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sdkfz 251/7 question
Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 4:25 pm
by aferguson
of what possible use are those two little tiny bridges that come with the 21c Pioneerwagen? They can only hold an 8 ton load and they are so short and narrow....why bother with them at all?
Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 5:27 pm
by normandy
It may be the designers were just adding to the ability of this vehicle/platform,or just another case of over engineering, 23 variants.
I do agree with you that the bridges are narrow and just over 2/3's of the vehicles length.......and a capacity of 8 tons, I think the 251/7 was 8 tons.

I'd be the guy saying....no thanks, I'll walk you... you guys drive over it.
cool facts from the wik....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sd.Kfz._251
Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 5:31 pm
by Jesse James
I assumed it was something to overcome more obsolete obstacles like WW1 style trenches, as opposed to larger obstacles for immobilizing the more modern combat techniques. Basically they'd whip them out for their own track and maybe smaller vehicles held up by the outdated trenches still lingering around the French/Belgium borders or whatnot.
Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 8:59 pm
by Threetoughtrucks
The front wheels on the SdKfz 251 and 250 were not driven (no 4 wheel drive) and the 251 and 250 were notoriously poor at cross country.
The bridge sections carried by the SdKfz 251/7 were designed to aide the vehicle in crossing obstacles of any kind.
The American half tracks were true 4 wheel drive and carried either a winch to pull the vehicle over or out of an obstacles or de-ditching rollers.
Quite a few pics of the late war SdKfz 251/7 show 12"/12" lumber in the place of the bridge sections. The lumber served the same purpose as the bridge sections.
The SdKfz 251/7 was an Engineer support vehicle. It usually carried a small cannon called a 2.8 cm sPzB 41 tapered bore Anti tank rifle. The sPzB41 was out dated by the start of WW2 but I personally like this cute as a button little cannon.
TTT
Posted: Wed May 26, 2010 7:27 am
by digger
Threetoughtrucks wrote:The front wheels on the SdKfz 251 and 250 were not driven (no 4 wheel drive) and the 251 and 250 were notoriously poor at cross country.
The bridge sections carried by the SdKfz 251/7 were designed to aide the vehicle in crossing obstacles of any kind.
The American half tracks were true 4 wheel drive and carried either a winch to pull the vehicle over or out of an obstacles or de-ditching rollers.
Quite a few pics of the late war SdKfz 251/7 show 12"/12" lumber in the place of the bridge sections. The lumber served the same purpose as the bridge sections.
The SdKfz 251/7 was an Engineer support vehicle. It usually carried a small cannon called a 2.8 cm sPzB 41 tapered bore Anti tank rifle. The sPzB41 was out dated by the start of WW2 but I personally like this cute as a button little cannon.
TTT
Very cool and interesting variant, right down to the weapon. One of 21C's best - very hard to find now.
Posted: Wed May 26, 2010 9:40 am
by Threetoughtrucks
My 1/6 with the idea of adding the bridge supports with some lumber.
The box of shells behind the gunner are .22cal shells, almost a perfect fit for the 2.8cm shells.
TTT