The German Opel Blitz (German Blitz - lightning) truck was actively used by the Wehrmacht during the Second World War. There were several generations of this famous truck, which differed in both design and construction. Different versions of the car were produced from 1930 to 1975. At the same time, in Russia, the most famous cars are only the first generation of 1930-1954 in a modernized version (after 1937). They became known because of their widespread use by the Wehrmacht, including on the Eastern Front, and also because of their significant presence as captured vehicles.

The Opel Blitz truck is recognized as the best three-ton truck in the Wehrmacht. At the same time, this is the only truck that was produced throughout the war until the defeat of Germany. This truck was produced at a specially built for this purpose Opel automobile plant in Brandenburg - "an exemplary National Socialist enterprise". Since 1944, Daimler-Benz has joined the production of this truck. Of the 129,795 three-ton Opel Blitz trucks produced, approximately 100,000 were delivered directly to the Wehrmacht and the SS troops, and the rest were used in the defense sectors of the national economy of Nazi Germany.

Opel Blitz is rightfully considered one of the best and most popular German trucks. Its design was standard, yet robust and relatively simple. A large number of various special-purpose vehicles were built on the basis of this truck. In addition, its modifications were produced, equipped with engines of different power. An all-wheel drive model of this car was also produced. In order to save scarce metal at the very end of the war, the Germans began to produce trucks with wooden ersatz cabins.

Opel Blitz 3.6-6700A

On the basis of the Opel Blitz truck, many special vehicles were built - ambulances, workshops, mobile radio stations, buses, fire trucks, etc. Often this chassis was also used to accommodate small-caliber anti-aircraft guns. The bodies of most Opel Blitz trucks were in the form of a platform with installed wooden sides and an awning, but trucks equipped with metal box bodies were also produced.

The German company "Opel" enjoyed special respect from the Nazi government, which allowed it in the second half of the 30s of the XX century to quickly become the leader in terms of production of automotive equipment and become Germany's largest manufacturer of army trucks of the Blitz series.

In March 1929, the American company General Motors acquired an 80% stake in Adam Opel. At the same time, it was Opel who was the first in Germany to establish a bank and an insurance company to finance car sales on credit. In 1931, the American company expanded its stake in Adam Opel to a full 100%. At the same time, Opel received US $ 33.3 million for both transactions, becoming a 100% subsidiary of General Motors. It is curious that this company actively financed the NSDAP in the 1933 parliamentary elections. The company employed about 13 thousand people who assembled up to 500 cars and 6,000 bicycles every day.

As a result of the influx of foreign investment by the mid-1930s, Opel undertook a second wave of restructuring and reconstruction of production. In just 190 days, a new assembly plant for the company was built in Brandenburg, as well as a network of German enterprises - subcontractors that were engaged in the supply of components. Huge investments made it possible to increase the number of the company's personnel by almost 40%. In 1936, Opel was already producing 120,923 vehicles a year, becoming the largest car manufacturer in Europe.

In 1937, after many years during which Opel was also the largest bicycle manufacturer, the company decided to discontinue production, handing it over to NSU. At the same time, it was decided to fully concentrate on the production of automotive equipment. In 1940, the millionth car was produced in a German company.

Since the American leadership of GM, which then owned the company, opposed the release of military products, by the beginning of the war, the Opel Blitz was late, until 1940, only a civilian version of the truck was assembled at the plant. However, in 1940, the Opel company was nationalized by the Nazis. Then, in October 1940, the assembly of passenger cars was completely stopped. Since 1940, the Opel Blitz truck began to enter the army. During World War II, the company's enterprises supplied about half of the total number of trucks in the German army.

Servicemen of the 5th SS Panzer Division "Viking" (5 SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") repair the wheels of the Opel Blitz 3.6-36S truck

Opel Blitz truck

As a result, the unified 3-ton truck “Blitz” of the models “3.6-36S” (4x2) and “3.6-6700A” (4x4) received the greatest popularity and distribution among the troops. These cars have been produced since 1937 in huge quantities - about 95 thousand copies. These were durable and easy-to-operate vehicles with a payload capacity of 3.3 and 3.1 tons, respectively. The cars were distinguished by the presence of closed all-metal cabins, a high radiator with a vertical lining and an emblem in the form of a stroke of lightning, as well as stamped rounded fenders.

