WesWorld

Combat weight: 14,600 kg
Length: 5.76 metres
Width: 2.54 metres
Height: 2.15 metres
Suspension: Torsion bar, with five road wheels, three return rollers
Armour: Hull forward: 25 mm at 45°; Hull other: 10 mm; Turret: 15 mm
Engine: Deutz 6-cylinder diesel, 225 hp, located at front
Speed: 58 kph (road)
Operational radius: 270 kilometres (road)
Fording depth: 0.7 metres
Maximum step: 0.60 metres
Trench crossing ability: 1.50 metres

Crew: Standard infantry carrier has a crew of two and six infantry.

Armament: 20mm automatic cannon (MG151/20 L/55) in the turret with 400 rounds of ammunition.

Development

Following the success of the Aufklärungspanzer Luchs the Army Armaments Office instructed the Altmärkische Kettenwerke to proceed with the design of a full tracked infantry carrier to replace, in part, the Heer’s existing inventory of semi-track infantry carriers of the SdKfz 251 series. The contract for this work was awarded in January 1946. Trials vehicles were delivered in the autumn of 1946 with the first pre-production vehicles delivered in January 1947.

Three factories are presently engaged in the manufacture of the vehicle – the Alkett - Berlin-Borsigwalde works, the Alkett - Berlin-Tegel works, and the factory of Waggonfabrik Wegmann AG. Studies have been undertaken for development of mortar carrier and command variants, but none have been fielded to date.