Introducing the German Reconnaissance Vehicles

This post covers a variety of German reconnaissance vehicles. These vehicles were important within the German military as even before the war, the military planners already envisioned the upcoming conflict as a new kind of warfare in which high and fast mobility would play a key role. Most of these vehicles were designed before the war and they did not require many subsequent models. Their original designs met their requirements well from the beginning. Let's take a look.

Forces of Valor Kubelwagen Type 82 - 21st Panzer Division

The  Kübelwagen, short for Kübelsitzwagen or 'bucket seat car', was a scout vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen. The prototypes were tested during the invasion of Poland and by early 1940 it went into production and continued to be built until the end of the war. Over 50,000 of them were built. Even though it was a 2-wheel drive vehicle, its flat underbelly allowed it to slide over snow, mud or sand, allowing to go where only tracked vehicles or all-wheel drive vehicles could. Being 300 kg lighter than the American Jeeps, it could travel up to 50mph using an engine comparable to that of a VW Beetle. In general this was a very reliable and rugged reconnaissance car. This model comes to us from Forces of Valor. Very nicely detailed and painted. It comes with a crew of three. Not included in the picture is the top which can be removed.

Forces of Valor Kubelwagen Type 82 - Africa

Same vehicle, different finish. This one is missing the spare tire on the front, but when you buy it new, it is included. Note that the front doors are hinged at the back. Since I got this one second hand I am not 100% sure if the three passengers were included with this model.

Forces of Valor Kubelwagen Tye 82 - Normandy

Third variation of this vehicle from FOV. This one is shown with the top on. Note also that the shovel on the side of the car is present, although I did not mount it right. The spade is supposed to face the back of the vehicle and the handle is supposed to point forward, resting above the headlight.

Forces of Valor Kubelwagen Tye 82 - Holland 1944

Here is another variation of the Kubelwagen. It's different in two respects. One is the cammo pattern, and the second one, which is the one I found ost interesting and appealing is the fact that it belongs to a field hospital unit. It also comes with the second top, to enclose it if that's how you like it, but in that case, the man on the side won't be able to sit on the edge and I prefer to display the figure. 

Britains Deetail Kubelwagen - Part I

This is a nice model by Britains. It's not so easy to come by so it took me a while to find one. As you can see, the vehicle comes with a driver and a machine gunner. The only thing that I don't quite like is that they chose to paint the fenders and the tire rims green.

Britains Deetail Kubelwagen - Part II

From this angle you can see the mounted machine gun a bit better. Also note the corrugated detail on the body of the car. Gives it a nice, realistic look. Also, depending on the condition of the vehicle, they might still have the wehrmacht stickers on the doors.

Britains Deetail Afrika Korps Kubelwagen

This is also essentially the same Kubelwagen as the one made for the regular German Infantry figures, but in a desert sand color scheme and with the two men in Afrika Korps gear. Note that instead of a Wehrmacht sticker on the door, it actually has the AK symbol painted on to it. The man on the back is also just holding the MG, instead of aiming. A bit of a hard to find item, particualrly for a reasonable price.

Forces of Valor Schwimmwagen Type 166

The VW Schimmwagen Type 66 was the most successful amphibian car in history in terms of numbers built. Between 1941 and 1944 over 15,500 were produced. Many of its components were adopted from the Kübelwagen, with the 'bodytub' and the propelling mechanism on the back being the main innovations. One 'funny' aspect of this vehicle was that it could not use its propeller to travel in reverse, so paddles had to be used or they had to let the wheels spin in the water in reverse to move in that direction. It was also designed by Porsche's firm and manufactured by Volkswagen. This model was produced by Forces of Valor, with its customary nice level of detail. It must have been a popular item because it was released in about 4 or 5 other color schemes.

Forces of Valor Schwimmwagen Type 166  - view from behind

Here you can see the propeller. It can be lowered or lifted according to where the vehicle finds itself. You can also see how the vehicle looks with the top on.

Forces of Valor Schwimmwagen Type 166 - Normandy 1944

This is the same vehicle as the previous Schwimmwagen, with a different and, in my opinion, much inferior paint job. Part of it is that the cammo pattern does not seem very realistic, and partly that the paint job looks too clean. It would have been nice if they had given the vehicle a bit of weathering. One small improvement over the prior model, is that it also comes with an oar which I suppose might have come handy if the vehicle ever lost power while crossing a body of water. 