These trucks were equipped with a robust spar frame consisting of U-shaped steel profiles. Also, a 6-cylinder 3.6-liter engine was installed on the car, it was borrowed from the Opel Admiral passenger car. Also, the truck was equipped with a dry single-plate clutch, a new 5-speed gearbox, hydraulic brakes, rifled axles on longitudinal semi-elliptic springs and rear dual wheels. Both types of cars received tires of the same size 7.25-20 with a developed tread pattern. Only these two trucks were produced in series of about 70 and 25 thousand units, respectively. At the same time, in 1944-1945, the Daimler-Benz concern manufactured more than 3.5 thousand rear-wheel drive Blitz trucks equipped with a simplified cab under the Mercedes index L701.

The basic model of the rear-wheel drive truck "3.6-36S" (Blitz-S) had a gross weight of 5800 kg and was produced from 1937 to 1944. The car had a wheelbase of 3600 mm, and its curb weight was 2500 kg. The car was supplied with one 82-liter fuel tank and was adapted to towing a two-ton trailer. Since 1940, in parallel, Opel plants have produced an all-wheel drive version under the designation "3.6-6700A" (Blitz-A), which was equipped with an additional two-stage transfer case and a wheelbase shortened to 3450 mm. In addition, the car was distinguished by a slightly increased track size and a larger fuel tank capacity - 92 liters. The curb weight of the all-wheel drive version was 3350 kg. The maximum permissible weight when driving on the highway is 6450 kg, on the ground - 5700 kg. The truck could move at a speed of up to 90 km / h on the highway, and fuel consumption, depending on the driving conditions, was equal to 25-40 liters per 100 km, the cruising range was 230-320 km.

The fact that the Opel Blitz was equipped with a carburetor six-cylinder in-line engine from an Opel Admiral passenger car with a working volume of 3626 cc. see, it was common practice for those years. At 3120 rpm, this engine produced 73.5 hp, which was the same power as the Soviet ZIS-5, but the volume of the German engine was less. The engine crankcase was aluminum and the cylinder head was made of gray cast iron. For every 100 km of run, the car consumed 26 liters when driving on asphalt, 35 liters on a dirt road. The maximum cruising range on the highway was 320 km.

The main advantage of the German truck was its high speed. On a good road, "Lightning" could reach a speed of 90 km / h. The reason for such a good indicator for a truck of those years was the use in the main gear of the same gear ratio (equal to 43/10) as on the Opel Admiral. However, this decision led to the fact that the Blitz did not cope well with towing heavy trailers, and the use of a trailer off-road was completely excluded.

The compression ratio also referred to the "passenger car" value - 6 units, which required the use of only first grade gasoline. For this reason, the use of captured gasoline on the Eastern Front was almost completely ruled out. Because of this, in January 1942, Germany began production of a modification with a reduced compression ratio in the engine. Thus, it was adapted for the use of 56th gasoline, and the gear ratio in the main gear was also increased. In the course of the changes, the engine power was reduced to only 68 hp, and the maximum speed on the highway dropped to 80 km / h. In order for the car to maintain the same range, it was equipped with a 92-liter fuel tank. At the same time, fuel consumption increased to 30 liters on the highway and up to 40 liters on dirt roads.

Opel Blitz TLF15

Cars based on Opel Blitz

Trucks Opel Blitz of the 3-ton class were used in almost all German-fascist military formations and performed all military functions of transporting goods, towing light artillery pieces, transporting infantry, carrying special-purpose superstructures. A variety of models of wood-metal and wooden bodies with different side heights, with awnings and benches, numerous options for rectangular standard vans or special designs with various components were installed on the trucks. On this chassis, tankers, tanks, fire trucks, gas generator plants, etc. were created. Cars for SS units were equipped mainly with closed all-metal bodies for special purposes.

The German firm "Meisen" installed rounded sanitary bodies on the standard Blitz chassis, which were intended for transporting the wounded or placing in them field laboratories and operating rooms. In the midst of the war, the truck-based company produced a number of simple army multi-purpose fire trucks. The base was a typical LF15 automobile pump on a rear-wheel drive chassis, equipped with a simplified closed wood-metal body with a double cab. In the back there was a water pump with a capacity of 1500 l / min. The TLF15 fire tanker was already installed on an all-wheel drive base and was equipped with an openly located 2000 liter water tank.

