"Sdkfz 254..." Topic

8 Posts

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PiersBrand	15 Sep 2017 3:56 p.m. PST
Mittlere Gepanzerte Beobachtungskraftwagen Sd.Kfz.254 "The vehicle was designed in 1929 by Austrian company Saurer was unique in having full tracks for off road use as well as four large wheels that could be lowered for running on good roads like a normal wheeled vehicle. This was designated RK-7 and while the trials vehicles performed well the design was not adopted by the expanding Wehrmacht as too complicated and they also preferred to concentrate on their own half-track series of vehicles. The RK-7 was powered by a 4-cylinder Saurer Diesel Typ CRDv engine of 5500cc generating 70bhp for a top speed of 30km/h (tracks) and 60km/h (wheels). With the annexing of Austria into the greater Reich in 1938, 140 vehicles were ordered with the German designation Sd.Kfz.254 Armoured Observation Vehicle but only 129 were completed with armoured bodies by Dailmer-Benz before production ended in favour of the Sd.Kfz.353 and Sd.Kfz.250/5 half-track observation vehicles. The Sd.Kfz.254 saw service in the early war campaigns in Poland and France as well as in North Africa, the Balkans and Russia."
14Bore	15 Sep 2017 5:16 p.m. PST
Very good job, have to look it up in my German vehicle book, but think I remember it was a bear to drive.
Silurian	15 Sep 2017 6:35 p.m. PST
Looks a right awkward Heath Robinson contraption. Great painting though!
bullant	15 Sep 2017 6:50 p.m. PST
I'm curious about how it could turn using the wheels arranged like that.In the other images I have seen, it looks like there is no clearance for the wheels to turn
Skarper	15 Sep 2017 9:40 p.m. PST
Just a guess but maybe they used a system akin to the track steering. Stop or reverse the wheels on one side and skid round? Would have worn out tyres fast though I suppose. I can't see it having a normal wheel steering system in addition to the tracks. It's just too small to fit all that in. Very cute model of a vehicle I never saw before. Superb painting and weathering as per usual.
deephorse	16 Sep 2017 6:27 a.m. PST
link The second photo down on this link shows the steering system for the 254 when using its wheels.
Skarper	16 Sep 2017 8:07 p.m. PST
Wow! So they did steer like a normal wheeled vehicle. That must have made for some very complex engineering. No wonder the idea didn't catch on.
wrgmr1	17 Sep 2017 2:43 p.m. PST
Lovely work Piers! Great vehicle.