SdKfz 6

SdKfz 6 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 6)
SdKfz 6/1 towing 10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzer, Poland, 1939
Type	Half-track
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Specifications (^[1])
Weight	9 t (9.9 short tons)
Length	6.325 m (20.75 ft)
Width	2.2 m (7.2 ft)
Height	2.48 m (8.1 ft)
Crew	12/15

Engine	Maybach NL 54 115 hp (86 kW)
Power/weight	12.8 hp/tonne
Suspension	torsion bar suspension
Operational range	316 km (316,000 m) (road) 158 km (158,000 m) (off-road)
Speed	50 km/h

The SdKfz 6 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 6) was a half-track military vehicle used by the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War. It was designed to be used as the main towing vehicle for the 10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzer.

Development

Development of a new medium artillery tractor began in 1934 at Büssing-NAG, in Berlin. The vehicle, produced in around 750 units until 1942, could carry up to 11 men in three rows, covered by a canvas structure. Along as a tractor for the 10.5 leFH 18 howitzer, the vehicle was to be used to tow heavy equipment for engineer units. Production was carried out by both Büssing-NAG and Daimler-Benz.^[1]^[2]

Description

The engine had a power from 90–100 hp (67–75 kW), depending from the production version. SdKfz 6 was used by the various German military forces (Wehrmacht, SS, Luftwaffe) for the entire World War II.^[1]^[2]

Variants

SdKfz 6/1: Standard half-tracked vehicle, used for towing various artillery pieces and transporting anything up to fifteen people.^[1]^[3]
37 mm FlaK36 auf Fahrgestell Zugkraftwagen 5t (SdKfz 6/2): SdKfz 6 fitted with a 3.7 cm FlaK 36 gun, sides would fold down to allow space to work on. Crew of seven.^[1]^[3]
7.62 cm FK36(r) auf Panzerjäger Selbstfahrlafette Zugkraftwagen 5t (SdKfz 6/3). SdKfz 6 fitted with a captured Soviet 76-mm divisional gun model 1936 (F-22) in an armoured superstructure.^[1]^[3]

Sources

1 2 3 4 5 6 Bishop, p. 78.
1 2 Lepage, Jean-Denis (2007). German Military Vehicles of World War II: An Illustrated Guide to Cars, Trucks, Half-Tracks, Motorcycles, Amphibious Vehicles and Others. McFarland. pp. 140–141. ISBN 978-0-7864-2898-4.
1 2 3 Lepage, p. 146.

Bibliography

Bishop, Chris, ed. (1998). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Aerospace Publishing.

External links

SdKfz 6 gallery
"Tractors Haul Artillery In Mechanized Army" Popular Mechanics, August 1937 – excellent photo of early SdKfz 6s on parade
Technical data of SdKfz 6

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sonderkraftfahrzeug 6.

German armoured fighting vehicles of World War II

Tanks	Panzer I Panzer II Panzer III Panzer IV Panther Tiger I Tiger II Panzer 35(t) Panzer 38(t)

Self-propelled artillery	Wespe 10.5cm leFH18(Sf) LrS 15cm sFH13/1 (Sf) LrS Sturmpanzer I Sturmpanzer II Grille Hummel Panzerwerfer 42 Wurfrahmen 40 Karl-Gerät

Assault guns	StuG III StuG IV StuH 42 StuIG 33B Brummbär Sturmtiger

Tank destroyers	Panzerjäger I Marder I II III RSO/PaK 40 Nashorn Elefant Jagdpanzer IV Hetzer Jagdpanther Jagdtiger

Half-tracks	Maultier SdKfz 2 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 250 251 252 253 254 sWS

Armored cars	Kfz 13 Sdkfz 221/22/23 Sdkfz 231/32/33/34/63 SdKfz 234 Sd.Kfz. 247 ADGZ

Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns	Flakpanzer I Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen Wirbelwind Ostwind Kugelblitz Flakpanzer 38(t)

Demolition vehicles	Leichter Ladungsträger Mittlerer Ladungsträger Schwerer Ladungsträger

Prototypes	Maus Entwicklung series Leichttraktor Panther II Heuschrecke 10 Neubaufahrzeug Sturer Emil 10.5 cm K (gp.Sfl.) Pz.Sfl. II Flakpanzer Coelian Kugelpanzer VK 4501(P) VK 4502(P)

Proposed designs	Panzer III/IV Löwe Panzer IX Panzer X Ratte Monster VK 1602 Leopard Gep. MTW Kätzchen VK 4502(P) VK 20 series

German armored fighting vehicle production during World War II

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