Best Halftrack/tractor of WW2 ?

[Soren]

So which is it in your opinion ?

I'll list the info for some of the more famous ones, but there are plenty others:

Sd.Kfz.9
Weight (with fuel and equipment): 12,130 kg
Engine power: 250 hp
Range: 250 km
hp/t: 20.61
Armor: None.

Sd.Kfz.10
Weight (with fuel and equipment): 4,900 kg
Engine power: 100 hp
Range: 285 km
hp/t: 20.4
Armor: None.

Sd.Kfz.250
Weight (with fuel and equipment): 5,387 kg
Engine power: 100 hp
Range: 320 km
hp/t: 18.56
Armor: 6 to 15 mm

Sd.Kfz.251
Weight (with fuel and equipment): 7,810 kg
Engine power: 100 hp
Range: 300 km
hp/t: 12.8
Armor: 6 to 15 mm

M3A1
Weight (with fuel and equipment): 9,300 kg
Engine power: 143 hp
Range: 282 km
hp/t: 15.37
Armor: 6 to 12.7 mm

 

[Soren]

RSO 0/1
Weight (with fuel and equipment): 3,500 kg
Engine power: 85 hp
Range: 300 km
hp/t: 24.3
Armor: None.

 

[Lucky13]

Think.....that I'll have to go with the Sd.Kfz.251 and the improved Ausf D version Soren.

 

[Amsel]

Think.....that I'll have to go with the Sd.Kfz.251 and the improved Ausf D version Soren.

I like the Hanomag my self, also. The Sd.Kfz.251/22 with the Pak 40.

 

[syscom3]

The -251 set the standard for WW2.

 

[tomo pauk]

SdKfz 9 if one wants to haul a really big load and have plenty of money; if the money is problem M3/M5 are the answers.

RSO is not a half-track though.

 

[Soren]

tomo,

That's why the title says Halftrack/tractor

 

[syscom3]

Soren, the armor thickness only tells half the story. The German designs made more use of angled surfaces which improved ballistic protection.

The M3 was all "box" and suffered because of it.

The -251 was at least a generation ahead of the M3.

 

[vikingBerserker]

-251 with a short 75mm assualt gun.

 

[Soren]

Syscom,

Yes the Germans emphasized protection a lot, but while certainly important it is far from a halftracks only job. The American design emphasized using as small amounts of plates as possible and made sure that weight was kept low compared to engine power, which is also good, and productivity high.

The only real critizism I'd give the American desgin was the actual track system used, it offered far too little traction and gave to high a ground pressure. To try and compensate for that they powered the front wheels as-well, but it made no difference as they have no traction in knee deeb mud and thus provide no help at all. The Germans instead left the front wheels unpowered and made the tracks much larger, concentrating all power to the tracks, this gave better cross country performance.

Interestingly Wikipedia states otherwise and claims that the powered front wheels were an advantage and actually also claims that the German halftracks were less mobile.

 

[tomo pauk]

tomo,

That's why the title says Halftrack/tractor

Oops, my bad

In that case, I'll vote for 'Voroshiliovetz' prime mover; capable enough to tow the 203mm B4 howitzer in single piece:

Engines of the Red Army in WW2 - Heavy Tractor Voroshilovez

Many great airbrushes at the site, so be sure to take a look at other stuff!

 

[Soren]

Not at all a bad choice if you want to tow great loads, a very big beast though.

 

[Soren]

Can anyone ID this vehicle?:

 

[Soren]

Here's a funny picture I found, German troops with a RSO 01 STZ-5 side by side:

Here's a technical comparison:
RSO 01 / STZ-5
Gasoline / Gasoline
3,500 kg / 5,400 kg
85 hp / 52 hp
30 kph / 21.5 kph

On the eastern front the German army came to utilize lots of captured STZ-5's, which quickly became popular with the troops, so much so infact that they soon demanded to be equipped with a similar vehicle from home. The German motor companies went to work and the end result was the excellent Raupenschlepper Ost 0/1 0/3, the first being a 85 hp Gasoline powered type while the second was a 66 hp Diesel powered type. Basically it was just a much improved STZ-5.

 

[tomo pauk]

When it comes to not-so-heavy logistical tasks, the Opel Maultier was the way to go.
Notice the wheels from captured British vehicles.

 

[davebender]

Here are prices for the German half tracks.
Product prices

It's interesting that a full track Panzer Mk II costs less then the Sd.Kfz.9 half track. I wonder if you could use a variant of the Panzer Mk II for towing heavy artillery?

 

[tomo pauk]

The best way to utilize the chassis of Pz-II in the artillery arm was to create a SP artillery piece.
The Germans produced Wespe, one of the best AFVs in the war. Too bad for them it was available only from Kursk on.

Methinks that if one wants to motorize the towing of artillery pieces, the right step is to make them mechanized (= self-propelled) ASAP. The smaller demand for crew to man the pieces comes to mind right away, with other benefits too.

 

[Soren]

The RSO equipped with a PaK40:

 

[davebender]

Wirbelwind Lite armed with a flakvierling for AA and infantry support. Superior to the historical SdKfz 7/1 which had the weapon mounted on a SdKfz 7 half track.

 

[Soren]

But that's not a tractor or halftrack.