EntityQ2600308· pop 16· linked from 138 articles

Maultier

Maultier (English: "mule") or Sd.Kfz. 3 is the name given to series of half-track trucks used by Nazi Germany during World War II. They were based on Opel, Mercedes-Benz, Alfa Romeo or Ford trucks.

Key facts

Weapon.name: Maultier
Weapon.image: Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-559-1085-07, Italien, Flugzeug Me 323 Gigant, Opel "Maultier".jpg
Weapon.image_size: 300
Weapon.caption: Opel Maultier exiting from a Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant transport.
Weapon.origin: Nazi Germany
Weapon.type: Half-track
Weapon.is_vehicle: yes
Weapon.engine: 3.6-litre 6-cyl petrol engine (Opel Blitz)
Weapon.service: 1941 - 1945
Weapon.wars: World War II
Weapon.design_date: 1941
Weapon.production_date: 1942-1944
Weapon.crew: 2
Weapon.number: 20,945
Weapon.armour: none

via Wikipedia infobox

Article

4 sections

Contents

History
Production
See also
References

Maultier (English: "mule") or Sd.Kfz. 3 is the name given to series of half-track trucks used by Nazi Germany during World War II. They were based on Opel, Mercedes-Benz, Alfa Romeo or Ford trucks.

==History== Soon after invading the USSR, German troops discovered that their wheeled transport vehicles were unsuitable for the sparse road network, particularly in the muddy conditions of the rasputitsa. Only half tracks like the Sd.Kfz. 11 could haul supplies to forward units in these conditions, but removing them from their combat role for supply duties was not feasible, so it was decided to produce half-tracked versions of standard Opel, Daimler-Benz, Alfa-Romeo and Ford trucks (lorries) by removing their rear axles, truncating the prop-shafts and connecting them to redundant Panzer I track assemblies. Heavier trucks (4 tons payload) were fitted with Panzer II track assemblies.