The Krupp ''Protze'' (officially ''L 2 H 43'' and ''L 2 H 143'') was a six-wheeled 6x4
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
truck and
artillery tractor
An artillery tractor, also referred to as a gun tractor, is a specialized heavy-duty form of tractor unit used to tow artillery pieces of varying weights and calibres. It may be wheeled, tracked, or half-tracked.
Traction
There are two ...
produced between 1934 and 1941 and heavily used in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. It was powered by a 4-cylinder, 55 hp or, from 1936, 60 hp Krupp M 304 petrol engine. Its main purpose was to tow artillery, especially the
3.7 cm Pak 36 anti-tank gun (designated ''Kfz'' 69), and transport
motorized infantry
Motorized infantry is infantry that is transported by trucks or other motor vehicles. It is distinguished from mechanized infantry, which is carried in armoured personnel carriers or infantry fighting vehicles, and from light infantry, which ca ...
(designated ''Kfz'' 70).
This vehicle was extensively used on the
Eastern Front, during the
North African campaign and in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
and
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
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. The "Krupp-Protze" was of relatively advanced design. Its fuel consumption was relatively high (24 Litres / 100 km on road) in comparison to the comparable
Opel Blitz 1.5 t truck (16.5 liters / 100 km, produced 1938 - 1942).
Total production was about 7,000 units.
Variants
A successful design, the Krupp-Protze was converted into several variants:
;Kfz.19
:Telephone truck
;Kfz.21
:
Staff car
A staff car is a vehicle used by a senior military officer, and is part of their country's white fleet. The term is most often used in relation to the United Kingdom where they were first used in quantity during World War I, examples being the ...
;Kfz.68
:Radio mast carrier
;Kfz.69
:Standard configuration for towing the
3.7 cm Pak 36 anti-tank gun. Carried 2 in front with 4 in a pair of forward and rear facing seats.
;Kfz.70
:Standard configuration for personnel carrying. carried 2 in front with 10 seated in the rear on benches.
;Kfz.81
:Ammo carrier conversion for
2 cm FlaK anti-aircraft gun, usually towed
*Kfz.83
:Generator carrier for anti-aircraft
searchlight
A searchlight (or spotlight) is an apparatus that combines an extremely bright source (traditionally a carbon arc lamp) with a mirrored parabolic reflector to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a particular dir ...
, usually towed
;
Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf. A
:
armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world.
Acc ...
, six-wheeled version, only 20 built in 1937; production went to
Daimler-Benz
The Mercedes-Benz Group AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufactu ...
, who built the Ausf. B four-wheeled version in 1941 and 1942.
Sometimes anti-tank (37 mm Pak 36) and anti-air (2 cm Flak) guns were mounted directly on the truck bed (
Portée).
See also
*
List of World War II military vehicles of Germany
*
List of Sd.Kfz. designations
Notes
References
External links
Picturesat Olive-Drab.com
{{WWIIGermanVehicles
World War II vehicles of Germany
Military trucks of Germany
Military vehicles introduced in the 1930s
Military vehicles of Germany