Book Review of
Sd.Kfz. 251
251/9 & 251/22 Kanonenwagen
German Army & Waffen SS,
Western & Eastern Fronts, 1944-1945
Author: Dennis Oliver
Pen & Sword Land Craft Series
ISBN: 978-1-52679-114-6
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-52679-114-6
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $24.95
HISTORY:
The Sd.Kfz. 251 halftrack was one of the most versatile armored vehicles produced by either side in WWIL. Designed by the firm of Hannoversche Maschinenbau AG, or Hanomag, production ran to over 15,000 vehicles and it was eventually built as 23 separate variants serving as not only a personnel carrier, but also as a command vehicle, mobile rocket launcher, armored ambulance and bridge-layer
The Sd.Kfz. 251 variants were armed with the 7.5cm gun, initially used as an infantry support and reconnaissance halftrack and later as a tank-killer, as a result of Hitler’s desperation to arm as many vehicles as possible with anti-tank weapons,
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Half-track armored personnel carrier
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1939–1945
Used by: Nazi Germany, Kingdom of Romania, Kingdom of Hungary, Italian Social Republic, French Army, Independent State of Croatia, Czechoslovak Army, Yugoslav People's Army
Wars: World War II
Designer: Hanomag
Manufacturer: Hanomag, Adler Werke, Horch, Škoda, Borgward
Unit cost: 22,560 Reichsmarks
No. built: Approx. 15,252
Mass: 7.81 tonnes (8.61 short tons)
Length: 5.80 m (19 ft.)
Width: 2.10 m (6 ft. 10 in)
Height: 1.75 m (5 ft. 9 in)
Crew: 2 + 10 passengers
Armor: 6-14.5 mm (0.24-0.57 in)
Main armament: MG 34 or MG 42
Secondary armament: MG 34 or MG 42
Engine: one Maybach HL42 6-cylinder petrol engine of 100 PS (99 hp., 74 kW)
Power/weight: 12.8 hp./ton
Suspension: Overlapping torsion bar (track) Leaf spring (wheels)
Operational range: 300 km (186 mi)
Maximum speed: 52.5 km/h (32.5 mph)
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books is located in England.
This book is soft-cover of 64 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
It holds 27 black and white wartime photos, 5 data lists, and 7 German organizational charts.
There are 24 color side profile illustrations, some include unit and tactical insignias.
THE MODEL SECTION:
Dragon’s 1/35th scale Sd. Kfz. 251/22 built by modeler Leo Han, with an illustration of a brass German tanker’s badge and 8 color walk-around type photos of the model made up.
AFV Club’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 251/22 built by modeler Fabio Marini, with an illustration of a silver “Death’s Head” medal and 14 color walk-around type photos of the model made up.
Dragon’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz.251/22 built by modeler Juanjo Dominguez, with Nazi breast eagle badge and 24 color walk-around type photos of the steps of the model being made up.
AFV Club’s 1/35th Scale Sd.Kfz. 251/22 built by modeler Michelangelo Sicilia, with illustration of the Nazi breast eagle and 14 color walk-around type photos of the model made up.
Tamiya’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 251/9 with 5 color walk-around type photos of the model made up. No modeler’s name is given.
Hasegawa’s 1/72nd scale Sd.Kfz. 251/9 showing the box art and 5 color walk-around photos of the model made up and 1 photo of the parts trees. Again, no modeler’s name is given
AFV Club’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 251/9 Ausf. D box art.
Dragon’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 251/1. A side view of it built up and 3 color photos of the parts trees.
Next is a list of available Accurate Armor brand kits.
A list of Firing Line brand kits.
A list of Hobby Boss brand kits.
A list of Italeri brand kits.
A list of Kingfisher brand kits
A list of Kit form Service brand kits.
A list of Mil Models brand kits,
A list of Revell brand kits,
A list of Tamiya brand kits.
Also shown are:
Two color photos of the Accurate Armor brand kit made up and their conversion set in 2 color photos of it made up.
Two color photos of Black Dog’s kit made up.
Firing Lines kit in 4 color walk-around type photos.
Cover arts of Hobby Boss’s 2 different kits.
Cover arts of Italeri kit with 2 photos of it made up.
Box arts of 2 of Mil Models box arts.
Revell’s 1/24th scale kit, box art and 2 color photos of it made up.
Tamiya’s 1/35th scale kit’s box art.
Next is a listing of detailing kits by:
Def Model, Dragonbad, Eduard, ET Models (with one photo of model made up), Minor Brands model made up, Hussar resin wheels with one photo of them, PH Designs with one photo of the set made up.
