Sd Kfz 250 Aufklärungs Platoon (GBX40) with four Sd Kfz half-tracks & options for Sd Kfz 250/10 (3.7cm) or 250/11 (2.8cm). The Sd Kfz 250 Leichte Schützenpanzerwagen resulted from requirements in the 1930s by the German Army for a half-track that could carry a Halbgruppe (a half-group of 4-5 men) on a motorised reconnaissance missions. The resulting vehicle was developed by Demag AG, based on a modified Demag D7 tractor chassis (Sd Kfz 10). Check out the Sd Kfz 250 Aufklärungs Platoon in the online store here...

Despite the vehicle development being complete by the late 1930s, production wasn’t started until June 1941. The required numbers of Sd Kfz 250 halftracks for the Panzerdivisions wasn’t as high as that of the Sd Kfz 251 (transporting the armoured Panzergrenadiers) but it was still produced in many of the same variants. In 1943 the design underwent a major review and modification. The main focus of the redesign was to cut the number of man-hours require to manufacture the armour plate.  The angles and shapes were simplified to use as few armoured plates as possible in place of the complex faceted shape of the earlier model, reducing nineteen main armour plates to nine. In addition permanent storage boxes were placed along outer side of the crew compartment. Read the Earth and Steel Design Notes here... Learn more about D-Day releases here...

The new model was simply called Neu to differentiate it from the Alte (old) models. It entered production in October 1943. Most of the Sd Kfz 250 vehicles were issued to the Aufklärungsschwadrons of Panzerdivisions, though many found roles as command and observation vehicles when the specialist variants of these were not available.

The Sd Kfz 250 in Flames Of War The Sd Kfz 250 was mainly used as the armoured transport vehicle of an Aufklärungsschwadron’s Aufklärungs platoons. Sd Kfz 250 Mobility: Half-tracked Front 1; Side 0; Top 0 Equipment and Notes Hull MG, Passenger-fired AA MG.

Sd Kfz 250/10 (3.7cm) Mobility: Half-tracked Front 1; Side 0; Top 0 Range: 16"/40cm ROF 2; Anti-tank 6; Firepower 4+ Equipment and Notes Passenger-fired AA MG, Hull mounted.

Sd Kfz 250/11 (2.8cm) Mobility: Half-tracked Front 1; Side 0; Top 0 Range: 16"/40cm ROF 2; Anti-tank 7; Firepower 5+ Equipment and Notes Passenger-fired AA MG, Hull mounted. No HE. Designed by Evan Allen Painted by James Brown