Book Review of Puma, Sd.Kfz. 234/1 & 234/2
Heavy Armored Cars
German Army, Waffen-S.S. & Luftwaffe Units
Western & Eastern Fronts. 1944-1945
Author: Dennis Oliver
Avonmore Books, Landcraft Series 12
ISBN: 9781399050296
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2023
MSRP: $29.95
ISBN: 9781399050296
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2023
MSRP: $29.95
HISTORY:
The Sd.Kfz. 234 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 234, Special Purpose Vehicle 234), was a family of armoured cars designed and built in Germany during World War II. The vehicles were lightly armoured, armed with a 20, 50 or 75 mm main gun, and powered by a Tatra V12 diesel engine. The Sd.Kfz. 234 broadly resembles the appearance of Sd.Kfz. 231 (8 rad)
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Armoured car
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
Produced: 1943–1945
No. built: 478 (all types)
Mass: 10,500 kg (23,100 lb)
Length: 6.02 metres (19 feet 9 inches)
Width : 2.36 metres (7 feet 9 inches)
Height: 2.10 metres (6 feet 11 inches)
Crew: 4
Armour: 9–30 mm (0.35–1.18 in) rolled homogeneous armour
Main armament: (234/1) 20mm autocannon, (234/2) 50mm L/60 KwK 39/1, (234/3) 75mm L/24 K 51, (234/4) 75mm L/46 PaK 40
Secondary armament: 7.92 mm MG 42 machine gun
Engine: 14,825 cc (905 in3) Tatra 103[2] V12 diesel of 157 kW (211 hp)
Suspension: Independent on each wheel
Operational range: 1,000 km (620 mi) on-road; 600 km (370 mi) off-road.
Maximum speed: 90 km/h (56 mph)
THE BOOK:
Avonmore Books is based in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover of 65 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ½” format.
THE FRONT COVER:
At the top: Tamiya’s Sd.Kfz.234/2 armoured car in 1/35th scale, built and painted following the instructions to represent a vehicle of Panzer Aufklarungs Abteilung 20. The photographs in the center depict, from the left to right, an Sd.Kfz. 234/2 photographed in early 1945. One of the Sd.Kfz. 234/1 vehicles allocated to Pabzer Aufklarungs Lehr Abtielung 130 photographed in Normandy in 1944.
The illustration at the foot of the page depicts an Sd.Kfz. 234/2 of Stabskompanie, Panzer –Aufklarung 20 and may be the vehicle shown in the first image above. It is also discussed in the Camouflage & Markings section of this book.
The book’s back cover:
From the top to bottom: A Sd.Kfz. 234/2 armoured car of Panzer Aufklarungs –Abtielung 7, photographed during the summer of 1944 o the Eastern Front. The photo-etched brass detail set from Eduard Model Accessories specifically manufactured for the Dragon models’ 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 kit, as shown here. The unifque Sd.Kfz. 234/2 conversion which incorporated a Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. L turret photographed in Czechoslovakia in May 1945. This vehicle is also shown in the Camouflage& Markings section on page 26. An Sd.Kfz. 234/1 armoured car of Panzer Aufklarung-Abtielung 6. This vehicle is shown and discussed further on page 23.
Including the book’s covers, this book contains 21 black and white, wartime photos and one color one.
In the camouflage section there are 18 side-view profiles and one 2-view. Later in the book, there are 4 black and white side-view profiles. Sixteen of the black and white wartime photos are of the walk-around type.
The modeling section shows the cover art of the Matchbox brand 1/72 scale Sd.Kfz. 234/2 built by a modeler named Theodoro in 3 color photo of the kit made up, painted in camouflage and posed on roadbed base.
A Tamiya 1/35th Scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 built by modeler Carlos Martin. Showeing the box art and 18 color walk-around type photos of it, the figures and a motorcycle.
An Italeri 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 built by modeler Johannes Pambudi Utomo. Some German metals are shown and 8 color walk-around photos of it, camouflaged, covered with leafs and on a diorama base.
A Dragon 1/35th Scale Sd.kfz. 234/1 built by modeler Theodosis Giannakidis. German Death-head collar insignias are shown. The box art and 9 color walk-around type photos.
The Dragon model again showing a brass PE set on it, in 3 color walk-around type photos.
Tamiya’s 1/48th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/2’s box art and 4 color walk-around type photos of it made up. No modeler’s name is given for building it.
Haseqawa’s 1/72nd scale Sd.Kfz. 234/2’s box art and 3 color walk-around type photos of it made up. Again, no modeler’s name is given for building it.
Airfix, Matchbox 1/76the scale Sd.Kfz. 234/2’s box art and one color photo of it built and posed on a base of a street with a telephone pole on it. Again, no modeler’s name is given for the build.
Italeri’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 is shown built up in 2 color photos. Again, no modeler’s name is given for the build.
Eduard Model Accessories brass PE set of cockpit detail in 1/35th scale, for the Sd.Kfz. 234/1 is shown in 2 color photos.
Griffon Model’s brass PE fret detail set for 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1’s is shown in 5 color walk-around type photos.
Royal Model’s brass PE fret detail set for 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1’s is shown in 3 color walk-around type photos.
Voyager Model brand’s brass PE fret detail set for 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 is shown in 6 color walk-around type photos.
Hauler brand’s brass PE fret detail set for 1/35th Scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 is shown in 3 color walk-around type photos.
There are 4 pages of lists, 4 pages of units numbers of vehicles, using small black silhouette illustrations of them.
The last page of the book is a catalog of other Pen & Sword books. It shows 12 black and white cover arts and the titles of 23 others.
