Special Purpose Panzers.

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Interesting designs. I find very interesting however the Goliath, although I don't know how useful was in combat, but the idea itself is great.
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It was useful destroying field bunkers and clearing paths in suspected or confirmed minefield, the problem was the minitank was vulnerable to rifle caliber armor piercing round wich could disable or detonate it.

In order to use with succes you need to achieve surprize, the electric varint was more stealthy due the no-sound. I guess you should use the imagination o find more uses, attacking tanks wasnt possible because the tank could easily outrun this device. Also the limited remote control range put in some danger the operator attacking a fast mobile armor target.

have always thought the Goliath was cool...thanks for all the info, CB!
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You re welcome, I had see pictures of the Goliath in a entrenchmend near Juno beach, and also seen a "Deutsche Wochenschau" german newsreel of July 1944 in wich the SS used a Goliath to finish a disabled Sherman, unfortunately i have no available the video not the picture.
 
Mittlere schützenpanzerwagen Sd.Kfz 251/20 "Uhu"

This variant was designed to be used as a mobile searchlight for night fighting tank and infantry units.



The "Biwa" infrared sight (connected to weapons) with an observation range of 300 to 400 meters is still being developed. Finally in October 1944, 10 m.SPW (Sd.Kfz.251) were transferred directly to a firm for installation of "Uhu" (owl) equipment.

On 8 August 1944, the m.Schtz.Pz.Wg. (Uhu) (Sd.Kfz.251/20) was listed as being outfitted with one Fu 8 and one Fu 5 radio sets as well as a Bordsprechanlage (intercom system). As listed on 15 November 1944, the (Sd.Kfi.251/20) was to be armed with an M.G.42 and an M.P.40 and outfitted with one 60 cm searchlight, one 20 cm searchlight, one BG 1251 (infrared sight), and one FG 1252 (infrared sight).60cm "red light" projector.

Six Sd.Kfz.251/20 were sent by rail to Putlos, leaving on 7 March 1945, and nine Sd.Kfi.251/20 were sent by rail to Bergen, also leaving on 7 March 1945. The only recorded operational employment of the "Uhu" was ordered by the Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen on 12 February 1945 with the assignment of the 1 .Kompanie/Panzer-Abteilung 10 of the Fuehrer-Grenadier-Division to complete company-strength troop trials.

This unit was to be issued 10 Panthers with F.G.1250 infrared sights and three Sd.Kfz.251/20 with built in B.G.1251 (Uhu). On 26 March 1945, Major Woellwarth and Hauptmann Rietz reported on the action of the first company equipped with infrared sights for night combat. The infrared equipment had performed successfully without any breakdowns.

The "uhu" device was designed to be the main illuminating device for the projected "sperber" nachtkampfgruppen, night combat units equipped with panthers and Grenadiers using Stg-44 rifles with the vampyr night vision scope. Is not clear if the "Uhu" and "Sperber" units were actually used in combat in this very late stagage of the war.

Beobachtung Gerät BG 1251 (20 cm searchlight) y Fern Gerät FG 1252, ( long distance sighting device) for the half track driver.
 

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Sturmstegpanzer

A vehicle sharing some characteristics with the "bruckenleger IV" . It was basically a self moving armored 2 piece telescopic assault ladder designed to be deployed over trenches, minefields and /or the roof of bunkeres to allow the infantry crossing the obstacles and attacking targets inside or beyond.
The two sections could be extended up to 26.5 meters.

This tank also named "Bruckenleger S" was manufactured on a panzer IV ausf D chassis. Only 4 were complete in early 1941 and send to the front, used by the 39 Pioner-panzer Abteilung of the 3 Panzer Division in the invation of the USSR.
 

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Thank you ( nice avatar by the way) here is more:

Geschützwagen B2

This strange looking vehicle was an attemp to create an assault gun to accompany the flamethrowing tanks used in the early stages of "Barbarossa": it comprised a medium 105 mm german field howitzer on the Char B1 chassis. In the end was relegated to other teathers of operation. Probably you wont agree with me but I think it was a very atractive vehicle.
 

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Thanks a lot CB
it warms the heart of an old pioneeri to see photos on those combat engineer vehicles.

Juha
 
Thanks a lot CB
it warms the heart of an old pioneeri to see photos on those combat engineer vehicles.
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Yur are welcome.
Contrary to popular belief the USMC did not invent the amphibious APC (AMTRAC). But Germany had no reason to mass produce it as they had no Marine Corps.
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The land water tractor was unarmored but quite useful vehicle.
 

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The original model AMTRAC was also unarmored. Once in service the troops quickly realized the need for protection from small arms fire. If it enters service the German vehicle would undergo a similiar evolution.
 
Actually there was some similar to the amtrack, but again was produced in few numbers to make some real impact on german operations.