21st Century Toys Sd Kfz 222

The Sd Kfz 22 was a light armored scout vehicle based on the Sd Kfz 221, but instead of a machine gun, it carried a 20mm KwK38 Flak Cannon as its main weapon -and a MG as secondary armament. It was built between 1936 and to mid 1943. During this time almost 1000 vehicles were manufactured. It was phased out of production by the Sd Kfz 234. The Sd Kfz 222 could travle up to 85 mph, despite a weight of almost 5 tons. It was operated by a crew of 3. This model was one of the first to be produced by 21C Toys, along with the Tiger I and the Hanomag. They were truly revolutionary when they came out, with a level of realism not seen previously. The vehicles comes with one figure and a top that opens. It was also released in a tan cammo paint scheme.

Forces of Valor Zündapp KS 750

The Zündapp KS 750 was a heavy duty sidecar motorcycle that was nearly as effective off-road as it was on roads. From 1940 onwards until the factory was bombed in 1944 over 18,000 of them were built. Capable of carrying 500kg or 3 fully armed men plus ammo, it could travel as fast as 60mph. When going X-Country, it would be able to travel in mud up to its axels, thanks to its muffler which was installed higher than usual. A very interesting feature of this bike is that the driver could control whether to shift power to the side wheel when traveing off-road. This very nice model comes to us courtesy of Forces of Valor. The mud paint is very realistic, the figures very well sculpted. It even comes with a small trailer.

Forces of Valor Zündapp KS 750

Here is another view from the side. The only inconvenience is that those luggage bags on the sides of the sidecar easily come off when you handle it, so you often have to put them back in place. The other thing is that the machine gun mount is a bit brittle and mine broke when I was trying to get the gunner to hold it.

Marx German Motorcycle with Sidecar

This is Marx's representation of a Zundapp I suppose. For the 60's this was probably a highlight of the Battleground set, and I am sure that once it is painted it looks fairly decent. The only thing that I find amusing is that the feet of the man riding on the sidecar actually reach the ground. It reminds me of the Flintstones!

Atlantic German BMW with Sidecar

This is a nice model from Atlantic. It comes in multiple pieces that easily snap together. The level of detail is quite nice, for a platstic set. If you compare it to the Marx motorcycle with sidecar, there is actually no comparison. The only thing I wich they had done better is to have the passenger hold/operate the machine gun to give it more of an action feeling.

Britains Deetail Africa Corps Dispatch Rider

Britains Deetail also produced a nice set of motorcycles. This one has some similarities with the Zündapp, but I believe it is actually a BMW. Notice how they gave the driver goggles, which would obviously come very handy in the desert.

Britains Deetail Afrika Korps Motorcycle w/sidecar

This is essentially the same as the stand-alone motrocycle, with an attached sidecar. Notice how the caps on the two men are painted in different colors. That was not the case in all of these sets. I've seen it before with both men wearing the field grey cap, so I think these two guys are a bit of an oddity. Other than that, this model is not much different from the one made for the regular German Infantry.

Britains Deetail German BMW w/sidecar

 There are also a couple other German motorcycles from Britains Deetail. This is one of them. It is supposed to be a BMW.  The driver normally has a rifle across his back, but this one came without it. The other model is a standalone bike.

Britains Deetail German BMW - Part I

Here is the motorcycle by itself. It took me a while to find one that was in good shape and fairly priced, but it was worth the wait. The only funny thing is that the factory paint gave the rider a silver nose!

Britains Deetail German BMW - Part II

Here is another view. You can see the rifle on the back and how it is attached. Most models nowadays are missing it as it comes off relatively easily.

Britains Deetail German Motorcycle - Early model

I recently ran across this version of the Deetail German BMW bike. According to the seller, this was an earlier and apparently less common version than the dark grey model. There are a few other differences in the design of the bike, like the muffler for instance and the fact that the engine is a different color. The rider seems to be the same.

