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Hanomag Sd Kfz 251/1 Gh,
SU 100Tank Destroyer su)
Sd Kfz 182 Tiger ll - Porsche Turret GE}
Type 97 Medium CHI - HA JA)
DETAILED PLAN VIEWS PRESENTED IN 1"76 & I:48 SCALE
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ABOVE: This Pz Kpfw. 'Tiger' Ausf. B. was destroyed during the fighting following the Normarldy
landing. Nole the round f ront of the hrsche turret and the way this tuîet sits very far back on the
câassls
BELOW: Another "Tiçr" Ausf. B. or Koenings Tiger destroyd by air attacks during the f ighting
ncar the Falaiæ Gap in lgtl4 (lmryial Uÿar fulueum)
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Pz Kw Vl, Sd Kfz 182, TIGER ll with Porscfie Turret (19431
Even bef ore the f irst Tiger I models were in service it was realised that a better vehicle would be
required if German tank superiority was to be restored at Russian expense. Dr. Porsche received
orders, therefore, to develop a heavier version of his original Tiger design (Bellona Print Series I )
which would mount either a 15 cms. Ll37 or a 1O.5 cms. L/70 gun. His f irst design was rejected
but the second, which had a rear mounted turret, central engines, and electric transmission, was
given a production order, Atthis time the weapon requirement was altered to callfor a standard
8.8 cms. L/71 gun.
Lack of copper, required for the electric transmission, put the Porsche proiect in some doubt and
it was ultimately cancelled, suffering the same fate as the Porsche Tiger l. Meanwhile a parallel design
had been ordered from Henschel in January 1943, Design on this vehicle the VK 4503(H) - was
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Iinished in October 1943, three months behind schedule due to insistence by the Production Ministry
that features of the projected Panther I I should be incorporated in the design. Production began in
the follov\ring December alongside the Tiger I at Kassell, and the f irst 50 vehicles utilised the turrets
originally produced for the cancelled Porsche design. The drawing show the Henschel Tiger ll in this
form, but all subsequent production incorporated the Henschel turret.
The first vehicles went into ærvice on the Russian front in May 1943, but the type was not met on
the Western front until the following August. Known as the "Royal (or King) Tiger" 1o the Allies
and as the "KoenigstQer" to the Gerrnans, the Tiger ll suffered from lack of power, unreli$le
lransmission, and short engine life. This is not so seriouswhen it is remembered that the Tiçr ll was
primarily a defensive weapon and that the life expectancy of German tanks was very short at the time
of ils introduction. Tiger ll wasthe heaviest operational tank of World War ll.
Technical Deuils:
Weight 68.4 tons; Crew 5; Road speed 23.6 to 26 m,p.h., cross-country I to 'l 3 m.p.h.; Max. grdient
35 degrees; Fording depth Sft. 3 ins.; Ranç 75 to 1O6 miles; Arrnament - 1 x 8.8 cms, KwK 43, L71,
(78 rounds, A.P., H.E., H.C.), 2 x 7.92 mm. MG-34 one co-axial and one in hull (5.850 rounds);
Armour - lovver f ront and turret front 100 mm., upper f ront 150 mm., sides 80 mm., top surf aces
40 mm. Engine - 1 Maybach H L 2«) P3O watercooled V-l2 developing 694 b.h.p. at 3000 r.p.m.;
Gears I forward and 4 reverse, Torsion bar suspension.
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Sd Kfz 182 TIGER 11 with Porsche T\rrret - 1948
Scale 1:76 (4mm. to L Foot). Drawn by H. L. Doyle
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ABOVE: The model of the ÿ Kfz 251/l ævercd by this æries of Bellona Prints is the Model B version
which appeared betuæen 1939 ard 1940. Later mdels diff ered in external details but were basically
the same machine. This photqraph shows a vehicle captured from the D,AK. in North Africa Hotttever
the EW 2233 is a number added while it wæ being tesæd in England. (lmperial War Muæum).
BELOW: The rear vbw of an Sd Kf z 251 on diqtay at the AP.G. in the United Stzæs
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MittLi.I Gtpnzrtr, Mûnrdroft tr tponwagoî (Hanom.g HL KL 6Pl Sd Krz 251l1 (193)
When the Gorman Panzer Davisaons were being planned in 1933 ir was dâciled rhat lightly armour6d
semi-tracked vehicleswould be more suitable than conventional lonies lor the transport of infantry
and suppon services. ln 1934-§, therefore, development was stôrl€d on both I ton and 3 ton vehicles
of this type, the tirm oI Hônomâg being eventually responsible for the 3 ron design. The vehicle
finâllyevolvedw6stheHLKL6,knownlotheGermanArmyastheSdKfzll.Thishadanunarmoured
body snd uænt inro service mainly âs a prirne mover for field anillery. Meânwhile on thê same basic
châili,, Hammq hsd f itled an armoured body and this veh icle - the H L K L 6P- becâme the Sd Klz 251 .
