Axis Armored Vehicles Quiz

[Pz III]

Hi Armin
Have gotten real busy with work in the last week and don't have a lot of time to participate as a result. You or someone else can take my turn as I don't want to delay the quiz any further. Sorry and thanks.

Rich

[arminfreitag]

Hi Rich
thank you for your offer. I'm happy if somebody comes up with a good question.
Otherwise I'm prepared to continue, but will wait one or two days.

Regards
Armin

[bam]

Go for it armin, you've given some excellent photos so far...

[arminfreitag]

Ok so here my next question.
please tell me what kind of vehicle is pictured here.

Regards
Armin

[bam]

A prototype of the sd.kfz.253 ?
.

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These are one type of prototype 253, but not the only prototype 253...
.
For your intellectual delight, there is another, different prototype 253, of which I only have this image:

Seems to have the angled side armour of the final 253 shape on the full 6 wheel demag d7 chassis. The back end is different from the 253, it slopes like a 252.

[bam]

Right, quiz question, what's caught the corporal's eye here:
.

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[arminfreitag]

Hi Bam,
of course your right. It's a trial vehicle for support of the new assault guns.
There were vehicles for observation/leading and ammunition supply.
As you mentioned already different kind of superstructures were used.
Here pictures of two more variations, one with a higher superstructure and one that
seems to have a cargo bay behind the shortened driver cabin. In one of the pictures
it is seen with an amminition trailor.
According to Spielberger all these trial vehicles were built in 1937 on the chassis of the
1-ton halftrack model Demag LL 3 version not the D7.
And two more pictures of the more common type, hope you haven't seen them yet.

Regards
Armin

[arminfreitag]

Hi Bam
here my answer to your question.
I think it is a Skoda T15 developed as a reconnaissance tank.

Regards
Armin

[bam]

Correct!
The photo comes from the time Adolf came closest to soviet troops prior to Berlin 1945. He was visiting Mansteins hq at Zaporozhe around 16-18 Feb 43. The advance spearheads of Popov's tank army reached about 15 miles away, about 30 minutes drive time in a T34, with no serious German forces in between them and the hq. The soviets didnt realise their opportunity and halted, German forces were rushed in next day, and hitler fled in his FW Condor when he heard how close they were.

Your 1st and 2nd photos are prototype 252, not 253. They are early ammo carriers with an open flatbed rear area. And you have yet another version of a prototype 253 in your 3rd photo...it has a much higher roof than the one in my images. That’s new.

Your go armin.

[arminfreitag]

Hi Bam
interesting story. Too bad that the Soviets stopped. History could have been changed and a lot of misery prevented.
I will search for something interesting for the next question.

Regards
Armin

[arminfreitag]

Hi everybody
here my next question.
What kind of vehicle is pictured here?

Regards
Armin

[bam]

Somebody's silly attempt at an armoured kettenkrad?

I can't see a front motorcycle wheel, which should be on the left, but the drive sprocket on the left and the tracks are kettenkrad....
The K'rad could drive perfectly well without it's front tyre, and there were also prototypes of lengthened versions, so I'm guessing it's an early, 1941 esque, attempt at armouring the bike. The machine gun looks like an MG15, which would corroborate the early 1941 date, as it’s use was fazed out after 1939...
The suspension looks normal length, so it's not a sd.kfz.304 Springer chassis.

Kettenkrad were notoriously susceptible to falling over sideways due to their narrow track and high body, so I'm sure this armoured thing would have made that much worse.

Never seen this before though, in any kettenkrad book I've read. It's another obscure armoured armin special....many thanks!

[arminfreitag]

Hi Bam
that was really fast. I cropped the picture a bit to make it more difficult, but to no avail.
These armoured versions of the Kettenkrad were made for the Luftwaffe to guard airfields.
I do not know how many of them were converted but it can't be many. The machine gun is a MG 15.
Here the uncropped picture and one more of a little bit different version. These are the only pictures
of them I have.

So over to you and best regards
Armin

[bam]

.
.
.
What’s this???

[arminfreitag]

Hi Bam
that must be the back side of a PzKpfw 38 (t) neuer Art.

Regards
Armin