Hanomag variants - a spotters guide

When I first looked at the Flames of War books I was occasionally concerned by the way some of the lists specified the exacly ausf or model/variant of halftrack the troops should be transported in. After picking up some of PSC's 251/1 ausf D's I realised that for the mid war period I was aiming for the vehicles were rather late. So I have picked up a bunch of earlier versions of the well know hanomag and resolved to produce a spotters guide for the uninitiated.

 From left to right; ausf A, ausf B, ausf C, ausf D.

The ausf A and ausf B are both converted from Zvezda's ausf A model (the box inaccurately calls it an ausf B), the hideous Zvezda machine guns being replaced with spares from the PSC sets. The ausf C and D are both straight out of the box PSC models. All are depicted in post 1942 style camouflage to make it easier to discern the differences between the models. The two earliest models had been out of production for some time before this camouflage was adopted.

Sd.kfz 251/1 ausf. A

 

The first variant of the 251. Prototyping for an 3 ton unarmoured halftrack had started in 1934, with the concept of using the same chassis as an armoured carrier added to the requirements a year later. It wasn't until June 1939, only two months before the Invasion of Poland, that they were first issued to units. This variant was only produced in small numbers and was discontinued in 1940.

Sd.kfz 251/1 ausf. B

 

The second variant of the 251. Little has changed from the first version, only minor evolutionary upgrades resulting from early feedback. The variant began production in 1939, only shortly after the ausf A, and was likewise discontinued in 1940.

 Changes from ausf. a to ausf. b

1: The ausf B introduced a shield for the machine gunner, replacing the more flexible mounting. Many ausf A vehicles were upgraded to the ausf B's new mounting system.

2: The more important change was the removal of vision slots from the passenger compartments and the repositioning of vehicle tool sets to the mudguards.

Sd.kfz 251/1 ausf. C

The third variant shows the first structural modifications aimed at reducing production costs, and was also the first to see large scale production. It came into service in mid 1940 after the conquest of France, and continued in production until September 1943.

 Changes from ausf. b to ausf. c

1: The first major noticed is the simplification of the front armour from two plate to a single plate

2: The cooling flaps were replaced with vent covers which allowed for better engine cooling

3: Another minor change was the repositioning of the storage lockers further to the rear.

Sd.kfz 251/1 ausf. D

The final variant began leaving factories in 1943 and was the simplest to build and most produced. The total production of all earlier ausf.s combined was a bare 4,650 vehicles, compared to 10,602 ausf D's. While production technically ended with the fall of Germany, the Praga and Tatra factories of Czechoslovakia continued production of the vehicle until 1963. These were designated as the OT-810 and may have be retrofitted by WWII re-enactment groups .

 Changes from ausf. c to ausf. d

1: A follow from the simplification of the front plate seen in the change between the ausf B and ausf C. The rear armour drops from 6 armour planes and a complex hinging system to a single flat plate.

2: The stowage boxes and mudguards merge into a single piece integral to the hull.


Please let me know of any inaccuracies in my guide, I am not an expert and am always hunting for more information. Much of my data has come from websites such as WWII Vehicles.com.

 ~Bob

Zvezda Katyushya

I was hunting around for paints the other day (how many colours of Khaki can there possibly be?) when I came across this little gem hidden in the corner;

Zvezda 1/100 BM-13 'Katyushya'

I had made a deal with myself not to buy any new models until I had painted the current force, but at only £3 I could not help myself.

I have seen the Zvezda models on the Plastic Soldier Company's website, and even considered buying a platoon of the KV-1e models, figuring that it would be rather unique compared to the ubiquitous horde of T-34s.

In the end I demured on three grounds,

1) I never buy a model unless I can see what it actually looks like, PSC only show the bow art

2) While the KV-1e served for most of the war, the KV-2, KV-1s and the KV-85 superseded it, and I would quite like some of the later options.

3) I heard that PSC might be making their own version, with the additional options

 The Katyusha, on the other hand, is a rather standard piece of kit that changes little over the years and is the most iconic piece of WW2 Soviet artillery.

 The sprues are rather simple, snap fit so little chance of variation from the basic model. The most annoying part of the construction was the bonnet, which needs to be carefully bent into shape. Some of the components were very tight fitting, requiring a little shaved off for them to fit snugly.

The same master must have been used for the ZIS truck Zvezda also sell, as the cab lacks the blast shields normally mounted on the Katyusha. Some of the other simplifications of design that are aimed at making it work as snap fit kit also reduce the accuracy of the model. The most obvious chose is to have all eight top missiles connected together rather blatently, and to not include any missiles underneath the rails. With a bit of cutting and glueing this can be partialy corrected.
 

 The model fits well on the large artillery base, with enough room either side for addition crew.

Conclusions

Cheep and cheerful, there are some obvious inaccuracies to aid the snap fit system.


On the plus side, the supports for the missile rack are in far better proportion than I have seen in any metal or resin model of the same vehicle.

I will be buying more in the future, but I will have to do a fair bit of conversion work to make them look proper, and to create variation within the unit.


The problem with the PSC Russian Infantry Company may well be that it offers too much indirect artillery, 4 light mortars, 4 medium mortars and 4 heavy mortars up to plus 8 battery guns, how does one expand into rocket artillery without going overboard?

~ Bob