A variant of the basic rear-wheel drive version of the car were two cars with an extended base and a carrying capacity of 3.5 tons - Opel Blitz "3.6-42" and "3.6-47", which had wheelbases of 4200 and 4650 mm, respectively. The total mass of the vehicles was 5.7 and 6.1 tons. These cars were also equipped with various options for side bodies, special superstructures and equipment, vans. These trucks were not widely used. The Wehrmacht used them mainly for the installation of closed bodies with a double cab, they were also equipped with fire-fighting equipment and Koebe water pumps. In the Blitz 3,6-47 onboard trucks, machine gun or cannon systems were usually installed with a stock of ammunition.

The most famous version of the Blitz 3.6-47 truck chassis was the W39 army bus, which had an all-metal body made by Ludewig (Ludwig). The bus capacity was 30-32 seats. From 1939 to 1944, 2,880 of these buses were produced. Opel Blitz W39 buses were used to transport Wehrmacht officers, calculations of armored vehicles, which were delivered along the highway on trailers. They were also used as ambulances, headquarters, printing houses, mobile sound broadcasting stations, etc. All of these variants could reach the same highway speed as the basic version of the truck, and their average fuel consumption was 30 liters per 100 km.

In 1942-1944, on its 3.6-36S chassis, Opel also produced about 4 thousand half-track 2-ton trucks SSM (Sd.Kfz.3) of the Maultier (Mule) series. These trucks used a lightweight tracked propeller from the English Carden-Loyd tankette. Germany bought the license for its production from Great Britain even before the start of the war. "Mules" were equipped with four disc road wheels on a lever-spring balanced suspension, as well as a steering device with a mechanical system for changing the speed of rewinding tracks, which allowed the tractor to perform sharper turns. When using only the front steered wheels, the turning radius was 19 meters, and with the braking of one of the propellers - 15 meters. The vehicle's ground clearance has increased from 225 to 270 mm.

In terms of performance, the Opel half-track truck was the most successful option in the Maultier series, it occupied an intermediate position between similar vehicles from Klöckner Deutz Magirus and Ford. The gross vehicle weight was 5930 kg, fuel consumption was 50 liters per 100 km. At the same time, the tractor truck could reach a speed of no more than 38 km / h. The disadvantages of the machine were called increased load on the transmission, low speed, which was artificially limited due to the rapid wear of the propulsion elements and, oddly enough, poor cross-country ability. Of the total produced, 2,130 of these half-track trucks were sent to the Eastern Front.

Already at the height of the war, about 300 Sd.Kfz.4 / 1 launchers - the first German self-propelled multiple launch rocket systems - were assembled on the 3.6-36S / SSM semi-armored chassis with an anti-aircraft gun or searchlight. They were equipped with a package of 10 tubular guides designed to launch rockets of 158.5 mm caliber. The maximum firing range was 6.9 km. The Germans tried to oppose these machines to the Soviet "Katyushas". The partially armored chassis could also be used as ammunition transporters, but all of these structures were inactive and too heavy.

In the summer of 1944, both major Opel factories were severely damaged by Allied bombing. The production of 3-ton trucks had to be moved to the Daimler-Benz plant. After the war, the remaining equipment from Brandenburg was taken to the Soviet Union. And Opel again with American help was able to restore its production, the production of Opel Blitz trucks, famous for the war, was continued.

Sources of information:
http://voenteh.com/voennye-avtomobili/germaniya/gruzoviki-kommercheskogo-tipa/opel.html
http://retrotruck.ru/museum/cars-wehrmacht/191
http://www.tehnikapobedy.ru/opel.htm
http://drittereich.info/modules.php?file\u003dviewtopic&name\u003dForums&t\u003d1879

For obvious reasons, the industry of Nazi Germany is associated exclusively with military equipment. But in fact, quite interesting civilian cars were produced in the Third Reich.

The thirties of the twentieth century is not the easiest period in the history of Germany. The country has just begun to recover from the Great Depression, which directly affected the lives of citizens.

It is not surprising that the Nazis, who seized power in the country, actively played on these moods of the population. The automotive industry is by no means an exception. This is one of the areas in which the rulers of the Third Reich tried to show the superiority of their ideology over others, and to demonstrate how the new government can make people's lives better with the help of cars.

Today we will tell you about what kind of cars were popular in Germany of that period, and you will also find out what car the fictional Soviet intelligence officer Otto von Stirlitz drove in. Just in case, let's make a reservation: we in every possible way condemn the Nazi ideology, and in no case are we trying to whitewash the activities of the Third Reich with this publication. The results of the Second World War and the Nuremberg Trials are not subject to revision! We only give curious examples of technology from that period, and we consider these cars exclusively from a historical point of view.

