Series – Armor

DRR60314 – Sd. Kfz. 251/7 “Hanomag” Ausf D Pionierpanzerwagen

Lehr Division, St. Lo 1944

Scale – 1/72

Released – JULY 2007

List Price – 19.99

Retails up to $27.50

Discounts are available for regular customers and with purchasing of other military models please inquire.

About the release

“Befitting its elite status, Panzer Lehr was equipped with the best tanks and armored vehicles available. One example is Dragon Armor’s Sd.Kfz.251/7, which is fielded in an attractive three-color camouflage scheme. The 251/7 was designed as a specialist version for pionier assault engineers, and was thus equipped with a pair of assault bridge elements. It is an Ausf. D variant, and the chassis has been made in die-cast metal to give it a pleasing weight and robustness. This finely detailed 1/72 scale model has accurately scaled machine guns fitted front and rear, each of which is designed to rotate. Lehr means “demonstration”, and this Sd.Kfz.251/7 is the ideal accessory for demonstration and display by collectors.” source – www.dragonmodelsusa

This model featuring photo-etched parts ammunition rack.

About the Sd.Kfz. 251:
The German armed forces revolutionized warfare with its stunning blitzkrieg tactics. Instrumental in this new kind of war were the panzers and the panzergrenadiers in their mobile, armored vehicles. One of the mainstays of the panzergrenadiers was the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track with its top speed of 53km/h, a vehicle that was built in numerous configurations.!”

Source www.dragonmodelsusa.com

Semi-tracked medium armored personnel carrier

Mittlere Gepanzerte Mannschaftskraftwagen (Sd Kfz 251), later Mittlere Schutzenpanzerwagen Ausf A, B, C

Other designations: HL KL 6p, Great 90

When Germans planned creation of their Panzer Divisions it was decided that an infantry need accompanying tanks into battle.  Therefore it has been decided that an armored personnel carrier need to be designed.  The idea was to fit an armored body on a medium semi-tractor.  Hanomag designed The chassis and Russing-NAG designed the body.  The basis of the new vehicle was Zgkw 3t (Sd Kfz 11).  Production started in June 1939 end ended at the end of the war.  During the course of production four modifications A, B, D and C were produced.   The vehicle had a well-designed and shape body, at rear it had double doors that allowed quick and safe exit for personnel.  It was armed with two MG 34 machine guns and equipped with the radio.  Original variant “A” had three vision slits on each side and antenna mounted on the front right side.  On Ausf B side ports were available for driver and commander only.  Ausf C replaced previous variants in 1940 and was in production until late 1943 when Ausf D had replaced it, which was in production until the end of the war.  The armored plate was introduced for the front mounted MG; it featured single armor plate at nose, armored cowls to cover the engine side intake.  Ruther then that all these variants were basically the same vehicle.   Though produced by different manufacturers, which produced both welded and riveted bodies, it was widely known as Hanomag after it designer and main production company. 

Ausf D

In September 1943 Sd Kfz 251 went through numerous of changes designed to simplify production with the goal to increase production output as much as possible.

While the chassis still the same design of armored body was changed.  Designers reduced the number of separate armor plates.  At the rear the body was simplified by installation of reverse slopped plate that increased the length of the vehicle on 18 cm / 7”, engine air intake incorporated under engine side armor that allowed cowls removing, mad guards were replaced with light metal stowage boxes permanently attached to the body.   Weight increased for 190 kg / 418.5 lbs. Otherwise it was similar to previously produced Ausf C.   Visually it is very easy to differentiate Ausf C and D.   In 1944 three more company entered in production of this vehicle.

“Hanomag” had at least 23 variants that were equipped and armed depends on task it was intend to accomplish.   It includes basic personnel carrier, ambulance, ammunition supply vehicle, artillery observation/command posts, mortar carrier, platform for different artillery pieces that actually makes it an SPG, engineering vehicles, etc.   Such variants were designated as (Sd Kfz 251/ …) with the variant number.  For example personnel carrier were 251/1, engineering vehicles 251/7, the Luftwaffe had 251/17 with 2cm flak mounted on it, 251/22 was armed with the 75mm gun as StuG IV.

