WesWorld

(Type 2 Small Towing Vehicle)

The Type 2 Small Towing Vehicle as developed by the NSU Motorenwerke AG of Neckarsulm, Baden, to meet Luftwaffe requirements for a lightweight towing vehicle that could be delivered by the Junkers Ju52 standard transport aircraft. It is used to heavy infantry weapons, light infantry guns and ammunition using specialised trailers (sonderanhanger).

The first examples of the Type 2 Small Towing Vehicle were delivered in the autumn of 1939 to paratroop units. As of 31 December 1939, eighty-two units had been taken on charge and production was continuing.

Very cool!

Impractical, expensive and technical and wacky in a far-out kind of way but still damn cool!

I guess they were tricky to drive/ steer?

Quoted

Originally posted by Hood
Very cool!

Impractical, expensive and technical and wacky in a far-out kind of way but still damn cool!

I guess they were tricky to drive/ steer?

Frankly, I cannot answer the last question. As to the first comments, I will let the fact that in OTL more than 8,500 built between 1939 and 1944 speak for itself. I suppose that a Kettenkrad beats hauling gear by hand.

In many respects the vehicle would be like todays ATVs - which can be seen as rather wacky.

Quoted

Originally posted by Hood
I guess they were tricky to drive/ steer?

Somewhat, I suppose. When the driver turns the handlebars lightly, the front wheel does all the steering; when the driver turns the handlebars all the way, the track on that side is independently braked, just like a tank. Surviving Kettenkrads are worth quite a lot today as people love to buy them for off-roading - they can handle mud like a tank and climb hills far better than most jeeps.

Hey, at least Bruce didn't try and build the Krupp Kugelpanzer....*shudders*

Now that's impractical and wacky....

Quoted

Originally posted by TexanCowboy
Hey, at least Bruce didn't try and build the Krupp Kugelpanzer....*shudders*

Now that's impractical and wacky....

Here is a circumstance where I would have to call Wikipedia to account.

Since the 'thing' in question was captured in Manchuria, and other than the assertion that it was manufactured in Germany, there is nothing to link the 'thing' to Krupp. In fact, if you follow the Wikipedia external link, you'll find that (a) it asserts that 6 facts are known about it, not 5; (b) the source author merely records that "no one but Krupp could have made it"; I wouldn't call that a fact.

Moreover, that the Russians have put the 'thing' in its German collection does not make it German.

I used the term "Krupp Kugelpanzer" to refer to it, as by a designation. The whole point of that post was to show how much more practical the kleines Kettenkraftrad HK 101 then the "Krupp Kugelpanzer".

What are you on about, Tex?

Quoted

Frankly, I cannot answer the last question. As to the first comments, I will let the fact that in OTL more than 8,500 built between 1939 and 1944 speak for itself. I suppose that a Kettenkrad beats hauling gear by hand.

In many respects the vehicle would be like todays ATVs - which can be seen as rather wacky.

Kettenkrads were produced after the war across Eastern Europe under their original guise - as civilian agricultural vehicles. Supposedly, they handle well enough for a vehicle like this.