.

Production of the SdKfz 11 continued until the last weeks of the war in 1945, although by this time the factories involved (initially Hanomag, Adlerwerke, Horch, Skoda and Borgward) were limited to one. In recent days, the base design has undergone some modifications to simplify production (hence the use of wooden superstructures, etc.) and has been forced to carry heavier artillery loads than initially thought. The chassis also formed the basis for the famous SdKfz 251 half-track line, which is described elsewhere on this page.

In any case, the SdKfz 11 series of light half-tracks served the German Army (and its Luftwaffe as an anti-aircraft / tractor) with excellent service and became very popular among its users, at the same time becoming a German in the war.