Britians Deetail Kettenkrad

This one was an elusive one to obtain. They are usually priced beyond what I want to pay for something this size, or they have some damage. In this case I got lucky and was able to pick up the Kettenkrad with a towed PAK 40 for a bit less than what a good Kettenkrad usually sells for. If you watched Saving Private Ryan, you might recall the prominent role that one of these vehicles plays in that movie. 

Britians Deetail PAK40 towed by Kettenkrad

The Kettenkrad comes with a hook where you can attach the PAK40. I've actually seen real pictures of Kettenkrads being used for this purpose. One nice feature of this PAK is that it can actually fire. It has a small lever that you can pull to compress a spring and when released it could fire a round. I don't have the ammo that came with it either, but it should not be hard to improvise some rounds.

LFL German Motorcycle w/sidecar Part I

This is a 1/32 motorcycle that I came across on eBay. the listing did not state the manufacturer and the vehicle does not have much in terms of branding to help identify its maker. All it says is: "2008 LFL Made in China". The level of detail is good, so it would be good to be able to know more about LFL and what other vehicles they have released.

LFL German Motorcycle w/sidecar Part II

Here is another angle, from where the side car and its unit insignia can be seen better. As you can see the sidecar has the piece to rest the MG. I don't know if the vehicle came with figures originally, but I suppose it might have. If you happen to know more about it please leave a comment. 

Click here to check out more German Vehicles

Click here to see a post about German Cargo Trucks

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Click here to see a post about American Reconnaissance Vehicles

American Reconnaissance Vehicles

The workhorse reconnaissance vehicle of the US Army was the Willys Jeep. 640,000 of them were built during the war, with about a third of them going to the British and the Soviets. The Jeep began its development in 1940. It was initially prototyped by the American Bantam Car Company. Despite the success of their initial prototype, a second prototype was ordered from Ford and Willys-Overland who made small adjustments, mainly giving it a more powerful engine. The Army selected the Willys model but because of the number of vehicles required, production contracts were granted to both companies, although both would build the Willys model. The Willys Jeeps were labeled as the Model MB and the Ford ones were the Model GPW, with production beginning in 1941. The Jeep was a rugged, reliable 4-wheel drive vehicle, able to travel all over the battlefield. It was used both as a command vehicle as well as a scout car. It often mounted a .50 cal Browning machine gun. An amphibious variation of the Jeep was also produced by Ford called the GPA or 'Seep' (Sea Jeep), but it did not enjoy much success as it was neither a good off-road vehicle nor a good water vessel. In terms of models, I have a couple examples to show, courtesy of Forces of Valor.

Forces of Valor US Willys Jeep

A decent looking vehicle, although I would have expected a more detailed paint job from FOV. Considering that this is an off-road vehicle, some mud would have been in order and perhaps even some dents. Also, the driver is way too clean.

Britains Deetail US Willys Jeep - Part 1

Here is another version of the Jeep. It is a little beaten up. You can tell that this vehicle has been through some rough backyard battles! It is still a good addition to the collection.

Britains Deetail US Willys Jeep - Part 2

I initially thought that the jeep had come without any figures, which was unusual because the Deetail vehicles usually had a crew, and weeks later I realized that I had left the figures in the bubble wrap that it came in. Luckily I had not thrown it away. Note how the man in the back is leaning back to shoot at the Stuka dive bomber coming at them!

New Ray US Willys Jeep

This is a decent die cast vehicle from New Ray. It has a nice metal weight/feel to it. The level of details is also nice enough. It does not have much in terms of moving parts though, but still a nice addition to the collection.

Lone Star Willys Jeep - Part I

This is a Willys Jeep made by Lone Star. It is a bit on the smaller side of the 1/32 scale, but still acceptable. I believe it came with a crew of British Paras, so perhaps it should be featured under the post about British Reconnaissance Vehicles? Such a vehicle could have been made available to them through Lend Lease.

Lone Star Willys Jeep - Part II

Here is the same Jeep from Lone Star in Tan. Presumably it would have been used in the North Africa Theater of Operations, although I don't recall seeing any pictures of tan US vehicles. Either way, it is rare enough as a collectible that I was glad to get my hands on one of them. 

Auburn US Willys Jeep

This is an unusual vehicle that I ran across recently while trying to collect the rest of the Auburn GIs. It is made out of rubber and the driver is cast as part of the vehicle. It is slightly under scale for 54mm. It probably dates from shortly after the War as Auburn switched from rubber to plastic when plastic became common in the late 50s or 60's. Not the prettiest, but certainly unique.