Mercedes-Benz 770

Mercedes-Benz 770

With the phrase "cars of the Third Reich" in the head of many, a fairly stable image immediately arises - Adolf Hitler is driving. Admittedly, there is nothing surprising in such associations - Nazi propaganda actively showed the Fuhrer in its films and television magazines. Most often, the leader of the Nazis drove around in a Mercedes-Benz 770K with the numbers "1A 148 461".

At the time of its appearance in 1930, the Mercedes-Benz Typ 770, also known as the Großer Mercedes ("Big Mercedes"), was indeed the largest and most expensive car of the German brand. Under the hood of this car was a 7.6-liter engine that developed 150 hp. in the regular version and 200 hp. - on the supercharged version. Transmission - 4-speed mechanics. Of course, only the finest materials were used in the interior trim of the Big Mercedes, including leather and wood. The 770 also had a convertible version.

All in all, the Mercedes-Benz Typ 770 was not an easy car, and given the starting price of 29,500 Reichsmarks, not everyone could afford it. But the car was very fond of the elite, and not only the Nazi. For example, Reich President Paul von Hindenburg, Japanese Emperor Hirohito, Pope Pius XI and Pius XII drove such a car. Well, in 1931, Adolf Hitler was added to the list. Moreover, the Fuhrer preferred the open version of the car.

Maybach SW38

Just as they do today, Maybach cars were prominent in Nazi Germany and were among the most prestigious. True, then Maybach was not a division of Mercedes-Benz, but a separate company - Maybach-Motorenbau (this explains the two letters "M" on the brand emblem). But by the 30s, Maybach had a real history and fame as a pioneer behind him, because it was Wilhelm Maybach who once helped Gottlieb Daimler in creating the first car in the world.

In general, it is not surprising that the SW family of cars, dubbed "Little Maybach", turned out to be the most massive pre-war car of the brand. The first version, the Maybach SW35, which appeared in 1935, was equipped with a 3.5-liter engine with 140 hp. But only 50 of these cars were built.

Much more noteworthy is the Maybach SW38, equipped with a 3.8-liter 140-horsepower engine and a 4-speed transmission, which was produced from 1936 to 1939. The body of this car was created in the studio of Hermann Spone. And in different years, several versions were released: there was a four-door convertible, and a two-door open-top car, and a special roadster. Not surprisingly, in the summer of 2016, one of these cars was sold at Sotheby's for $ 1,072,500.

By the way, in 1939 Maybach released a new modification of the SW - 42 family car. It was already a sedan with a fundamentally different body and a 4.2-liter engine, the power of which, due to the peculiarities of the then technical regulations, remained the same - 140 hp. True, the same obvious reason - the war - prevented this model from gaining mass distribution and popularity.

Volkswagen Käfer

Volkswagen Käfer

If the party bosses of the Third Reich drove Mercedes and Maybachs, then ordinary burghers should have gotten a simpler car. By this, the Nazis wanted to demonstrate the growth of the well-being of citizens. That is why Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned by Hitler to develop a truly "people's car". Actually, the name of the Volkswagen brand is translated this way.

The result of the labors was Käfer, or in translation - "Beetle". For the first time, the new model was shown in the spring of 1939 at an exhibition in Berlin, although then the Beetle was not yet a Volkswagen, but was produced under the KdF-Wagen brand. The rear-engined car was powered by a 25-horsepower air-cooled engine and was extremely easy to maintain and manufacture. Of course, the public was very, very supportive of such a car.

Volkswagen Käfer

However, an interesting nuance was associated with the purchase of Volkswagen Käfer. Although the car had a nominal price of 990 Reichsmarks, it was not possible to buy a car with cash. Instead, it was necessary to purchase a special "Passbook" and glue special stamps there every week. Any missed payment meant the loss of all invested funds. Nevertheless, the Germans were still reaching for the "People's Car"

True, in 1939 more than 330,000 people were still left without the coveted "Beetle". The reason is that the plant where Käfer was produced has already been completely transferred to the military track. Only in the 60s, the Volkswagen management went to meet the deceived investors and offered them a discount on new cars. Well, the "Zhuk" itself safely survived this period, and with various changes it was produced right up to 2003. True, the last copy of this model was made not in his native Germany, but in Mexico.