The major disadvantages were: narrow tracks limited cross-country ability, underpowered engine, and difficulty with engine maintenance due to limited access to the engine compartment.

Practically all branches of Nazi Germany Armed Forces were supplied with “Hanomags” it saw combat on all fronts and in all major battles.  A model of Sd Kfz 251 simply a must to any collection that featured WW II armed vehicles.  This vehicle is the first true armored personnel carrier.

Manufacturer: Hanomag, MNH, Schichau, Wumag, Weserhutle, Borgward

Production: 4,650 of Ausf  A, B, C – from June 1939 to September 1943

Crew – 2

Weight – 7.81 tones/ 17,127 lbs

Dimensions  – L  5.8 m / 19’ 1/3”, W 2.1 m / 6’ 10.67”, H 1.75 m / 5’ 8.9”

Speed – 53 km/h /32 mph

Range – 300 km / 181 miles

Armament – usually front and rear mount MG 34, specialized variants had a variety of different weapons mounted.

Radio – basic radio was FuG Spr Ger 1, however depends on variant a different type or types were installed.

Armor -  (mm/angle) Hull – Front 14.5 /21, side 8/35. rear 8/30, top 6/90

               Superstructure – Front 10/33, side 8/35, Rear 8/40, top open

The Unit History. (source Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Panzertruppschule I & II
Panzer-Lehr-Division
130.Panzer-Lehr-Division

The Panzer-Lehr-Division, commonly known as Panzer Lehr, was a German armoured division during World War II, one of the most élite units in the entire German army. It was formed in 1943 from various units of élite training and demonstration troops (Lehr = "demonstration") stationed in Germany, to provide additional armored strength for resisting the anticipated Allied invasion of western Europe. Due to its élite status it was lavishly equipped in comparison to the ordinary Panzer Divisions, though on several occasions it fought almost to destruction.

Panzer Lehr is occasionally referred to as the 130.Panzer-Lehr-Division, since a number of its constituent units were numbered 130, and in most other Panzer divisions those units were numbered to match the division's number.

On the D-Day Panzer Lehr Division was a part of the German strategic armored reserve which was held back from the fighting during the crucial first days.  On June *, 1944 it was committed to battle against the British and Canadians forces. It was involved in a heavy fighting defending Caen including heavy fighting for Hill 112.  As all other German armored units Panzer Lehr suffered very heavy losses from Allied air attacks and by the end of June sustained sever losses in its tanks.  Fighting around Caen the Lehr Division lost 102 tanks and suffered around 2,500 casualties.  On July 2 Panzer Lehr was order to area near St. Lo to support divisions resisting the American advance.   In that area division was involved in heavy fighting against numerically superior allied forces.  St. Lo fell to the Americans on July 19, 1944 and six days later Americans launched their breakout from the Normandy lodgment.  The operation Cobra was preceded by aerial bombardment in which over 2,000 allied bombers, including strategic bombers, took place.  Panzer Lehr was directly in the path of attack.

By the end of the Summer the division had only 20 tanks.  It was pull back for refitting.

Later in the year Panzer Lehr participated in counterattack of American forces towards the Saverne Gap, and later at the Battle of the Bulge.  After the Battle of the Bulge Panzer Lehr Division was refitted again but by this time there were just of few well trained personal and standard of equipment was anywhere near to its original standard. The division was moved to Holland and was involved in very heavy fighting against British 21^st Army Group, trying to crush bridgehead established by US 9^th Armored Division capturing the Rhine bridge at Remagen.  Heavy fighting and constant aerial attacks reduced Panzer Lehr to a week shadow of the division.  During the fighting retreat across northwestern Germany the division was trapped in the Ruhr Pocket and Americans took prisoner its remnants when the pocket surrendered in April of 1945.