Half-tracks - Germany: books - history and technology

Halbkettenfahrzeuge des deutschen Heeres (Spielberger)

Halbkettenfahrzeuge wurden notwendig, weil die normalen Radfahrzeuge, mit denen die Grenadiereinheiten motorisiert waren, in schwerem Geländer überfordern waren. Daher wurde schon vor dem Krieg eine ganze Palette von Halbketten-Zugmaschinen entwickelt und gebaut.

Das Autorenteam dokumentiert in diesem Band jeden Entwicklungsschritt dieser geländegängigen Fahrzeuge und stellt sie und ihr Innenleben mit vielen aussagestarken Fotos vor. Dieses Buch ergänzt die erfolgreichen Spielberger-Bände.

Halftracked Vehicles of the German Army 1909-1945 (Spielberger)

Volume on German halftracked vehicles from 1909-1945. Spielberger, a leading expert in the field of German military vehicles, presents the wide variety of halftracked types and their wide range of uses in this richly illustrated technical documentation. Types include the WWII era Sd.Kfz.7, Sd.Kfz.250, Sd.Kfz.251, and many others from a wide variety of manufacturers.

Panzer der Wehrmacht (Band 2) - Rad- und Halbkettenfahrzeuge 1939-1945 (Typenkompass)

Ce livre de référence présente chronologiquement tous les blindés sur roues et les semi-chenilles blindés, utilisés par le Wehrmacht allemand entre 1939 et 1945.

Chaque type est présenté à l'aide d'une photo, d'une description historique et d'une fiche technique.

German Half-Tracks and Wheeled Vehicles 1939-1945 (Fact File)

A highly accessible overview of the history of fhe half-tracks and armoured wheeled vehicles with technical data, facts and pictures as used by German Wehrmacht in WW2.

Panzergrenadier

With the development of the German Panzerwaffe, military planners realized both the enormous potential of the tank as a breakthrough weapon, but also the issues faced by support units following the attacking force - including the infantry. A tank assault moved rapidly forwards and this required a motorized infantry which could keep pace with the attack and provide all necessary support.
This motorized infantry element for a Panzer division was an integral Schützenbrigade (rifle brigade), and it was equipped with a suitable means of transport - the Schützenpanzerwagen (armoured personnel carrier).

During Operation Barbarossa, German forces were faced by the Red Army and unforeseen weather conditions. With the onset of the harsh Russian winter the operation failed, and the war in the east entered a new phase. From experience gained from the operation, a new arm of the military was created: the Panzergrenadier.

This groundbreaking book describes the development and evolution of the armoured infantry force that accompanied the German Panzers as they crossed the battlefields of Europe, as well as detailing the vehicles and equipment that were developed to support their specialized role.

Contents

Introduction
1. 1936 - A New Infantry
2. The Schützenpanzerwagen
3. 1939 - Poland
4. 1940 - France
5. 1941 - New Challenges
6. 1941 - Variants
7. 1942 - Armoured Infantry
8. 1943 - In Combat
9. 1944 - Defending the Reich
10. Weaponry
Index.

Schützenpanzerwagen - War Horse of the Panzer-Grenadiers

Covers the primary armored fighting vehicle of the Panzer-Grenadiers, the Schützenpanzerwagen.

Zugkraftwagen der Wehrmacht

Im vorliegenden Band wird die Entwicklung der Halbketten-Zugkraftwagen der Wehrmacht dokumentiert. Von den leichten Ein- und Dreitonnern über die mittleren Fünf- bis Achttonner bis hin zu den schweren Zwölf- und Achtzehntonnern sind die wichtigsten Halbkettenfahrzeuge vertreten.

Viele technische Daten. Detaillierte Schnittzeichnungen. Über 100 historische Fotos, darunter viele seltene Archivaufnahmen.

German Halftracks at War 1939-1945 - Rare photographs from Wartime Archives (Images of War)

The Wehrmacht realised that tanks would need to be accompanied into battle by supporting arms, specifically infantry, artillery and engineers. As a fully-tracked field army would be too expensive, semi-tracked support vehicles (commonly called half-tracks) were born.
The Germans commissioned numerous types of half-tracked tractors, which were classified by the weight of their towed load and designated Sonderkraffarzeug (special motorized vehicle), abbreviated to Sd.Kfz.

These front-wheel steering vehicles with tracked drive transformed the fighting quality of the armoured divisions making it possible for the infantry, artillery and engineers to keep up with the speed of the Panzers' advance. The half-track even became the preferred reconnaissance vehicle.

This addition to the highly successful and collectable Images of War series has a superb collection of rare images, supported by detailed captions and text, of the many Sd.Kfz variants in diverse theatres of war. It is worth reflecting that, without half-tracks, there could have been no Blitzkrieg.

The Kettenkrad - Sd.Kfz. 2, Type HK-101

This book offers numerous photographs and detailed text concerning the NSU Kettenkrad (Sd.Kfz. 2, Type HK-101).

German Light Half-Tracked Prime Movers 1934-1945

Covers all of the light half-tacked prime movers used by Germany during WWII.

Sd.Kfz.10 Leichter Zugkraftwagen 1t

This photo-album in the Camera On series contains over 140 photographs of the Sd.Kfz. 10 Leichter Zugkraftwagen 1.t.
The Sd.Kfz. 10 was developed as a towing vehicle for light loads like the 37mm Pak 36/37, the 2cm Flak 30/38 and the Heavy Infantry howitzer Sigg 33 plus a myriad of trailers types such as the Sd. Anh. 32.
Later, it was used as a towing vehicle for the 5cm Pak 38 and different Nebelwerfer (rocket launchers).