Panzerfahre aus Pz IV einbau:

Developed in early 1941 by the firms of Klöckner Humboldt Deutz AG, Werk Magirus, Bosanwerft Maybach Zahnradfabik Friedrichshaften, Krupp Gruson and Kässbohrer. The Panzerfahre (Pz.F) was intended to replace the Landwasserschleper (LWS) as a vehicle capable of supply and combat operations on the land and in the water. The first of two units was delivered in May 1942.

The overall shape of the vehicle was that of a large, lightly armored, tracked boat, with a propeller located aft, and the running gear from a modified Panzerkampwagen IV. It was of riveted construction and powered by a Maybach HL 120 engine. The Pz. F had an armored protection of 11-13mm plate and it could tow an amphibious trailer, or work in tandem with another Pz. F and a floating platform to ferry loads up to 24 tons. Only 2 or 3 wer completed and tested but is not clear if ever were deployed to the frontloine.
 

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Kleiner funk und Beobachtungspanzer UE.



The complete name of this tiny vehicle was kleiner funk und beobachtungspanzer auf Infanterieschlepper UE. Little radio and observation armored vehicle over a infatry tractor UE. The UE "chenillette" was a french design used to carry munition to the front under combat conditions. A large quantity of them fell in german hands after the France capitulation. 40 were converted in this variant by the Baukommando Becker in late 1942.

Its was used mostly for training artillery observation crews and for support the self moving artillery in some anti-invation exercises in Northern France, but evidently due its small size and little armor the combat capabilities were extremely limited.

Type: radio liason and artillery observation armored vehicle.

engine : renault 4 cilinders 2,1 liters 38 hp.

Armor: 6 mm max.

Lenght: 3,9 meters.

Suspension: leaf springs

Speed: 43 km/h

Weight: 3,8 metric tons.

Armament: none, equipped with Sf.14z scissors telescope and Fug 5 radio.

 

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CB
thanks again for the pictures on Panzerfahre, they bring up memories when we built 60 tons ferry and sailed up and down a river.

Juha
 
No worries, is long topic actually.

Interesting camouflage on those vehicles in the last photo
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The vehicles of that phote belonged to the "Schnelle brigade west" a sort of "anti-invation" fully motorized german force based in northern France created in late 1942.

Flammpanzer II / PzKpfw II (F) (Sd. Kfz. 122)



On February 21,1939 German Army HQ ordered the development of Flammpanzer (flame-thrower tank). Both producers of Panzer II, MAN (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nuremberg) and Daimler-Benz were selected to develop that project. Shortly after, July of 1939, soft-steel prototype based on Panzer II Ausf D/E's chassis was built. It was armed with two flame-throwers mounted on trackguards on each side. Flame-throwers were mounted in special turret-like cases (Spitzkopfe) that allowed them to operate at 180 degrees radius.

Each flame-thrower had its own fuel tank with 160 liters capacity which was enough to fire 80 "shots" at the maximum range of 55 meters. Flame-thrower's fuel consisted of a mixture of oil and gasoline that was "shot" with help of pressurized nitrogen stored in six pressurized tanks. Flame-thrower was ignited with acetylene "lighter".

For additional armament MG34 7.92mm for which 1800 rounds of S.m.K ammo were carried inside. Machine gun was mounted in a small rotating turret (Kugelblende). Its crew consisted of three men (driver, radio operator and commander/flame-thrower operator) and its armor protection ranged from 14.5mm to 30mm thickness. PzKpfw II (F) was powered by 6 cylinder Maybach HL62 TRM engine with total power of 140hp.

From April to September of 1939, MAN produced 46 complete chassis, which were to be converted into Flammpanzers by Wegmann Co.(Kassel). Conversion started in January of 1940. In March of 1940, another 30 PzKpfw II Ausf D/Es were taken from 7th (10) and 8th (20) Panzer Divisions and were converted to PzKpfw II(F)s. Overall, 90 PzKpfw II(F)s were produced from May to December of 1940.

All the vehicles took part of the early stages of "Barbarossa" within the Panzer Flamm abt 100 and 101.
 

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Bruckenleger II

Bridge layer based upon an Panzerkampfwagen II ausf F chassis. Requested by the Waffeamt in early 1939. 4 manufactured by Krupp and M.A.N.

The bridge could be extended up to 12 meters and could withstand 8 tons. 3 Bruckenleger II were used in the invation of Poland.
 

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Flammpanzer B2 (f)

Other type of specialpanzer made above a french plataform, the Flammpanzer B2, basicly some old heavy french Tanks with several modifications.

The hull short 75 mm gun was deleted and a flamethrower put instead. Nevertheles the squizofrenic single place turret was mantain, so the poor tank chief had to command, load, aim and shoot the 47 mm gun also.

24 were converted in early 1941. This type was used in action in the Eastern front in mid 1941 in independient infantry units. later were atacched to SS units mostly to fight agaist partisans.

Maximum range of the flamethrower was 60 meters.
 

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A nice color pic of a B2 flamm used in Yugoeslavia by the Waffen SS, the maximum thickness of the armor was 60 mm at the frontal plate, and its weight about 33 tons.
 

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