Opel kadett

Another "people's car" that appeared in the Third Reich was the Opel Kadett. This car was built on the basis of another Opel model - Olympia, and from 1937 it was produced at the plant in Rüsselsheim.

I must say that the Opel Kadett turned out to be a very progressive car for its time. Firstly, the model inherited from Olympia a structure with an all-metal monocoque body. Secondly, the car had a very advanced design. What are the headlights alone, integrated into the fenders! Finally, thirdly, and in terms of equipment, the Opel Kadett gave odds to many competitors. For example, hydraulic brakes were installed here for all four wheels, and in the cabin there was, for example, a sensor for the remaining fuel and oil pressure.

The Opel Kadett was powered by a 1.1-liter four-cylinder 23 hp engine. Although this is not much, due to its low weight of 750 kg, the car could accelerate to 90 km / h, which was considered a very good indicator. And the Opel Kadett cost 2,100 Reichsmarks - even if it was more expensive than the "Beetle", but the car could be bought immediately.

However, our readers will be interested in Opel Kadett for one more reason. The fact is that this particular model became the basis for the future Soviet automobile "Moskvich-400". And there is no secret in this. The fact is that the Soviet side received technical documentation and equipment from the Opel plant in Brandenburg for reparations. And although the original Opel Kadett was produced elsewhere - at the plant in Rüsselsham, the Soviet Small Car Plant, thanks to the help of German designers, actually recreated the model and gave it the name "Moskvich-400". By the way, they say that the choice in favor of the Opel Kadett was also not accidental - allegedly Joseph Stalin liked this model.

Mercedes-Benz G4

Mercedes-Benz G4

If you like the Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6 six-wheeled monster SUV, then you will surely like its distant cousin, the Mercedes-Benz G4. This car was originally created in the Third Reich for the needs of the army. The car was originally driven by a five-liter eight-cylinder 100 hp engine. and had a complex all-wheel drive system.

The military did not like the car. But the Reich Chancellery was delighted, and from 1938 they began to use it for trips to the occupied territories, primarily to Czechoslovakia and Austria. By that time, the Mercedes-Benz G4 was already equipped with another V8 engine - a 5.2-liter 115-horsepower unit. And over the next two years it was replaced by a 5.4-liter "eight" with 110 hp.

In general, from a "SUV" Mercedes-Benz G4 quickly turned almost into a parade limousine. In addition, this model was one of the models that Adolf Hitler personally drove. Moreover, the Fuhrer presented one car to the Generalissimo of Spain, Francisco Franco. True, the circulation of the G4 was rather small: only 57 cars were produced during the entire production period. Of these, only three cars have survived to this day. One of them, a car that belonged to Franco, is now in the car collection of the Spanish royal family. Another car in which Hitler hosted the parade in the annexed Sudetenland is kept in the Museum of Technology in Sinsheim. Finally, the third car is located in American Hollywood, where it was repeatedly used in the filming of films.

What about BMW? Didn't the Bavarians make cars during the Nazi dictatorship? They let out. True, we must not forget that, firstly, BMW became an automobile company only in 1929, and before that it was engaged in the production of aircraft engines and motorcycles. Secondly, it is not entirely correct to call BMW cars of that time completely "Bavarian". The fact is that in 1929 BMW acquired a plant in Eisenach, which is located in another part of Germany - Thuringia.

But BMW was able to quickly establish the production of cars there, and by the mid-30s, the brand was delighting buyers with rather interesting cars. Such as, for example, the BMW 326 - a four-door model produced in sedan and convertible bodies. The car was equipped with a two-liter six-cylinder engine with a capacity of about 50 hp, combined with a four-speed transmission. The maximum speed is 115 km / h, which at that time was considered a very good indicator.

The BMW 326 has proven to be a fairly successful model. From 1936 to 1941, 15,936 cars were produced, despite the rather high price. For example, for a convertible, considered small, they asked for 6,650 Reichsmarks. It is not surprising that in 1940 BMW planned to replace the 326th with a new model built according to the same scheme - BMW 332. However, the outbreak of World War II left only three pre-production prototypes from these plans.

