Germany SdKfz 231 Schwere Panzerspähwagen (6 rad - Daimler Benz/Bussing NAG) Ordnance classification - SdKfz 231

The SdKfz 231 Schwere Panzerspähwagen was designed in 1929, manufactured by Daimler Benz/Bussing NAG based on the existing 6 x 4 drive 6 Wheel Armoured and was in use from 1932 to 1941. General Details Specifications Operational Date(s) 1932 - 1941 Ordnance classification SdKfz 231 Quantity Produced 50 Weight 5.35 tonne Crew 4 M.G's small 1 M.G's large(>10mm) n/a Length 5.62 mtr Width 1.81 mtr Height 2.25 mtr Engine Details/Performance Max Road Speed 44 mph Max Cross Country Speed 6 mph Range Road 188 miles Range Cross Country 56 miles Fuel Type Petrol Fuel Capacity unknown Horse Power 65 hp Power/Weight 12 hp/tonne General Information The SdKfz 231 Schwere Panzerspähwagen was designed in 1929, manufactured by Daimler Benz/Bussing NAG based on the existing 6 x 4 drive 6 Wheel Armoured and was in use from 1932 to 1941. The vehicle was powered by Daimler Benz 'MO9' petrol powerplant producing 65 HP which could drive the vehicle on roads at up to 44 mph with a range of about 188 miles before refuelling. Its cross country performance was reasonable providing a max speed of about 6 mph and a range of about 56 miles. It was armed with 1 light machine gun , a 7.92mm MG 13. Its main armament consisted of a 2.0cm KwK 30 L/55 which could penetrate 18 mm of flat plate at 100 metres The Sdkfz 231 was the first heavy armoured car developed by Germany before World War II and was based on a modified 6 x 4 truck chassis. The vehicle had a rear driving position therefore could be driven backwards. The Daimler Benz or Bussing Nag versions were armed with a 2cm Kwk 30 L/55 gun in the rotating turret. Armour Details Turret Front 8mm @ 0° (8mm) Side 8mm @ 30° (9mm) Rear 8mm @ 30° (9mm) Top 5mm @ 75° (5mm) Superstructure Front 8mm @ 25° (9mm) Side 8mm @ 37° (10mm) Rear 8mm @ 30° (9mm) Top 5mm @ 80° (5mm) Hull Front 8mm @ 25° (9mm) Side 8mm @ 35° (10mm) Rear 8mm @ 25° (9mm) Top 5mm @ 80° (5mm) Armour (x)mm @ (y)° (Effective mm @ 0°) Effective Armour - Maximum 10 mm - Minimum 5 mm Weapon Details 7.92mm MG 13 7.92mm Maschinengewehr 13 (translates as Machine Gun) History Light Machine gun developed from the water cooled Dreyse 1st World War machine gun without its water cooled jacket, and incorporating a bipod. Manufacturer Rheinische Metallwaaren Manufactured 1933 - 1942 Calibre 7.92mm Length L/90 Rate of Fire 650 rpm Number of Rounds  1500     Ammunition Details Name/Id Calibre Weight MVelocity Explosive Content S.m.K(AP) 7.92mm 0.012Kg 785M/Sec Quoted Penetration 8mm@100m/30° Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.2 Penetration(mm@30°) 5 Penetration(mm@0°) 6 Hit Probability(%) 98 S.m.K.H tungsten cored(AP) 7.92mm 0.013Kg 910M/Sec Quoted Penetration 13mm@100m/30° Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.13 Penetration(mm@30°) 3 Penetration(mm@0°) 4 Hit Probability(%) 98 Weapon Details 2.0cm KwK 30 L/55 2.0cm Kampfwagenkanone 30 L/55 (translates as Tank Gun) History Used on the Panzer II. Manufacturer Mauser and Rheinmetall-Borsig Manufactured 1935 - 1945 Calibre 20mm Length L/55 Rate of Fire 120 rpm   Ammunition Details Name/Id Calibre Weight MVelocity Explosive Content 2.0cm PzGr 39(AP) 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) 20mm 0.115Kg 1060M/Sec Quoted Penetration 40mm @ 100mtr/0° ( ≈ 40mm/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) 20mm 0.132Kg 995M/Sec 0.006Kg explosive Maximum Range 2000 Mtr Range(Mtr) 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 Flight Time(Secs) 2.03 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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