Unit - Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (often abbreviated as LAH or LSSAH) began

as Hitler's personal bodyguard but eventually grew to a division-sized unit. It

participated in combat during the invasion of Poland and was amalgamated into

the Waffen-SS with the SS-VT and the combat units of the SS-Totenkofpverbande

prior to Operation Barbarossa in 1941. By the end of the war, it had been

increased in size from a regiment to a Panzer division. 

Campaign - Kursk 1943 -  By this time, LSSAH and two other SS Panzergrenadier

divisions (Das Reich and Totenkopf) were to be formed with a full regiment of

tanks rather than only a Battalion. This made them full-strength panzer

divisions in all but name and the division received nine Tiger I tanks (13th

Company/1st SS Panzer Regiment). After the collapse of the front around

Stalingrad and the encirclement of the German Sixth Army, Manstein's Army Group

Don requested reinforcements to blunt the Soviet attack near Kharkov. The SS

Panzer Corps was ordered east to join Manstein's forces. LAH arrived at the

front in late January 1943 and was engaged in the fighting in and around

Kharkov as part of Hausser's SS Panzer Corps. In March the division

participated in the recapture of Kharkov. The division captured Dzerzhinsky

Square and renamed it "Platz der Leibstandarte." The city was taken

on 17 March. The LAH had time to rest and refit before June 1943 when it

entered the command of SS-Brigadefuhrer, Theodor Wisch. At this time Hausser's

SS Panzer Corps was renamed II SS Panzer Corps. LAH was to form the spearhead

of Hoth's 4th Panzer Army, tasked with breaching the southern flank of the

Kursk salient. Model's 9th Army took the northern flank and the two forces were

to meet at Kursk in the east to encircle a large Soviet force. LAH's panzers

advanced on July 5th in Panzerkeils (wedges) into the Soviet defensive lines.

By 9 July the II SS Panzer Corps had advanced 48 km to reach the area near

Prokhorovka. LAH was still in the lead even though it only had 77 armored

vehicles. The 2nd SS Panzergrenadier Regiment advanced to Prokhorovka and

cleared the Komsomolets State Farm and attacked Hill 241.6 which was secured on

10 July. The division then captured Oktiabr'skii State Farm and Hill 252.2 but

on 12 July the Soviets threw the 5th Guards Tank Army into the fray,

counterattacking near Prokhorovka. Two tank corps hit LAH near Hill 252.2 and

despite taking very heavy casualties, the Soviets stalled the German offensive

and LAH had to fall back to Oktiabr'skii. The Soviets shifted the attack to

focus on Totenkopf and then launched Operation Kutuzov near Orel to cause

Hitler to bring Citadel to an end. The II SS Panzer Corps was pulled back and

LAH was ordered out of the line. The division was then sent to Italy to help

following the Allied invasion of Sicily which began on 9-10 July 1943. Heavy

equipment left behind was given to the sister divisions, Das Reich and

Totenkopf. 

Markings - Dark grey base with yellow camouflage and white cross on side with other

divisional and tactical markings. 

Model - The 251/10 was also called the Schutzenpanzerwagen which had anti-tank

capabilities with a 37mm PaK gun, which had a range of about 1,200m. Sometimes

the upper portions of the shield were removed in order to fool observers who

thought it just had a standard machine gun. 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. Its top speed was 53 km/h. 

Condition - new with minor wear on box. 

Thank you for your interest.