WW2 German Vehicles

This is one of many illustrated classic WW2 military vehicle guides I've created for the community. I hope you enjoy it. If you wish to find out more about the classic German military vehicle art featured in this guide please click here.

Germany built vast numbers of specialised military vehicles in the years before and during WWII. This guide features six examples including the humble Kfz 1 Volkswagen Kubelwagen, the best-known and most widely used German vehicle of the war period, and the powerful SDKfz 138 Marder 38 tank-hunter, one of many self-propelled artillery types of the Wehrmacht.

Kfz 1 ( Volkswagen 82 Kubelwagen )

The Volkswagen Type 82 (officially Leichte Personenkraftwagen - light personnel carrier). Popularly known as the Kubelwagen, it preceded the Jeep and over 52,000 were provided for the Wehrmacht. Today, it is the best known of all wartime derivations of the Kdf-Wagen and rates as one of the most successful military vehicles ever.

Crew: 1

Weight: 635Kg (1,397lb)

Dimensions: length 3.73m; width 1.60m, height 1.35m

Range: 600m (375 miles)

Armour: none

Armament: none

Powerplant: Volkswagen 4-cylinder 1,131cc petrol engine developing 25hp (18.6KW)

Performance: maximum road speed 100km/h (62.5mph)

Opel Blitz Cargo

In the medium or 3-ton category  the major and most successful German design was the Opel Blitz. The Blitz used a steel cab and wooden body and was used in many roles, from field ambulance to mobile workshop to command vehicle. To improve cross-country performance, the vehicle was given four-wheel drive, these vehicles being designed Allrad.

Crew: 1

Weight: 3,290kg (7,238lb)

Dimensions: length 6.02m; width 2.27m; height 2.18m

Range: 410km (255 miles)

Armour: none

Armament: none

Powerplant: Opel 6-cylinder engine developing 73.5hp (54.8KW)

Performance: maximum road speed 80km/h (50mph)

SdKfz 138 Marder 38

The Marder 38 was developed alongside the Marder II series of self-propelled artillery. Based on the Czechoslovakian TNHP-S light tank, around 400 of these tank hunters were produced from mid-1943.

Crew: 4

Weight: 11,000 (24,200lb)

Dimensions: length 4.95m; width 2.15m; height 2.48m

Range: 190km (120 miles)

Armour: 8-15mm (0.3-0.59in)

Armament: one 75mm PAK 40 gun

Powerplant: Praga six-cylinder engine developing 140hp (104KW)

Performance: maximum road speed 42km/h (26mph)

SdKfz 251/1 (Hanomag)

The SdKfz 251 series was developed as an offshoot of the German half-tracked artillery tractor series to provide an armoured personnel carrier for infantry accompanying the newly-formed Panzer divisions. The SDKfz 251/1 was one of the most common variants and could carry up to 12 soldiers and was armed with two MG34 machine-guns.

Crew: 12

Weight: 7,810kg (17,218lb)

Dimensions: length 5.80m; width 2.10m; height 1.75m

Range: 300m (186 miles)

Armour 6-14.5mm (0.24-0.57in)

Armament: two 7.92mm machine guns

Powerplant: Maybach 6-cylinder petrol engine developing 100hp (74.6KW)

Performance: maximum road speed 52.5km/h (32.5mph)

SdKfz 6 (Bussing-NAG)

The medium types of German semi-track tractors were the SDKfz 6(5-ton) and SdKfz 7(8-ton). The SdKfz 6 was designed to fulfil two main roles: to act as the main tractor vehicle for the 10.5cm (4.13in) le FH 18 batteries, or for use as an engineers tractor for 5-ton towed loads.

Crew: 11

Weight: 8,700kg (19,180lb)

Dimensions: length 6.01m; width 2.20m; height 2.48m

Range: 250km (156 miles)

Armour 8mm (0.31in)

Armament: none (basic model)

Powerplant: Maybach NL38 6-cylinder petrol engine developing 90hp (67.1kW)

Performance: maximum road speed 50km/h (31mph)

Kfz 69 (Krupp Boxer)

Krupp AG produced a light 6x4 truck powered by a horizontally opposed air-cooled 4-cylinder engine developing 60bhp, known as the Boxer. The 1933 prototype became the Kfz 69 and was produced in large numbers from 1934 onwards.

Crew: 1

Weight: 2,600kg (5,720lb)

Dimensions: length 4.95; width 1.95m; height 2.30m

Range: 300m (187 miles)

Armour: none

Armament: none (basic model)

Powerplant: Krupp 4-cylinder engine developing 60hp (44.7KW)

Performance: maximum road speed 70km/h (43.75mph)

Thank you for reading my guide and I hope you found it interesting!