This is one neat book. It is directly aimed at the modeler who plans to build a Sd.Kfz. 251 and will also be of interest to military historians alike.
The Sd.Kfz. 251 halftrack was one of the most versatile armored vehicles produced by either side in WWIL. Designed by the firm of Hannoversche Maschinenbau AG, or Hanomag, production ran to over 15,000 vehicles and it was eventually built as 23 separate variants serving as not only a personnel carrier, but also as a command vehicle, mobile rocket launcher, armored ambulance and bridge-layer
The Sd.Kfz. 251 variants were armed with the 7.5cm gun, initially used as an infantry support and reconnaissance halftrack and later as a tank-killer, as a result of Hitler’s desperation to arm as many vehicles as possible with anti-tank weapons,
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Half-track armored personnel carrier
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1939–1945
Used by: Nazi Germany, Kingdom of Romania, Kingdom of Hungary, Italian Social Republic, French Army, Independent State of Croatia, Czechoslovak Army, Yugoslav People's Army
Wars: World War II
Designer: Hanomag
Manufacturer: Hanomag, Adler Werke, Horch, Škoda, Borgward
Unit cost: 22,560 Reichsmarks
No. built: Approx. 15,252
Mass: 7.81 tonnes (8.61 short tons)
Length: 5.80 m (19 ft.)
Width: 2.10 m (6 ft. 10 in)
Height: 1.75 m (5 ft. 9 in)
Crew: 2 + 10 passengers
Armor: 6-14.5 mm (0.24-0.57 in)
Main armament: MG 34 or MG 42
Secondary armament: MG 34 or MG 42
Engine: one Maybach HL42 6-cylinder petrol engine of 100 PS (99 hp., 74 kW)
Power/weight: 12.8 hp./ton
Suspension: Overlapping torsion bar (track) Leaf spring (wheels)
Operational range: 300 km (186 mi)
Maximum speed: 52.5 km/h (32.5 mph)
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books is located in England.
This book is soft-cover of 64 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
It holds 27 black and white wartime photos, 5 data lists, and 7 German organizational charts.
There are 24 color side profile illustrations, some include unit and tactical insignias.
THE MODEL SECTION:
Dragon’s 1/35th scale Sd. Kfz. 251/22 built by modeler Leo Han, with an illustration of a brass German tanker’s badge and 8 color walk-around type photos of the model made up.
AFV Club’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 251/22 built by modeler Fabio Marini, with an illustration of a silver “Death’s Head” medal and 14 color walk-around type photos of the model made up.
Dragon’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz.251/22 built by modeler Juanjo Dominguez, with Nazi breast eagle badge and 24 color walk-around type photos of the steps of the model being made up.
AFV Club’s 1/35th Scale Sd.Kfz. 251/22 built by modeler Michelangelo Sicilia, with illustration of the Nazi breast eagle and 14 color walk-around type photos of the model made up.
Tamiya’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 251/9 with 5 color walk-around type photos of the model made up. No modeler’s name is given.
Hasegawa’s 1/72nd scale Sd.Kfz. 251/9 showing the box art and 5 color walk-around photos of the model made up and 1 photo of the parts trees. Again, no modeler’s name is given
AFV Club’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 251/9 Ausf. D box art.
Dragon’s 1/35th scale Sd.Kfz. 251/1. A side view of it built up and 3 color photos of the parts trees.
Next is a list of available Accurate Armor brand kits.
A list of Firing Line brand kits.
A list of Hobby Boss brand kits.
A list of Italeri brand kits.
A list of Kingfisher brand kits
A list of Kit form Service brand kits.
A list of Mil Models brand kits,
A list of Revell brand kits,
A list of Tamiya brand kits.
Also shown are:
Two color photos of the Accurate Armor brand kit made up and their conversion set in 2 color photos of it made up.
Two color photos of Black Dog’s kit made up.
Firing Lines kit in 4 color walk-around type photos.
Cover arts of Hobby Boss’s 2 different kits.
Cover arts of Italeri kit with 2 photos of it made up.
Box arts of 2 of Mil Models box arts.
Revell’s 1/24th scale kit, box art and 2 color photos of it made up.
Tamiya’s 1/35th scale kit’s box art.
Next is a listing of detailing kits by:
Def Model, Dragonbad, Eduard, ET Models (with one photo of model made up), Minor Brands model made up, Hussar resin wheels with one photo of them, PH Designs with one photo of the set made up.
This is one neat book. It is directly aimed at the modeler who plans to build a Sd.Kfz. 251 and will also be of interest to military historians alike.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers, the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword books for this review copy. All Pen & Sword titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web-site at:
Highly recommended.