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German

l. Pz. Sp. Wg. (Sd. Kfz. 221, 222, 223): 4-Wheeled Armored Cars

l. Pz. Sp. Wg. (Sd. Kfz. 221, 222, 223): 4-Wheeled Armored Cars

There are three main types of German four-wheeled armored car, the Sd. Kfz. 221, 222, and 223, of which the 222 is the most common. The main differences between the types are in weight, armament, and turret construction.

Sd. Kfz. 222—Weighs 4.7 tons and has a crew of three. Its turret of 8 mm thick plates, set at a 55° angle to the horizontal, is ten-sided and traversable through 360°. The roof is fitted with two hinged frameworks covered with wire mesh which, in a closed position, form a bird-cage cover as a protection against grenades and as a framework for camouflage.

The four wheels are independently sprung. Power is furnished by an Auto-Union, Horch V-8 gasoline engine developing 85 B.H.P. at 2,000 r.p.m. The transmission is of the crash type, providing five forward speeds and one reverse. The drive is through all wheels and steering may be either two-wheeled or four-wheeled as desired.

A 2 cm Kw.K. 30 or 38 is mounted on a central pillar, together with a coaxial 7.92 mm M.G. 34 to the left. The car has a W/T transmitter and receiver with a radius of about 4 1/2 miles.

Sd. Kfz. 221—Similar to Sd. Kfz. 222. Weighs 4 tons and has a crew of two. Its turret is a seven-sided truncated pyramid with a wire-mesh grid over the fore part only. It mounts only an M.G. 34, although a machine carbine M.P. 38 or 40 is carried as auxiliary armament. It has no wireless.

Sd. Kfz. 223—Similar to Sd. Kfz. 222. Weighs 4.3 tons and has a crew of three. It mounts the 7.92 mm M.G. 34 as main armament, and carries a machine carbine M.P. 38 or 40. It has W/T and R/T communication. A horizontal rectangular aerial is supported above the car on four uprights which can be folded downward and backward, giving the gunner a clear field of fire.

SPECIFICATIONS

Sd. Kfz. 222
Weight            4.7 tons
Length 15 ft., 9 ins.
Width 6 ft., 5 ins.
Height 6 ft., 7 ins.
Ground clearance 10 ins.
Suspension 4 single wheels, independent springing
Wheel base 9 ft., 2 ins.
Size tires 8.27 x 18
Fording depth 2 ft.
Theoretical radius of action
     Roads 175 miles
     Cross-country 125 miles
Speed
     Roads 30 m.p.h.
     Cross-country 25 m.p.h.
Armor
     Front plate 8 mm
     Sides 8 mm
Armament 2 cm Kw.K. 30 or 38
  7.92 mm M.G. 34 (coaxial)
  9 mm M.P. 38 or 40
Ammunition 2 cm 100 rds. A.P., 120 rds. H.E.
  M.G.—2000 rds.
  M.P.—350 rds.
Engine Auto-Union, V-8, 85 B.H.P.
Transmission Crash type—5 speeds forward, 1 reverse.
Steering 2-4 wheel steer
Crew 3

German: p. 41

Categories
German

l. Pz. Sp. Wg. (Sd. Kfz. 222): Light Armored Scout Car

l. Pz. Sp. Wg. (Sd. Kfz. 222): Light Armored Scout CarGerman nomenclature: leichter Pan­zer­späh­wa­gen (Sd. Kfz. 222) mit Ein­heits­fahr­gestell I für schwerer Pan­zer­kraft­wa­gen.

English designation: Light armored scout car with standard chassis I for heavy armored car.

SPECIFICATIONS

Net weight         3,750 kg         8,267 lb.
Pay load 1,050 kg 2,315 lb.
Gross weight 4,800 kg 10,582 lb.
Weight: Front axle 1,850 kg 4,078 lb.
Weight: Rear axle 2,950 kg 6,503 lb.
Length (overall) 4,800 mm 15 ft., 9 ins.
Width (overall) 1,950 mm 6 ft., 5 ins.
Height (overall) 2,000 mm 6 ft., 7 ins.
Ground clearance 230 mm 9 ins.
Tread centers 1,610 mm 5 ft., 3 ins.
Wheelbase 2,800 mm 110 ins.
Wheel width 190 mm 7 1/2 ins.
Angle of approach   50°
Angle of departure   35°
Seating capacity
Fording depth 600 mm 23 ins.
Climbing ability   20°
Overturn gradient (lengthwise)   40°
Overturn gradient (crosswise)   30°
Turning radius 14 meters (front wheels) 46 ft., 4 ins.
  8 meters (all wheels) 26 ft., 3 ins.
Engine horsepower 75 c-v 74 hp
Piston displacement 3,500 cu cm 210 cu. ins.
Fuel tank capacity 110 liters 29 gal.
Highway fuel consumption   6.5 m.p.g.
Average terrain fuel consumption   4 m.p.g.

German: p. 74.62