The first modêk êntered service in rime lo be uÉd ât the start oI the invasion oI Poland on Sep1. 1st.
1939. Guderiâh, commander of the 3rd. Pz. Div., used a Hanomâg as his commând veh icle on thir date,
becoming one o{ the firn g€nerals to lead his mên into âction on rracks insteôd of on a horse. A
Grenôdier battalion fully equipped wath these vehicles saw aervice in the French campaign, and the
Sd Kfz 5l had become stândârd equiprnent thro(Ehout the German Army by 1942.
ln hs basic troopcarrier torm, âs shown in the drôwing, thê vehicle seaæd ten men with a driver and
commander. There were, however, more thtn twonty other variants including smbulsnc€s, command
\æhicles end self-prop€lled carriages Ior guns. All of the vôriants âre deicribed in the Beltona Handbook
No.2 Pan 3 "Germsn Army Semi-tra.r(ed Vehicles 19345".
The drawing I€atured in this Bêltonâ Print illustrales an Ausf B model of the Sd Kfz 251. The Aosf.A
was externally similar, but cân be distinguish€d by having rwo additional vision ports on eadt side
of the fighting compütm6nl. The Ausf.C and ta€r the Ausf. D featurcd flloditied armour ând
$rp6rstructure layout.
The Sd K{z 251 was undgpowered and difficutt to stê6r, eapecially in crosecluntry conditions,
Limited vision and the unique ilope of th9 steering wheel was no help tor the driver. Continual
detail improvement complicated the supply of spare prta, but despite this and its many handlirE
vices, the Sd Kt2 25'l was ôn eftective ând uletul vehicle for which suppty never sâtisfied demand.
Technical D.rri b:
Loaded weight 8,4 tons; Empty 6.9 tons; Crew 2 and ,O passengers; Road speed 34 m.p,h. (S5 km.p.h.),
crosecounrry 15 m.p.h.; Max gradient 24 degree§; Fording depth .l It. 6%ins.; Range 2OO miles;
Arrmmè 2 x 7.92 MG-3ênd F ssengers weapons; Armour 12 mrn. tront surfôces, 7 mm. rernâinder;
Eng ine 1 Maybôch H L 42 6 cyt. 4.2 tirres watercoo l6d devetoping 1 OO b.h.p. at 2,800 r.p.m.;
ceôrs
4 forwârd ând I reverse; Suspension (tracks) torsion bar ônd( wh;els ) trsnsrerse leaf.
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SU.lq, Tônk Donroy.r h9{5)
lntroduced in 1945, the SU. l OO Tank Desroyer is btrill on the dtâssis oI Russia'§ celob.ô1ed T.34
lvledium Tank with which iÎ sharesa comrYlon mechanical specitication. A 50O h.p. diesal engino
gives iÎ s uselul road speod ot ov€r «) m.p.h., and the srspen§ion ii ot the sânle Arnerican Christie
part€rn anfluend by Russia's p.s-war sludy or loreign tsnk de§igns. Lesons leorned lrom th€
German practice of mounting e comparati\æly large gun an s proven tank châssis, are. howerêr,
brhind rhe SU.l OO design lcompare the Stu. G. lll ald Jâgd Panther).
This idea had âlresdy been tried succêssfully in the slowor bur more heâvily srrnoured JSU.l22 lvhich
was ân âssâult gun/tank destroyer on th€ KV or JS cfiassis. The SU. l00 is, an fad. 6n up{unned
and improved version of the SU.85 which folbttæd the §U'122 inlo lervice in 19114. Maior Ieature
oI the Su.lOO is, oI courss,lhe long 54 câlibre gun which mu§t handicap mano€uwâbility anylvhere
excepû on open groufld. The silhouetle is remark$ly low lower than the T,34 and the uniformly
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sloped superstructure is brokên only by the offsel cupola whi€à is forc€d outwards by lhe size oI
thâ breech.
For eôgine maintenance rhe rear deck (an be op€ned an the convont aonal way, but fÔr more liberal
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to the engino durang overhaul for inttancê- the enlire back pla1e can be unbolled and
hing€d backwards, a reâlure which illustrâl€s the simplicity ol lhe basic T.34design. Also novslare
the sprockel wheels lyhiô daspense with teeth in favour oI bâ.5just below the rim. Thele eng€e
the trâck crntrÈ,.rides. SFre track shoes âre usually côrrid horizontally on the hull Irontiul
beloti\, the mantleL Thê sFre fuel tanks âre oplionôl somelimei two are carried across the back
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Tr r€nty years afler its inlroduclion the SU.lO still equips the armies of Russisn and her Communist
(or friendly) §a$llhs counlties. An example caplured in Egypl in 1956 as nq/v on di.play ât rhe
B.A.C. Tank Museum in Bovington, Oor3el.
