Germany
SdKfz 251/23 Ausf D Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle (Hanomag)
Ordnance classification - SdKfz 251/22

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The SdKfz 251/23 Ausf D Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle was designed in 1943, manufactured by Hanomag Borgward based on the existing half track SdKfz 251 Ausf D and was in use from 1943 to 1945.

General Details Specifications Operational Date(s) 1943 - 1945 Ordnance classification SdKfz 251/22 Quantity Produced 20 Weight 8 tonne Crew 4 M.G's small n/a M.G's large(>10mm) n/a Length 5.85 mtr Width 2.12 mtr Height 2.34 mtr Engine Details/Performance Max Road Speed 33 mph Max Cross Country Speed 16 mph Range Road 188 miles Range Cross Country 94 miles Fuel Type Petrol Fuel Capacity unknown Horse Power 100 hp Power/Weight 12 hp/tonne General Information The SdKfz 251/23 Ausf D Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle was designed in 1943, manufactured by Hanomag Borgward based on the existing half track SdKfz 251 Ausf D and was in use from 1943 to 1945. The vehicle was powered by Maybach 'HL-42' petrol powerplant producing 100 HP which could drive the vehicle on roads at up to 33 mph with a range of about 188 miles before refuelling. Its cross country performance was good providing a max speed of about 16 mph and a range of about 94 miles. Its main armament consisted of a 2.0cm Kwk 38 L/55 which could penetrate 18 mm of flat plate at 100 metres The vehicles could carry 10 panzer grenadiers in a small arms and shrapnel protected space. The model D superceeded the A,B and C models by simplifying the vehicle to speed up production. Armour Details Turret Front 30mm @ 40° (39mm) Side 8mm @ 40° (10mm) Rear 8mm @ 38° (10mm) Top n/a Superstructure Front 10mm @ 33° (12mm) Side 8mm @ 35° (10mm) Rear 8mm @ 33° (10mm) Top n/a Hull Front 15mm @ 22° (16mm) Side 8mm @ 35° (10mm) Rear 8mm @ 33° (10mm) Top 6mm @ 90° (6mm) Armour (x)mm @ (y)° (Effective mm @ 0°) Effective Armour - Maximum 39 mm - Minimum 6 mm

Weapon Details 2.0cm Kwk 38 L/55 2.0cm Kampfwagenkanone 38 L/55 (translates as Tank Gun) History Improved version of the 2.0cm KwK 30 L/55 used on the Panzer II Ausf J and onward Manufactured 1940 - 1945 Calibre 20mm Length L/55 Rate of Fire 220 rpm   Ammunition Details Name/Id Calibre Weight MVelocity Explosive Content 2.0cm PzGr 39 (AP Armor Piercing) 20mm 0.12Kg 899M/Sec Quoted Penetration 23mm @ 100mtr/30° ( ≈ 26mm/0°) Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.12 0.25 0.59 1.68 Penetration(mm@30°) 18 13 9 5 Penetration(mm@0°) 21 16 11 6 Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 81 2.0cm PzGr 40 (APCR Armor Piercing Composite Rigid) 20mm 0.115Kg 1060M/Sec Quoted Penetration 40mm @ 100mtr/0° Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.1 0.21 0.47 1.26 2.88 7.67 Penetration(mm@30°) 35 31 25 17 10 4 Penetration(mm@0°) 41 36 30 20 12 5 Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 93 34 2 2 cm Sprgr. 39 (HE High Explosive) 20mm 0.132Kg 995M/Sec 0.006Kg explosive Maximum Range 2000 Mtr Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.11 0.22 0.5 1.35 3.05 8.12 Direct Fire Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.11 0.22 0.5 1.35 3.05 8.12 Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 90 25 2 Blast/Fragmentation Effects Burst radius Infantry in open 99% kill 0 mtr Burst radius Infantry in open 66% kill 0 mtr Burst radius Infantry in open 33% kill 1 mtr  Armour Penetration inc roof at 1 mtr 0 mm An explosion within 0 mtr of infantry in the open will cause > 66% casualties and could damage some AFV's. An explosion within 1 mtr of infantry in the open will cause 33% casualties. The blast effect of this shell exploding within 1 mtr of an armoured vehicle will not cause any significant armour damage.

Hit probability is based on a static 2 x 2.4 metre panel at 0 degrees(vertical) at the range specified.

The data that has been used to create these records has come from Wikipedia, The Lone Sentry, The Bundes Archive and numerous books and websites that have provided the detailed information that has not been available anywhere else. The information we use to calculate the penetration tables, flight times and the hit probability comes from the Gun Calibre, the Shell Mass(Kg) and the muzzle velocity, plus range reductions to allow for gravity and wind resistance. This calculation originally came from a pre-war Krupp calculation which has been modified, and seems to fit the actual test results.

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