Dinky US Willys Jeep

Here is another version of the popular Willys Jeep. This one is made by Dinky and it can be used to tow the M101 105mm howitzer. It came with its own driver and overall it is a nice, well made vehicle. The only 'negative' thing to note is that over the years, the tires have become a bit dry as they are made out of rubber, and some of them have begun to crack, particularly the spare tire in the back. I suppose someone tried to remove it and that made it worse. 

Forces of Valor US Amphibian GPA

Similar commentary about this vehicle as for the Jeep. But at least this vehicle gets extra points for being more unique and unusual.

Britains Deetail US Dispatch Rider
This guys is probably more of a messenger than a scout, but hey, you could still send him ahead if you needed to take a quick look up the road. Like the other Deetail motorcycles, it is a nice, well made vehicle. Will need to look into the make of the actual bike that it represents.

Click here to check out other US Vehicles
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German Cargo Trucks

While Germany took great advantage of Europe's rail network, supplies still had to be delivered from the rail station to the front line troops, not to mention that many places were out of reach by train. Or for instance, in the Soviet Union, the tracks were wider, so supplies had to be transferred to trains using Soviet train wagons, or tracks had to be made narrower (see this link for an in depth look at the German rail network during WWII). The problem was that it took time to peform such conversions and during the first couple years of the war against the Soviet Union the front line kept moving further away, so trucks had to fill the gap. A key vehicle for this in the German military was the Opel Blitz 3 ton LKW (Lastkraftwagen). It was used both for movement of troops and supplies as well as to tow artillery pieces. Weighing 5.8 tons, and with an 82 liter (20 gallon) fuel tank, they could travel up to 320 km on road, or 230 off-road. Over 82,000 of them were manufactured between 1937 and 1944 across several models, and they served in all fronts. Another earlier vehicle was the Krupp Protze Sd Kfz 70. This was a six-wheel truck/tractor produced between 1936 and 1941. 7000 of them were made and saw significant action in North Africa, the invasion of France, the Eastern front, and the Italian campaigns. It could carry a load of 1150kg for a distance of 450 km, using 110 liters (28 gallons) of fuel. It was phased out in favor of the Opel which offered better fuel economy. In terms of scale models we have a few options to examine.

21st Century Toys Opel Blitz Sd Kfz 305

This is the basic troop carrier or cargo truck, by 21C Toys. It is a nice model. It comes with a removable top, not included in this picture. It has a few moving parts lke the back door and the cabin doors. Can't go wrong with this truck to keep your German armies supplied. 

21st Century Toys Opel Blitz Sd Kfz 305

This is the same truck seen from behind. Note that it comes with benches -also removable- so that your troops can travel sitting down. Here I took advantage of some seated German soldiers to give it some passengers. I believe these guys are part of the Marx Battleground set. Now we can take them to the front.

Forces of Valor 3 Ton Cargo Truck - Eastern Front 1943-1944

This is FOV's version of the Opel Blitz Sd Kfz 305 without the top. I am not a big fan of the color scheme and how clean it looks, but I think the figures that come with it lift it up. Note also how the benches are along the sides of the truck, as opposed to across, as is the case with the model from 21C Toys. The upper portion of the railing is also a bit different, which makes it look a bit more realistic.

21st Century Toys Opel Blitz Sd Kfz 305

This is the same truck, with the top on and with the Afrika Korps color scheme. Just what you need to move supplies across the great expanses of the North African desert.

Forces of Valor 3 Ton Cargo Truck

This is FOV's variation of the Opel Blitz Sd Kfz 305 with the top on. I actually like the canvas a lot. It has so much texture and the ventilation flaps look so real that you might even think that you can open them. The paint scheme is not my favorite, but at least it has a minor amount of weathering, to make it a bit dusty and avoid making it look brand new. This truck also comes in grey, with a green tarp, which I think I like a bit more than this one. 