In 1932, Colonel Heinz Guderian, the "father of the Wehrmacht's tank forces," initiated a competition to create a light tank for the needs of the army. Military customers formulated tactical and technical requirements that limited the vehicle's weight to five tons with bulletproof armor and armament from two 7.92 mm machine guns. Three years later, the index of the first German serial tank "1 LaS" was officially changed to "Panzerkampfwagen I "(" Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A ")

By the early 30s, Germany was able to recover from the losses suffered in the First World War, however, the humiliation that the country experienced, as well as the economic crisis, predetermined the inevitability of the next major conflict. German industrialists and politicians understood that the Weimar Republic badly needed heavy weapons, and although the terms of the Versailles Treaty prohibited the Germans from developing and buying them, corporations secretly continued design work despite all prohibitions. This primarily concerned armored vehicles. To hide the design of the tanks, the Germans called them "tractors", and the tests were carried out outside Germany - in the USSR at the tank-training center of the joint Soviet-German school KAMA. In particular, the engineers of the Krupp corporation, located in the city of Essen, designed an experienced light tank with a rear engine compartment (hereinafter referred to as MTO), which appeared in the documentation under the name "light tractor" (German - Leichttraktor). There was also its eponymous competitor with a front-mounted MTO, manufactured by the Rheinmetall-Borsig corporation.

Leichttraktor of Krupp Corporation
Source - icvi.at.ua

From "light tractors" to "agricultural tractors"

By 1931, it became clear that neither Krupp's nor the rest of the "agricultural" equipment would go into series production. Work on the machines and their subsequent tests showed that they are imperfect and it is inexpedient to bring them "to mind". The front arrangement of the engine and transmission, used by the designers of the Rheinmetall-Borsig company, did not justify itself - with this arrangement, the view from the driver's seat was insufficient. In addition, the rear location of the MTO showed that tanks with such an arrangement are prone to loss of tracks when maneuvering.

On September 18, 1931, the Land Forces Armaments Directorate (hereinafter referred to as UVS) ordered the Krupp corporation to rebuild the tank with the transfer of the transmission from the MTO to the control department (thus, the car had to change the rear-wheel drive to the front one). The design work on the chassis was planned to be completed by May 1932, and by June 30 - to make a prototype of the base of the "small tractor".

To speed up the work, the UVS decided to provide the Krupp designers with the British Carden-Loyd Mk IV tankette, which was supposed to be bought through a front company in a neutral country. German military officials rightly believed that rather than “reinventing the wheel”, it’s easier to “copy” ready-made solutions from the technology of a potential enemy and build on them in further work. However, the delivery was late, the first instance of the tankette arrived in Germany only in January 1932, so the designers of Hogelloch and Wolfert had to rely only on the photographs of the "miracle of enemy technology" at their disposal in their design studies. On November 9, 1931, they were able to provide the UVS with preliminary chassis drawings, which, although they copied some of the British solutions, were, nevertheless, significantly different from the design of the Carden-Loyd Mk IV.

Carden-Loyd Mk IV wedge-tractor
Source - thewartourist.com

In 1932, Colonel Heinz Guderian, "the father of the Wehrmacht's tank forces," initiated a competition in the Sixth Department of Armored Vehicles and Motorization of the UVS to create a light tank for the needs of the army. Military customers formulated tactical and technical requirements that limited the vehicle's weight to five tons with bulletproof armor and armament from two 7.92 mm machine guns. Since the tank was planned to be made on the basis of the chassis, which was developed in Essen, its design was reduced to the development of an armored superstructure with a turret and weapons.

The development order was received by the five main German armored vehicle manufacturers of that period - Krupp, Daimler-Benz, Rheinmetall-Borsig, Henschel & Son and MAN. However, due to the fact that the work of the Krupp engineers was already in full swing, it was quite expected that their project won the competition.

The Essenes could not stand the initial deadline for creating the chassis of a light tank, being a month late. They were able to show representatives of UVS the finished "product" only on July 29, 1932. To prevent the "vile enemy" from guessing that the Germans, disregarding all the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles, began to make tanks, they called the new car an "agricultural tractor", which in German is spelled as Landwirtschaftliche Schlepper or in abbreviated form LaS. The developed base of the tank suffered from many "childhood diseases", which tank functionaries and engineers of the Krupp corporation would be happy to eliminate, but Guderian rushed everyone with the start of mass production, and in the summer of 1933 assembly of the first five "zero" series vehicles began in Essen.