As the war progressed and the German army had less and less equipment to utilize, the Sd.Kfz 10 was often to be seen towing loads way beyond its designed weight class for the lack of other suitable vehicles.

Camera On is a new series of books on the equipment and operations of the German Wehrmacht in WW2. The focus is on the often ignored or overlooked soft-skinned, non-armoured, vehicles used by the German army.

This profusely illustrated photo-album includes a large number of previously unseen pictures, many from private sources in Germany. Whatever the rules might have said, German soldiers took many photographs, and these are the basis for this series!

Sd.Kfz 10/4 & 10/5 Selbstfahrlafette

This photo-album in the "Camera On" series contains over 100 photographs of the Sd.Kfz. 10/4 and 10/5 Selbstfahrlafette (self-propelled gun carriage).
The Selbstfahrlafette (Sd.Kfz. 10/4) für 2cm Flak 30 and the Selbstfahrlafette (Sd. Kfz. 10/5) für 2cm Flak 38 were self-propelled Flak halftracks based on the Sd.Kfz 10 one-ton vehicle. In firing mode, the vehicle had hinged side walls that opened up to enlarge the firing platform at the back and to both sides. Except for armoured shield often fitted to the AA gun these vehicles were unarmoured.

German Medium Half-Tracked Prime Movers 1934-1945

Covers all of the medium half-tracked prime movers used by German forces during WWII.

Sd.Kfz.6 Mittlerer Zugkraftwagen 5t

During WW2, the German armed forces were the greatest user of half-track vehicles. Such vehicles were used in the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and Waffen-SS, where they served as personnel carriers, tractors, combat engineering vehicles, as well as self-propelled carriages for anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns.

One of them was the Sd.Kfz. 6 Mittlerer Zugkraftwagen 5 t. It was designed to be used as the main towing vehicle for the 10.5 cm le.FH 18 howitzer.

This book presents a collection of photographs of different versions from the private archives of German soldiers. The photographs depict vehicles serving on all fronts in a variety of roles.

This profusely illustrated photo-album from the "Camera On" series includes a large number of previously unseen pictures, many from private sources in Germany. Whatever the rules might have said, German soldiers took many photographs.

Sd.Kfz.7 Mittlerer Zugkraftwagen 8t

During WW2, the German armed forces were the greatest user of half-track vehicles. Such vehicles were used in the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and Waffen-SS, where they served as personnel carriers, tractors, combat engineering vehicles, as well as self-propelled carriages for anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns. Sd.

Kfz. 7, Mittlerer Zugkraftwagen 8t (middle half-track vehicle 8 tons) was designed in 1932 by Krauss Maffei and by 1937, the ultimate Km m 11 model was introduced. Approximately 13,600 units were produced until production ceased in 1945, including about 200 built under license by Breda in Italy and even a version by Vauxhall in the UK.

Camera On: a new series of books on the equipment and operations of the German Wehrmacht in WW2. The focus is on the often ignored or overlooked soft-skinned, non-armoured, vehicles used by the German army. This profusely illustrated photo-album includes a large number of previously unseen pictures, many from private sources in Germany.

Whatever the rules might have said, German soldiers took many photographs, and these are the basis for this new series!

"Camera On" is a new series of books on the equipment and operations of the German Wehrmacht in WW2. The focus is on the often ignored or overlooked soft-skinned, non-armoured, vehicles used by the German army. This profusely illustrated photo-album includes a large number of previously unseen pictures, many from private sources in Germany.
Whatever the rules might have said, German soldiers took many photographs, and these are the basis for this new series.

SdKfz 251 Half Track 1939-45 (Osprey)

Following in the best traditions of German ingenuity in design and construction of armoured vehicles, the SdKfz 251 firmly realised the concept of a competent cross-country tactical vehicle for armoured infantry units. So successful was this half-track that not only did a modified version of it remain in use with Czech forces well into the 1980s but also, ironically, the armoured infantry tactics that the Germans pioneered with it were adopted by Allied forces in the Second World War and helped them to achieve the eventual defeat of Germany.

This book covers the genesis and development of the SdKfz 251, and details the numerous modifications and variations that sprang from combat experience.

Contents: Design and Development - Variants - Training and Organisation - Tactics: Assault - Tactics: Defence - Serviceability.

German Heavy Half-Tracked Prime Movers

The Sd.Kfz.8 and Sd.Kfz.9 heavy prime movers of the Wehrmacht on a variety of war fronts.

Sd.Kfz. 8 & Sd.Kfz. 9 Schwerer Zugkraftwagen (12t & 18t)

During WWII, the German armed forces were by far the greatest user of half-track vehicles. Such vehicles were used in the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and Waffen-SS, where they served as personnel carriers, tractors, combat engineering vehicles, as well as self-propelled carriages for anti-aircraft guns.

The Sd.Kfz. 8 Schwerer Zugkraftwagen 12t - (heavy 12 ton half-track vehicle) - was a German half-track that saw widespread use in the war. Its main roles were as a prime mover for heavy towed guns such as the 21 cm Mörser 18, the 15 cm Kanone 18 and the 10.5 cm FlaK 38.
The Sd.Kfz. 9 Schwerer Zugkraftwagen 18t - (heavy 18 ton half-track vehicle) - was the Germans' heaviest half-track vehicle of any type built during the war years. Its main roles were as a prime mover for very heavy towed guns such as the 24 cm Kanone 3 and as a tank recovery vehicle.

This photo-album in the "Camera On" series contains over 100 photographs.