I cannot find the name PUMA attached to the Sd.kfz. 234/1 or 234/2 vehicles. It was the nickname of another German vehicle.
Great book if wanting to build either of the two variants of this vehicle.
Will be of interest to modelers and military historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword Books, and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The Sd.Kfz. 234 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 234, Special Purpose Vehicle 234), was a family of armoured cars designed and built in Germany during World War II. The vehicles were lightly armoured, armed with a 20, 50 or 75 mm main gun, and powered by a Tatra V12 diesel engine. The Sd.Kfz. 234 broadly resembles the appearance of Sd.Kfz. 231 (8 rad)
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Armoured car
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
Produced: 1943–1945
No. built: 478 (all types)
Mass: 10,500 kg (23,100 lb)
Length: 6.02 metres (19 feet 9 inches)
Width : 2.36 metres (7 feet 9 inches)
Height: 2.10 metres (6 feet 11 inches)
Crew: 4
Armour: 9–30 mm (0.35–1.18 in) rolled homogeneous armour
Main armament: (234/1) 20mm autocannon, (234/2) 50mm L/60 KwK 39/1, (234/3) 75mm L/24 K 51, (234/4) 75mm L/46 PaK 40
Secondary armament: 7.92 mm MG 42 machine gun
Engine: 14,825 cc (905 in3) Tatra 103[2] V12 diesel of 157 kW (211 hp)
Suspension: Independent on each wheel
Operational range: 1,000 km (620 mi) on-road; 600 km (370 mi) off-road.
Maximum speed: 90 km/h (56 mph)
THE BOOK:
Avonmore Books is based in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover of 65 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ½” format.
THE FRONT COVER:
At the top: Tamiya’s Sd.Kfz.234/2 armoured car in 1/35th scale, built and painted following the instructions to represent a vehicle of Panzer Aufklarungs Abteilung 20. The photographs in the center depict, from the left to right, an Sd.Kfz. 234/2 photographed in early 1945. One of the Sd.Kfz. 234/1 vehicles allocated to Pabzer Aufklarungs Lehr Abtielung 130 photographed in Normandy in 1944.
The illustration at the foot of the page depicts an Sd.Kfz. 234/2 of Stabskompanie, Panzer –Aufklarung 20 and may be the vehicle shown in the first image above. It is also discussed in the Camouflage & Markings section of this book.
The book’s back cover:
From the top to bottom: A Sd.Kfz. 234/2 armoured car of Panzer Aufklarungs –Abtielung 7, photographed during the summer of 1944 o the Eastern Front. The photo-etched brass detail set from Eduard Model Accessories specifically manufactured for the Dragon models’ 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 kit, as shown here. The unifque Sd.Kfz. 234/2 conversion which incorporated a Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. L turret photographed in Czechoslovakia in May 1945. This vehicle is also shown in the Camouflage& Markings section on page 26. An Sd.Kfz. 234/1 armoured car of Panzer Aufklarung-Abtielung 6. This vehicle is shown and discussed further on page 23.
Including the book’s covers, this book contains 21 black and white, wartime photos and one color one.
In the camouflage section there are 18 side-view profiles and one 2-view. Later in the book, there are 4 black and white side-view profiles. Sixteen of the black and white wartime photos are of the walk-around type.
The modeling section shows the cover art of the Matchbox brand 1/72 scale Sd.Kfz. 234/2 built by a modeler named Theodoro in 3 color photo of the kit made up, painted in camouflage and posed on roadbed base.
A Tamiya 1/35th Scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 built by modeler Carlos Martin. Showeing the box art and 18 color walk-around type photos of it, the figures and a motorcycle.
An Italeri 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 built by modeler Johannes Pambudi Utomo. Some German metals are shown and 8 color walk-around photos of it, camouflaged, covered with leafs and on a diorama base.
A Dragon 1/35th Scale Sd.kfz. 234/1 built by modeler Theodosis Giannakidis. German Death-head collar insignias are shown. The box art and 9 color walk-around type photos.
The Dragon model again showing a brass PE set on it, in 3 color walk-around type photos.
Tamiya’s 1/48th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/2’s box art and 4 color walk-around type photos of it made up. No modeler’s name is given for building it.
Haseqawa’s 1/72nd scale Sd.Kfz. 234/2’s box art and 3 color walk-around type photos of it made up. Again, no modeler’s name is given for building it.
Airfix, Matchbox 1/76the scale Sd.Kfz. 234/2’s box art and one color photo of it built and posed on a base of a street with a telephone pole on it. Again, no modeler’s name is given for the build.
Italeri’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 is shown built up in 2 color photos. Again, no modeler’s name is given for the build.
Eduard Model Accessories brass PE set of cockpit detail in 1/35th scale, for the Sd.Kfz. 234/1 is shown in 2 color photos.
Griffon Model’s brass PE fret detail set for 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1’s is shown in 5 color walk-around type photos.
Royal Model’s brass PE fret detail set for 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1’s is shown in 3 color walk-around type photos.
Voyager Model brand’s brass PE fret detail set for 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 is shown in 6 color walk-around type photos.
Hauler brand’s brass PE fret detail set for 1/35th Scale Sd.Kfz. 234/1 is shown in 3 color walk-around type photos.
There are 4 pages of lists, 4 pages of units numbers of vehicles, using small black silhouette illustrations of them.
The last page of the book is a catalog of other Pen & Sword books. It shows 12 black and white cover arts and the titles of 23 others.
I cannot find the name PUMA attached to the Sd.kfz. 234/1 or 234/2 vehicles. It was the nickname of another German vehicle.
Great book if wanting to build either of the two variants of this vehicle.
Will be of interest to modelers and military historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword Books, and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.