JonS Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 As I was driving to work this morning, I drove past the Southward Car Museum, and it got me to thinking. One of the vehicles there is a Kettenkrad captured, IIRC, in the Western Desert. As I was thinking about this … thing, I came up with a whole bunch of questions, and as a wise man once said – if in doubt, go to the source! So, here I am, at the source, asking my questions: Primary) How many of these things were made? (edit – found the answer: 8,345) Secondary) Did manufacture continue throughout the war? Tertiary) What units were they issued to – inf bns, supply companies, what? Quartenary) What was the scale of issue? Next) What were they intended to be used for – ATV recon, lightweight schlepper, gun tractor for very small guns, etc? Next Plus One) Did they come with a trailer? Last) Were they any good, or worthwhile, or was it just another example of the Teutonic passion for impractical - yet kinds cool - gadgetry? With respect to that, its probably worth noting that as far as I know, nothing similar has even been built again … Last Plus One) One more: will they be modeled in CM:BB? Regards JonS Edit: UBB is still beyond me [ August 19, 2002, 09:58 PM: Message edited by: JonS ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaBellum Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Originally posted by JonS: *snip* Primary) How many of these things were made? (edit – found the answer: 8,345) Secondary) Did manufacture continue throughout the war? Tertiary) What units were they issued to – inf bns, supply companies, what? Quartenary) What was the scale of issue? Next) What were they intended to be used for – ATV recon, lightweight schlepper, gun tractor for very small guns, etc? Next Plus One) Did they come with a trailer? Last) Were they any good, or worthwhile, or was it just another example of the Teutonic passion for impractical - yet kinds cool - gadgetry? With respect to that, its probably worth noting that as far as I know, nothing similar has even been built again … Last Plus One) One more: will they be modeled in CM:BB? *snip* OK, let's see how many I can answer. First, production continued through the war, the Kettenkrad was even continued to be produced after WWII, until 1948 by NSU. AFAIK Kettenkräder were issued to a wide variety of units, including Panzerauflkärungsabteilungen, Panzergrenadierbatailone and, of course signals detachments. I guess most of them were issued to armoured/motorized formations. Take a look here, especially at the '44 TOEs. Panzerbär TOEs They were intended to transport mortars, light Flak guns and the 3.7cm Pak, and field comunication wire. There were also two variants of the SdKfz 2, the Sdkfz 2/1, the kleine Kettenkraftrad für Feldfernkabel and the SdKfz 2/2, the kleine Kettenkrad für schwere Feldfernkabel. The Sdkfz 2/1 was used to lay "normal" comunication wire and the SdKfz 2/2 for heavy comunication wire. Don't ask me what the difference is... Both version used a trailer and mounted a wire pool. And they were also used for other roles, including reconaissance, supply transport etc... There was also trailer for it, the Sonderanhänger 1 (special trailer). Yes, they were very good. They were reliable, had good cross-country abilities and fulfilled a wide variety of duties in the Wehrmacht. It was also pretty fast (80 kph). I'd say the Kettenkrad was the Jeep of the Wehrmacht. Much better than the Kübelwagen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonS Posted August 20, 2002 Author Share Posted August 20, 2002 Thanks PB. Nice site - shame I don't speak German better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patolino Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 They were used to tow fighters around Luftwaffe airbases, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Definitely a tool, and a useful one at that. The Kettenkrad was the prime mover for Fallschirmjaeger support weapons such as the Gerlich 28/20 squeezebore AT cannon and several types of recoilless rifle. Further, it could operate under conditions (mud, snow) in which its parent vehicle, the motorcycle, would become hopelessly bogged. An excellent vehicle for liaison work and frontline unit resupply. The Kettenkrad was the tow vehicle for the Me-262 in a variety of configurations. Since, alas, motorcycles are not in CMBB, I believe the Kettenkrad would make a reasonable stand-in. It should be a minuscule target and easy to hide in any cover at all. Since I rather doubt that CMBB will allow the driver to dismount and fight conventionally, this limits what can be carried in terms of personnel to a solitary sharpshooter. Rats! There go FOs and AT teams, not to mention LMG teams. Regards, John Kettler [ August 20, 2002, 03:37 AM: Message edited by: John Kettler ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 John, you are absolutely correct, the KettenKrad should make it into CM:BB in every case. BFC should rather drop one of the Hungarian, or what-do-I-know vehicles that I never heared of, than the KettenKrad!!! BFC, please fix or do somefink!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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