Sd.Kfz. 247

Sd.Kfz. 247 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 247) was an armored car used by the German armed forces during World War II.

Sd.Kfz. 247 schwerer geländegängiger gepanzerter Personenkraftwagen
Sd.Kfz 247 Ausf. B
TypeArmored car
Place of originNazi Germany
Service history
In service1937–1945
Used byGermany
WarsWorld War II
Production history
DesignerKrupp (Ausf. A), Daimler-Benz (Ausf. B)
ManufacturerKrupp (Ausf. A), Daimler-Benz (Ausf. B)
Produced1937 (Ausf. A), 1941–1943 (Ausf. B)
No. built10 (Ausf. A), 58 (Ausf. B)
VariantsAusf. A
Specifications (Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf. B)
Mass4.46 t (4.39 long tons; 4.92 short tons)
Length5 m (16 ft 5 in)
Width2 m (6 ft 7 in)
Height1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Crew6
Armor6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in)
EngineHorch 8-cylinder, water-cooled 3.8 petrol
81 PS (80 hp)
Power/weight18.1 hp/t
Transmission5 x 1
SuspensionCoil spring
Ground clearance23 cm (9.1 in)
Fuel capacity160 L (42 US gal)
Operational
range
400 km (250 mi) road
270 km (170 mi) cross-country
Maximum speed 80 km/h (50 mph)

Before the war, ten six-wheeled models (Ausf. A) were built; this was followed during the war by 58 four-wheeled models (Ausf. B).

Description

The Sd.Kfz. 247 had an open-topped, thinly armored body mounted on a wheeled chassis. It was unarmed as its six-man crew was not intended to fight; rather, it was intended for use by the commanders of motorcycle and motorized reconnaissance battalions, although neither version was fitted with any radios.[1] Its armor was intended to stop 7.92-millimetre (0.312 in) armor-piercing bullets at ranges over 30 metres (33 yd). Photographic evidence shows some Ausf. B vehicles were retro-fitted with a star-shaped radio antenna mounted inside the crew compartment, and an additional armor plate bolted to the lower glacis of the hull.[2]

Ausf. A

Krupp built ten Ausf. A models on the chassis of its six-wheel "Krupp Protze" truck in 1937. Its 3.5-litre (210 cu in) 4-cylinder air-cooled gasoline flat engine (Krupp M 305) of 65 hp (66 PS), gave it a top speed of 70 km/h (43 mph) and a range of 350 km (220 mi).[1]

Like all of the other vehicles that used this chassis, the Ausf. A had very limited cross-country mobility, drivers being advised to stay on roads and trails. It weighed 5.2 t (5.1 long tons; 5.7 short tons), was 5.2 m (17 ft 1 in) long, 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) wide and 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) tall.[3]

Ausf. B

Daimler-Benz built 58 of these in 1941—1942 on a four-wheel drive heavy car chassis (s.Pkw. Typ 1c). The front-mounted engine was an 8-cylinder, 3.823-litre (233.3 cu in) Horch 3.5 petrol engine, giving it a road speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). It had a maximum range of 400 km (250 mi).[1]

Armour
Thickness/slope from the vertical
Front Side Rear Top/Bottom
Superstructure 8 mm (0.31 in)/38° 8 mm (0.31 in)/35° 8 mm (0.31 in)/30° open
Hull 8 mm (0.31 in)/35° 8 mm (0.31 in)/35° 8 mm (0.31 in)/36° 6 mm (0.24 in)

References
  1. Chamberlain and Ellis, p. 205
  2. Jentz, pp. 50–53
  3. Jentz, pp. 49–50

Sources
  • Chamberlain, Peter; Doyle, Hilary L.; Jentz, Thomas L. (1993) [1978]. Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two: A Complete Illustrated Directory of German Battle Tanks, Armoured Cars, Self-propelled Guns, and Semi-tracked Vehicles, 1933–1945 (Revised ed.). London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 1-85409-214-6.
  • Jentz, Thomas L.; Doyle, Hilary (2001). Panzerspaehwagen: Armored Cars Sd.Kfz.3 to Sd.Kfz.263. Panzer Tracts. Vol. No. 13. Boyds, Maryland: Panzer Tracts. ISBN 0-9708407-4-8.
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