SD. KFZ 253 BEOBACHTUNGSKRAFTWAGEN CONVERSION SET

Sd.Kfz. 253 (nim. Sonderkraftfahrzeug 253) is a German half-track reconnaissance and observation vehicle from the Second World War. The first prototypes of these cars were made at the turn of 1939-1940. Serial production was carried out in 1940-1941 and led to the creation of 285 vehicles of this type. The drive was provided by a single Maybach HL42 TRKM carburetor engine with 100 HP. The vehicle did not have factory-fitted fixed weapons. Sd.Kfz. 253 was developed as a specialized observation and reconnaissance vehicle for units of German assault guns based on the Sd.Kfz. 250. The main change compared to the original consisted in completely covering the fighting compartment with armor plates and adding a much more extensive radio equipment consisting mainly of the FuG15 and FuG16 radio stations. The production of these vehicles was the responsibility of, among others, Demag, Bussing-NAG and Wegmann. Sd.Kfz vehicles. 253s proved to be generally successful and useful on the battlefield, but their production was very expensive and relatively time-consuming, which meant that their production was discontinued in 1941. They served in Wehrmacht units until the end of 1943.