21st Century Toys Maultier - Grey

The Maultier or Mule was a variation of the Opel truck (and other truck types) that used the Panzer I track system which was no longer in production to give the trucks greater mobility in the Rasputitsa -the thick mud of the Soviet Union- Some Maultiers were armored (Sd Kfz 4) and even equipped with rocket launchers (Sd Kfz 4/1). Just as it was relatively easy for the Germans to add tracks to their trucks it was also easy for 21C to adapt their Opel Blitz model to have tracks. In addition to that they changed the divisional insignia and we got a new model.

21st Century Toys Maultier - Tan Cammo

Another variation on the Maultier from 21C Toys. I don't know if the Maultier was actually used in North Africa. I could imagine that on sandy terrain it might work better than a wheeled truck, plus these colors seem adequate, so this one has been allocated to the Afrika Korps.

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 70 as Cargo Truck - Part I

Definitely a more attractive model than the Opel. The lines and the amount of wheels on it simply make it more interesting. A well made model, and the 3 figures which come with it make it come to life. The only thing not to like about it is the price, as has been the case with most recent FOV models. Well the other thing is that they are increasinly using more plastic pieces in these vehicles and they are losing the nicer, heavier feel that they used to have.

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 70 as Cargo Truck - Part II

The back view. Note that in this configuration, the Sd Kfz comes with sitting benches and side walls to hold troops or cargo inside. 

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 70 as Artillery Tractor - Part I

The same chassis, but this time a different configuration on the back, adapted to carry a bunch of ammo boxes for the PAK 36 which it is towing behind. I did not show it in this picture, but it is also possible to load the PAK on to the back of the truck, with the wheels resting on the middle seat and the tip of the gun pointing back. In such case, you can't have the men sitting there. 

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 70 as Artillery Tractor - Part II

Here is a shot with the PAK deployed. This is BTW, the only PAK 36 that I have come across, so it was a nice extra that came with the truck. Unfortunately it does not come with an artillery crew, so I will have to find some guys to operate it. 

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 70 as Artillery Tractor - Part III

A view from the back. I like how that man can sit facing the rear. It even seems like the vehicle provides him with foot rests by design.   

Forces of Valor Opel Blitz Ambulance

This one comes to us from Forces of Valor. A nice variation of the Opel truck. Die cast, so it has a heavier feel to it. All doors on the back and sides open, and you can actually see the inside of the ambulance. I should probably update this post to show it. Now I just need some German stretcher bearers to go with it.

Click here to check out more German Vehicles

Click here to see a post about American Cargo Trucks

Click here to see a post about German half-tracks

Click here to see a post about German self-propelled guns

Click here to see a post about German reconnaissance vehicles

American Cargo Trucks

Logistics are as important to an army, if not more than the fighting units. An army without bullets or food can't fight. Napoleon's army became so powerful in part because he understood logistics well, which allowed his army to move fast and kept his corps well supplied -that is of course before they went into Russia. When you read the memoirs of German soldiers, often they are amazed at the amount of  food, fuel, medical supplies, and ammunition that the Americans had, and sometimes wonder what they might have been able to accomplish with such amounts of supplies. Of course, the Allies also had their share of logistical challenges, caused by their failure to quickly capture the port of Cherbourg, and the pace at which their land armies eventually broke out of the Normandy region. In order to keep the ground troops supplied, the 'Red Ball Express' was formed. This was a shipping operation running between August and November of 1944. It consisted of almost 6000 cargo trucks carrying supplies to the front over dedicated roads and a distance that grew up to 400 miles. Considering that the speed limit was set at 25mph, this was a very taxing journey for the drivers, as well as for the vehicles which had very little down time for maintenance. It is the vehicles described in this post which provided the foundation to keep the allies properly supplied in the field. In terms of scale models, there is not much available, but there are a couple of nice vehicles that we can examine.

Forces of Valor US 6x6 1.5 Ton Cargo Truck

Also known as the Dodge WC63, this was a light truck. The difference between the WC62 and WC63 was only the winch at the front. It weighed 3.25 tons and could carry 1.5 on its bed. It was used to move both troops and cargo. It had a mount in the front for a .50 cal Browning MG. This model from Forces of Valor comes with a driver and a MG operator. The top is removable. The only thing missing compared to pictures of real ones is the spare tire next to the driver. The model does have a small round bend on the side next to the driver, but I guess they did not get around to fastening a tire there. The only thing I have to complain about this truck is its price. It is one of the most recent releases and they have become increasingly expensive. In the past I might have purchased 2 or 3 of them to setup a small convoy scene, but at these prices I am not buying more than one!

