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.