Sd.Kfz. 251/1 II

The Sd.Kfz. 251 family of light armored half track vehicles was the most-produced type of German half-track of the war, with manufacturers Hanomag, Adlerwerke, Horch, Škoda, and Borgward producing about 15,252 units. Initially designed to transport Panzergrenadier mechanized infantry into battle, there were many other variants armed with rocket launchers, flamethrowers, anti-aircraft guns, or cannons; designed for engineering or ambulance units; equipped to carry bridgelaying equipment; and others. They featured thin--but sloped--armor, open tops, and a single access door in the rear. The 251/1 II variant was modified by fitting a metal frame that allowed six 28 cm or 30 cm high explosive Wurfkoerper rockets to be fired in rapid succession. As such, the Germans called it 'Stuka zu Fuß' ('Walking Stuka') or Wurfrahmen 40 ('launch frame 40'). It provided a more mobile and protected artillery piece than the towed Nebelwerfer. It also carried a pintle-mounted 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun. First ordered in late 1940, these rocket launching vehicles only appeared by 1943-1944 in limited numbers on the Eastern and Western fronts. It could attain a top speed of 32 mph. Although spin stabilized, the rockets were not as accurate as conventional artillery and reloading was time consuming due to the rocket's weight. It was successful in service as a support weapon for the mobile Panzer formations, particularly in urban areas, and saw service on the Eastern and Western fronts. This unit represents the stats provided in the 1A Games Tide of Iron Operations Card 'Foot Stuka' (A02).