Forces of Valor US 2 1/2 Ton Cargo Truck

Officially known as the GMC CCKW and unofficially called 'Jimmy' or 'deuce and a half' (all 2.5 ton trucks were referred to in this manner), this was a medium cargo truck in the US Army. Note how it has 4 extra tires compared to the 1.5 ton truck to accommodate the extra load. It is a six-wheel-drive vehicle. Over half a million of them were made before and during WWII in multiple variations, which gives an idea of the amount of supplies that had to be moved to keep the fighting forces supplied. Before the port of Antwerp was captured, all supplies to the forces in Europe had to be carried from the beaches in Normandy, requiring at its peak close to 6000 of these trucks. This operation was known as the Red Ball Express. Forces of Valor has delivered another nice model. It also comes with 2 crewmen, a winch up front, and a removable top.

 Forces of Valor U.S. GMC. 2.5 Ton Cargo Truck with 4 x 0.5 AA Machine Gun - Part I

Here is a variation of the GMC 2.5 ton truck, equipped with a quadruple Anti Aircraft 50 cal. machine gun. Not really a cargo truck, but built on top of one. The truck comes with the driver only. The two other figures are borrowed from other FOV sets. As with some of the other recent FOV sets, it is made mostly out of plastic and it hardly comes with any other battlefield accessories. And the price is also a bit hard to swallow, unless you manage to find it on sale as I did. The uniqueness factor is what tilted the balance in its favor.

Forces of Valor U.S. GMC. 2.5 Ton Cargo Truck with 4 x 0.5 AA Machine Gun - Part II

In this picture you have a better view of the front. not the distinctive grilles protecting the headlamps and the towing cable in the front.

MPC DUKW

The DUKW, informally referred to as 'Duck', was built on top of the GMC CCKW 2.5 ton truck described above, which meant that it was also manufactured by General Motors. It was used to move troops and cargo over land and water. It was particularly useful for landing operations, playing an important role in the Pacific, the Mediterranean, and the Normandy landings among other amphibious operations. Weighing 6.5 tons, it could move at a speed of 50 mph on land and 6.3 mph on water. Over 21,000 of them were built. This model was produced by MPC. It comes unpainted and it's not that well detailed. For instance, some Ducks had a ring-mounted MG. This one comes with three MGs, and no ring-mount. It does have a driver and it also comes with a winch in the back and a hook, to which you can attach a string. This vehicle was probably meant initially as a toy, but given the fact that it is the only DUKW that comes assembled it has become relatively popular. Like other MPC vehicles, once it is painted it will probably look fairly decent.

TimMee M35 US 2 1/2 Ton Cargo Truck

This is actually a post war vehicle, which came into service in 1951 and widely used during the Vietnam War, which explains why TimMee released it to complement the Vietnam era GIs that were so popular in the 80s. It was also referred as a Deuce and a Half as its predecessor because of its 2 1/2 tonnage capacity. This model was released with a canvas cover for the back, but unfortunately it was missing when I got it.

Forces of Valor Dodge WC 54 4x4 Ambulance

 This is a nice vehicle from FOV. Mostly metal with a nice heavy feel to it. The back opens for you to load up your wounded and it comes with folding bunks in case it needs to transport additional casualties. The front doors also open and the paint work is very well done. In contrast with earlier FOV vehicles, it does not come with much in the terms of other battlefield accessories.