T.d|nicil Dclil.:
Loâded weighr 32 toni; Engine 5OO h.p. V'12 diesel; Max speed 36 m.p.h.; Fuel 80 gal5.; Endurance
'186 milsa; Fording depth ât. 1 l ins; Armam€nt
- 1 x loo mm., 54 câls. (40 rounds); Elevation'plus
20 degrecs to minu, 3 dogrees. Armour - front & driver's 75 mm , fitsntlet 1lO mm., top, 20 mm.,
remâinder 46 mm.: Crsw 4.
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Typ. 97 Mdium. CHI-HA lr93rl
ArÉng tha tirsl tanks in Jap6n were some Mêdium Mark A Wrippels (B€llonô prinl Serièa 1,, purchâsod
from tho British Govornmont at the end of l/lbrld Wâr l. Theso, togêther with various orh6r for€ign types,
gave.the lmpÊrial Jspsnê3s Army enough expêri6ncÊ ârld insighr to ensblo nativÊ deiigni to go into
production from 1929 onwards,
ln 1937 the Typo 97 Medium, knov\rn ss CH l-HA, came into service and this was thê hBvi€rt ârÈ mon
pow6rful tlnk wilh which Japsn w€n1 to war, More d\rdncsd designs wsr6 subsequently evolv€d but
none sâw lull scâle rervice. The only more sophisticarod tank to sae major action wss tho Typ€ 97
M€dium Special whict wss simply an improwd Érsion of the Typê 97 Medium *totvn her€.
oI rivêi€d conslrudion, the cHl-HA wâs inedequately srûlourod ônd leôly armêd. lts most inter'st-
ing deshn feâture wæ the su3pênsion which had th6 two paiis o, inncr bogies aprung horirontally whils
the two oursido wheels lvere sprung diagonslly outwsrds, The turret hatch-wss unugJ6l in thsr it conrined
ol lwoocldly shâpêd llâp3, ono fitting inrile the other. Earlier production lÿEd€ls hd cooling wnta
conceal€d benealh hing€d flaps on each sËe o, the engina casing {ai lhown in thi, dra^,ing). Éut bter
vehicles ârd thê Medium Specials h6d the vents altered to open-benêath thê
iract cov€rs,
one major variônt ot rhe Typê 97 M6dium was rhe commsnder's Tank, known os sHr-Kr. This difrered
from.the sÈndard model in hâving tùe complere 57 mm. gun snd msntiel in th6 hull in plsas (and in
position) of Î_he machinê gun. The rurret, in this case, waicompletêty ,lat-ropp€d, thê
but ol the sâme *tape,
and the refi ,acing turret mæhine gun rêrnainêd.
Th6 raiÈlike atËchnEnt shown on thê lurret is a rsdio aeri6l.
T.aùnic.l Dit.iL:
Weight 14.3 tons; Engins Mit.ubishi V-l2, aircooted diesêt devetoping l7O h.p. 6t 2,OOO
r.p.m.; Road
sp€ed 23.5 m.p.h. R.nge 130.5 mites; Fuet E4 gsts. in ihreê tank. (2;f 25, I of
4); Crerv i; Armamont _
One 57 mm. gun (l t 4 roundsl ônd two 7.7 mm. M/G (4,0s rounds); Armour
maxtmum 25 mm. on
turret sidar end hull front, lO mm. on hull ând turrel top5. Fording depth 3fr, 3 ins.; Max. trench
.roraing 8ft. 3 ins.
Colour Sdlarx:
\ all oli!€ groen or ek6 irroguls. pst.fis! of greên, snd, and blsck.
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Furtter delails oI Japanare tanks csn bo found in the gellona Handbook No, 4
@Copyright Model & A ied pubtic€tions Limited
EELLONA PUBLICATIONS I3/3S Bridgê Str6€r, Hamet Hempstead, Herrs.
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ABOVE: The SIJ-|(D was the SIJ-85 improvd by the fitting of a largcr more pwæful gun æpble
of deating with the later German anks. saw a f air dnount of ærvice in post war years with the
Armies of Nations supplied by Busia
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BELOW: The Commanders model of the Tyæ 97, Medium CHI'HA was known as the SHI'Kl. This
vercion only differed by having the 57 mm cannon dupliææd in the hull, in plæe of the machine
gun The novel §tape of the cupota haæh can be æn in this photograph-
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