GERMAN GEPANZERTER MANNSCHAFTSTRANSPORTWAGEN KÄTZCHEN

Gepanzerter Mannschaftstransportwagen Kätzchen is a German prototype tracked armored personnel carrier from the end of World War II. Initially, work on it was carried out at the Auto-Union plant, where, at the turn of 1944/1945, six prototypes powered by Maybach HL50 engines with a capacity of 200 HP and a capacity of 5 liters were produced. Externally, at this stage of development, the car was similar to the Pz.Kpfw VI Tiger II tank and had a similar chassis structure. However, probably already in 1945, the work on the Kätzchen car was transferred to the BMW plant, where it was ordered to "simply" redesign the Hetzer tank destroyer to a new role, while keeping the hull and components as little changed as possible. Only a few prototype units were built at the BMW plant, which were mainly similar to the Hetzer from the outside and the transport compartment that was open at the top. Vehicles of this type, however, never entered production and were not used in combat.