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Germany's SdKfz 9 schwerer Zugkraftwagen 18t half track
8.8cm Flak 37 (Sf) auf Zugkraftwagen 18t: Imperial War Museum - MH9045 |
Design
The SdKfz 9 was the largest halftrack used during World War II. It was designed as a heavy recovery vehicle for tanks. Famo Fahrzeugwerke und Motorwerke AG at Breslau designed and built it. The first prototypes appeared in 1936. Eventually an artillery tractor version was made. The tractor version was used to tow the heavy artillery and some heavy engineering equipment which included bridging equipment that was towed.
Some of the heavy artillery towed:
- 128 mm FlaK 40 (Luftwaffe anti-aircraft gun)
- Krupp 210 K 38
- 240 mm K 3 (had to be towed in 5 loads)
Production
- SdKfz 9 schwerer Zugkraftwagen 18t:
- Production: 1936 - 1944
- 8.8cm Flak 37 (Sf) auf Zugkraftwagen 18t:
151
- Production: 19401
- Manufacturer: Krupp1, FAMO1
Variants
- SdKfz 9 schwerer Zugkraftwagen 18t:
- SdKfz 9/1 schwerer Zugkraftwagen 18t: Had a 13,228 lb capacity crane.
- SdKfz 9/2 schwerer Zugkraftwagen 18t: Had a 22,046 lb capacity crane, outrigger legs, and an extra jib that would suspend a counter weight. These could handle tanks up to PzKpfw IVs by themselves. They were used as pairs when trying to recover Tigers.
- 8.8cm Flak 37 (Sf) auf Zugkraftwagen 18t: Had a 88 FlaK 37 gun mounted on the rear with a platform and outrigger arms to stabilize the vehicle.
| SdKfz 9 | 8.8cm Flak 37 (Sf) auf Zugkraftwagen 18t, 88 mm FlaK18(Sfl) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Crew | 92 | 91 |
| Physical Characteristics | ||
| Weight | 39,683 lb2 18,000 kg2 |
25 tons1 |
| Weight - empty | 15,130 kg3 | |
| Weight - loaded | 18,0003 | |
| Length w/gun | 27' 0.8"2 8.25 m2,3 |
9.32 m1 |
| Length w/o gun | ||
| Height | 9' 0.7"2 2.76 m2, 2.85 m3 |
3.67 m1 |
| Width | 8' 6"2 1.6 m2, 2.6 m3 |
2.65 m1 |
| Ground clearance | ||
| Ground contact length | ||
| Ground pressure (psi) | ||
| Turret ring diameter | ||
| Armament | ||
| Main | 88 mm FlaK18 L/561 | |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | ||
| Side arms | ||
| Quantity | ||
| Main | 401 | |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | ||
| Side arms | ||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | ||
| Hull Front, Upper | 14.51 | |
| Hull Front, Lower | ||
| Hull Sides, Upper | 14.51 | |
| Hull Sides, Lower | ||
| Hull Rear | 81 | |
| Hull Top | ||
| Hull Bottom | ||
| Superstructure Front | 14.51 Gun Shield: 10@10°1 |
|
| Superstructure Sides | 14.51 | |
| Superstructure Rear | 81 | |
| Superstructure Top | Open1 | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Maybach HL2, Maybach HL1083 | Maybach HL108TUKRM1 |
| Cylinders | V-122 | |
| Net HP | 2502,3 | |
| Transmission | 4x2 forward, 1x2 reverse.1 | |
| Fuel type | Gasoline2 | |
| Octane | ||
| Capacity (gallons) | ||
| Performance | ||
| Traverse | 360°, hand.1 | |
| Max Speed | 31 mph2 50 kph2,3 |
50 kph1 |
| Cross Country | ||
| Road radius | 280 km1 | |
| Turning Radius | ||
| Elevation Limits | -3° to + 85°1 | |
| Fording depth | ||
| Trench crossing | ||
| Vertical Obstacle | ||
| Suspension (Type) | Wheels: Trans leaf spring3 Tracks: Torsion bar3 |
|
| Wheels each side | ||
| Return rollers each side | ||
| Track length | ||
| Tires | ||
| Track width | ||
| Track centers/tread |
Sources:
- Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, 1999
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- Halbkettenfahrzeuge, German Half-Track Vehicles 1939-1945, J. Williamson, 1972
