R87083 BORGWARD WANZE

Borgward IV (Sd. Kfz. 301) was a German heavy carrier of WWII explosives. The first prototype versions of this vehicle were built in 1941, and serial production continued in 1942-1944. The vehicle was powered by a single engine gasoline Borgward with a power of 49 HP, which allowed to reach a top speed of 40 km / h. It was armed with an explosive charge weighing up to 450 kilograms. The cart was 3.35 meters long and 1.8 meters wide. Borgward IV was developed on the basis of the Wehrmacht's experience in the 1940 campaign in France and the operation of Sd. Kfz. 302 Goliath. The new vehicle was driven by a single soldier carrying explosives, which made it possible to reach the destination, load the load and retreat with the driver. The whole procedure, however, was quite complicated and extremely risky for the crew member. In total, there were three main versions of the car: Ausf. A, Ausf. B and Ausf. C. The first one was the basic version. The second was heavier than the "A" model and had better radio equipment. The "C" version, on the other hand, had a new type of tracks, slightly thinner armor and a new drive unit. Vehicles of this type did not turn out to be a success - they were expensive to produce, their use was complicated, and the ability to be eliminated by the enemy was relatively easy. Borgward IV vehicles took part in the fighting, among others, during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 or during the Battle of Berlin in 1945.