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The ''Mittlerer Ladungsträger Springer'' (''
An NSU Springer is displayed at The Tank Museum, UK. Another example is preserved at the MM PARK near Strasbourg, in France.
Sd Kfz 304 Mittlerer Ladungsträger (E1951.48)
Tank Museum {{DEFAULTSORT:Springer (Tank) World War II vehicles of Germany Research and development in Nazi Germany Military robots Robots of Germany Tracked robots 1940s robots Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944 Military vehicles of Germany
Sd.Kfz.
''Sonderkraftfahrzeug'' (abbreviated ''Sd.Kfz.'', German for "special purpose vehicle") was the ordnance inventory designation used by Nazi Germany during World War II for military vehicles; for example ''Sd.Kfz.'' 101 for the Panzer I.
Sd.Kfz. nu ...
'' 304) was a demolition vehicle of the German Wehrmacht in World War II.
Description
Based on the NSU Sd.Kfz. 2 ''Kettenkrad'' light tracked vehicle, NSU Werke at Neckarsulm developed and built around 50 Springer demolition vehicles in the final year of World War II. To make the vehicle capable of carrying a bigger payload without the motorcycle-style front fork of the original, two pairs of overlapping and interleaved road wheels were added to the aft end of the running gear on each side; giving three outer and three inner running wheels. It was powered by the same Opel Olympia engine of the ''Kettenkrad''. The Springer was a demolition vehicle. Its task was to carry a charge of 330 kg (728 lbs) high explosives under armor protection towards a target and detonate it there. A driver, sitting in the back of the Springer, drove the vehicle close to the target before dismounting. The final approach and the detonation of the charge was controlled by a wired or wireless remote control device. Springers were operated by "Radio Control Armoured Companies", a company made up of three ''Sturmgeschütz 40'' armoured control vehicles, each controlling three Springers and a ''Sturmgeschütz'' command vehicle.Tank Museum The Springer showed the same problems as other remote-controlled demolition vehicles: They were expensive and not very reliable. As the explosive charge was an integral part of the vehicle, it could be used only once.Survivors
An NSU Springer is displayed at The Tank Museum, UK. Another example is preserved at the MM PARK near Strasbourg, in France.
See also
*Goliath tracked mine
The Goliath tracked mine (German: ''Leichter Ladungsträger Goliath,'' "Goliath Light Charge Carrier") was a series of two unmanned ground vehicles used by the German Army as disposable demolition vehicles during World War II. These were the el ...
* Borgward IV
* Mobile Land Mine
* Teletank
References
* Jaugitz, Markus: ''Die deutsche Fernlenktruppe 1940–1943''. Waffen-Arsenal Special Volume 10, 1994, Podzun-Pallas-Publishers, GermanySd Kfz 304 Mittlerer Ladungsträger (E1951.48)
Tank Museum {{DEFAULTSORT:Springer (Tank) World War II vehicles of Germany Research and development in Nazi Germany Military robots Robots of Germany Tracked robots 1940s robots Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944 Military vehicles of Germany