Click here to check out other US Vehicles

Click here to see a post about German Cargo Vehicles

Click here to see the GIs that these trucks supplied

Click here to see a post about American reconnaissance vehicles

German Half-tracks

The Sd.Kfz. 251 was the largest and most popular of the German Halftracks. Commonly known as Hanomags, because of their main manufacturer, they came in many different variations, from standard troop carriers to mobile artillery. It was designed before the war and by 1939 was already in production. In total, over 15,000 were manufactured across 23 different types. Their main purpose was to allow infantry to move at the same speed as the tanks, to provide the Panzers with protection. These troops were commonly referred to as Panzergrenadiers. A Hanomag could carry a squad of 10 men, plus two crewmen. The Hanomag was not only a troop transport, but could also act as a fighting platform. Equipped with 2 MG 34s or MG 42s, it was capable of supporting the squad once it had deployed through the back door, and its open top also allowed the men to fight from within it. Of course, the open top also made them vulnerable to fire from above and indirect fire. Also, the armor was not particularly thick. At most 15mm, which still left it vulnerable to higher caliber weapons. The tracks used the same configuration of interleaved wheels found later on the Tiger and Panther tanks. This was better at distributing the weight of the vehicle, giving them better cross country performance but it also created problems in thick mud or in cold winter conditions which could cause the wheels to freeze in place. In terms of scale models, we have a few variations from both 21 Century Toys and Forces of Valor. Let's take a look.

21st Century Toys Sd Kfz 259

This half-track was one of the first vehicles released by 21st Century Toys over a decade ago. They labeled the box as Sd Kfz 259, but I don't believe that designation existed in the German armed forces. To me this vehicle looks like a standard Sd Kfz 251/1. In any case, this vehicle along with the Tiger and the Scout Car that were released at the same time caused a revolution in the toy soldier hobby. Prior to this moment all armored vehicles that had been manufactured were unpainted, under-scale, with greatly simplified level of detail. This one came with three figures and moving parts, like the MG and its shield, wheels, tracks, the engine compartment, and the exit doors on the back. The only thing that now seems lacking is a bit more detail on the paint job, but at the time, this was greatly superior to anything that had come before.

21st Century Toys Sd Kfz 259 Tan Cammo

21C Toys also released the same vehicle in a tan cammo color scheme. I suspect that they intended it to be a late war vehicle, but I think it can also pass for an AK version. Again, the box was labeled incorrectly as Sd Kfz 259. I even saw a box which was labeled as Sd Kf2 259...

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 251/1 Hanomag - Normandy

Forces of Valor also produced their version of the Sd Kfz 251/1, labeled as the Normandy version. This one is a die-cast vehicle in metal, and the level of detail is a bit more precise, as is the paint job. Like other FOV vehicles it also comes with accessories like backpacks, helmets, etc. Two other versions of the 251/1 were released with additional figures: an officer directing the machine gun fire, and a panzergrenadier helping a wounded comrade back to the vehicle under fire. One version comes painted in tan, the other in a green/brown/tan cammo color scheme.

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 251/1 Hanomag - Lithuania 1944

This Halftrack is not much different than the previous one. The main difference is the color scheme. But what is really nice about it is the figures that come along with it. They have so much action and drama sculpted into them, and they can be used in many other scenes and setups. Of course, if you already have a FOV 251/1 and the main reason to buy it again are the figures, then these are some pretty expensive poses, specially now that some of these vehicles are no longer being produced. But in my case, this is only my second FOV Hanomag, and I always like to have two or three of the same to be able to setup scenes with a small troop of vehicles. And lastly, there's that other aspect of being able to finally check it off the list of missing items from the collection...

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 251/9 Kanonenwagen - Normandy

Also known as the Stummel (German for stump), the Sd Kfz 251/9 carried a low velocity 75mm gun (7.5 cm KwK37) used in support of the infantry against soft targets. This one was produced by FOV, also as a Normandy model, with the usual level of quality and detail. It also comes with a two man crew operating the gun. FOV also released a second version of this vehicle with additional figures, one of them standing on top of the engine compartment cleaning the inside of the gun's barrel.

Dinky Sd Kfz 251/22 Tank Destroyer

As far as I can tell this is the version of the Sd Kfz 251 that had the 75mm PAK 40 mounted on it. I say that because Dinky only labeled it as a tank destroyer. It is a bit underscale, maybe more like a 1:35 than 1:32 model. But it given its uniqueness, I don't really mind. Since it did not come with a crew of its own, I lend it a couple of FOV guys to operate it, although there's not much room left for them by the mounted gun. Similar to other Dinky artillery pieces, it comes with a spring mechanism that allows it to fire mini projectiles. All in all a nice item to add to the collection.

Click here to check out more German Vehicles

Click here to see a post about German self-propelled guns

Click here to see a post with a German Hanomag in action

Click here to see a post about the German King Tiger

Click here to see a post about American half-tracks