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Panzer Tracts No. 17, Gepanzerte
Nachschub Fahrzeuge (Armored Supply/Ammunition Vehicles) CK 3.01 to schwere
Wehrmaacht-Schlepper
by Thomas L. Jentz and Hilary
Louis Doyle
Published by Panzer Tracts, ISBN 0-9744862-4-8, 72 pages.
I’m running out of superlatives to describe successive Panzer Tracts,
so perhaps I can just say that this is yet another essential reference
book from the team. It covers every supply or ammunition carrier that
you’ve ever heard of in the German army of WW2 and some you probably
haven’t heard of, as well as including all the rocket-launching
vehicles.
The early designs of the 1920s and 1930s are followed by the SdKfz 252
and then the SdKfz 250/6. Then come two vehicles built by Borgward, one
not put into production but the other used in fair numbers on the Russian
Front. Both of these are tempting conversions from the DML Borgward IV
kits, sharing common suspensions with the Ausf A and B respectively. Next
is a munitions carrier built by Weserhutte, one of which was found by
the Allies in 1945 and has led to much recent speculation about what it
was. The truth is here, and so is a four-view plan!
Three more conversions come next in the shape of the munition carriers
modified from Pz I Ausf A and B, and then we get the Pz IV and Pz III
ammo carriers for Karl and Ferdinand. Next are the gunless ammo carrier
versions of Wespe, Hummel and Grille, all capable of conversion in the
field back to the SPs so equally capable of conversion from kits of the
SPs. Then, returning to the Borgward theme, there’s an ammo carrier
built in some numbers by conversion from B IV Ausf As.
In a change of track attention next turns to the armoured Panzerwerfers
on Maultier chassis and the launcherless ammo carrier, followed by a couple
of pages on gunless anti-aircraft halftracks – the ammo carrying
versions of SdKfz 10/4, 6/2, 7/1 and the Flak sWs. The last page gives
us two photos of the only known sWs mounting the 15 cm nebelwerfer.
As I’ve mentioned above, this is converter’s heaven. Very
highly recommended, especially to anyone who fancies something different
without having to do a full scratchbuild!
Visit Panzer Tracts
John Prigent
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