Dragon Armor Sd.Kfz.251 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug) Ausf C. Hanomag
No. 60229, Vintage year - 2006, Scale - 1:72
Unit - Inf. Div. "Grossdeutschland"- 6 Panzer Division - this unit was one of the most elite and well-equipped units of the German Army.
Campaign - Eastern Front 1942 - History - In April 1942, the Infanterie-Division Grossdeutschland came into existence near Orel with Regiment 1 joined by Regiment 2 from Berlin. Supporting units in the form of a Panzer battalion, an assault gun battalion and increased flak, artillery, and engineers were added with the upgrade to divisional status. The Division was assigned to XLVIII Panzerkorps during the opening phases of Fall Blau, an assault on Stalingrad. The division took part in the successful attacks to cross the upper Don River and to capture Voronezh. In August, the division was pulled back to the north bank of the Donets and held as a mobile reserve and counterattack force. On 1 October, the Regiment was renamed "Grenadier Regiment Grossdeutschland" and their counterparts became Fusilier Regiment GD. After the Soviet Operation Uranus, the Regiment was involved in heavy winter fighting with the rest of the Division near Rzhev. The division then took part in General Manstein's abortive Operation Wintergewitter, an attempt to relieve Stalingrad. In 1943, it joined the II SS Panzer Corps in the Third Battle of Kharkov. The division fought alongside the 1.SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, 2.SS Division Das Reich and 3.SS Division Totenkopf. After the fall of Kharkov the unit was pulled back and refitted which include equipping the division with a company of Tiger I tanks. The 1st Battalion was re-equipped with a handful of Sd.Kfz.251 vehicles, mainly command vehicles but also some troop carriers (SPW). By the fighting at Kharkov, the battalion under Major Otto-Ernst Remer was fully mechanized in 83 Sd.Kfz 251s.
Markings - Dark panzer gray with cross on side and rear armor panels and tactical insignia (helmet logo and GD initials) on front and rear as well as driver door side.
Based on Dragon info, this was the first ever Sd.Kfz.251 made by Dragon Armor.
Model - The Ausf. C was made in 1941 and introduced a new flat engine nose plate that was 14.5 mm thick (without an access trip but with a simple hole for the manifold). Other simplifications included the rear access doors. Engine modifications included the removal of the front hood cooling grid and lateral access traps, replaced by large open ventilation boxes. The lower part of the hull was modified to increase the compartment draw. The rear muffler storage boxes were relocated to the rear and the mufflers were also completely modified. The rearview mirror was relocated from the driver side vision slit to a lower position. The headlights were not fixed directly to the chassis and the bumpers removed and replaced by towing hooks. Production for this version in 1941 was almost 390 vehicles but an increase in production in 1942 to around 1,200.
Role - this infantry support/special purpose vehicle played an integral role to the Blitzkreig thesis as the Sd.Kfz.251 replaced the Sd.Kfz.11 (prime mover for the 105 mm Howitzer and 37 mm Flak). The Waffenamt requested an armored vehicle that would carry a platoon of Panzergrenadiers and their equipment that could keep up with the Panzer Divisions. Each mechanized infantry corp. would require 100 of these vehicles which should offer protection from small arms fire and artillery shrapnel. Armament included two MG-34 machine guns for defense and direct support. It was technically a "Medium Assault Armored Vehicle" that possessed off-road ability. It's top speed was 53 km/h.
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