Landwirtschaftlicher Schlepper from Krupp, tested at the Kummersdorf proving ground
Source - panzer-journal.ru

In the first half of the 30s, the German industry did not yet have experience in mass production of armored vehicles, so the process of launching LaS into the series was slipping. The armored superstructure developed by the Krupp engineers was eventually rejected by the Sixth Department, entrusting its creation to Daimler-Benz, but the first twenty cars were assembled with Essen hulls. The prototypes of the "zero" series showed low reliability, but the designers quickly identified the range of necessary improvements, and in January 1934 UVS ordered 450 tanks to industrialists. Fifteen cars of the "first" series were assembled in February-April of the same year at the factories of Henschel & Son - in all documents they appeared under the index "1 LaS" (the designation "Krupp-Traktor" was also used). These machines were equipped with superstructures and turrets made in Essen from conventional structural steel. In total, five companies were involved in production: Rheinmetall-Borsig, Daimler-Benz, Henschel & Son, MAN and Krupp Grusonwerk (later Wegmann joined them).

Tanks from among the first twenty vehicles with Krupp hulls
Source - paperpanzer.com

Work on the new tank took place against the backdrop of the rapid political changes that were shaking Germany. On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler became Reich Chancellor, and on February 27, the Nazis organized the arson of the Reichstag and accused the Communists of this, which allowed them to arrest the leadership of the German Communist Party. On March 5, Hitler organized a parliamentary re-election (the NSDAP won 43.9% of the vote), and on March 24, the new Reichstag passed the Emergency Powers Act, which gave Hitler the right to legislate. On August 2, 1934, Hitler received the powers of dictator, Germany refused to fulfill all the conditions of the Versailles Treaty and began to openly arm itself with the full connivance of France, Great Britain and the United States. In 1935, the index of the first German serial tank "1 LaS" was officially changed to "Panzerkampfwagen I" ("Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A"). In the newly introduced sequential numbering of military vehicles, the vehicle received the index "Sd.Kfz.101".

Ausf.A and Ausf.B

As already mentioned, when creating the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A, the designers first applied the layout, which became typical for German tanks of the interwar period and the Second World War (hereinafter - WWII). In the front part of the hull there was a transmission, which consisted of a two-disc main clutch of dry friction, a gearbox, a steering mechanism, side clutches, gears and brakes. A cardan transmission stretched to her through the entire tank from the aft compartment, which contained the engine.

View from the seat of the tank commander to the transmission and cardan gear
Source - nevsepic.com.ua

The armor of the tank was bulletproof, formed from sheets of chrome-nickel armor. The upper frontal part reached a thickness of 13 mm with an inclination of 21 °, the middle one - 8 mm / 72 °, and the lower one - 13/25 °. The thickness of the sides varied in the range of 13-14.5 mm, the rear of the hull - 13 mm, the bottom - 5 mm, the roof - 8 mm. The thickness of the turret walls was also small - 13 mm, the gun mantlet - 15 mm, the roof - 8 mm.

Armor scheme for the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A tank
Source - wikimedia.org

The undercarriage consisted of paralleled road wheels with a diameter of 530 mm (four per side). All of them were supplied with quarter-elliptical leaf springs, with the exception of the front ones, on which spring springs were mounted. To reduce ground pressure, the designers placed the tank's sloths at the level of the road wheels. To improve the rigidity of the structure, the three rear rollers and the sloth were additionally fastened with a common longitudinal beam (this engineering solution was borrowed from the British Carden-Loyd Mk IV tankette by Krupp Corporation specialists). At the top, each track was supported by three rollers.

View of the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A tank
Source - nevsepic.com.ua

In the control compartment, in addition to the transmission, to the left of it was the driver's seat with control levers, necessary instruments (speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge) and a five-speed ZF Aphon FG35 gearbox manufactured by Zahnrad Fabrik. The view was provided by two hatches - in the upper frontal armor plate and in the sloped armor plate on the left side. Both hatches were covered with rising armored covers. The driver's landing was carried out through a two-leaf hatch on the left side of the turret box.

Driver's seat of Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A
Source - nevsepic.com.ua

The fighting compartment was combined with the control compartment and was located in the middle of the tank, where a welded turret was mounted on a chase with a diameter of 911 mm. She did not have a polyk, but the seat of the tank commander was attached to the turret with a special bar and rotated with it. The turret swivel mechanism was primitive, manual. The sides and stern of the tower were formed from one armor plate, in which four cutouts were made for inspection hatches, in two of which prismatic observation devices were installed. A single-leaf landing hatch for the tank commander was mounted in the roof.

Tank commander's seat
Source - nevsepic.com.ua

The turret mask was equipped with two tank machine guns, which were used on the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A Dreyse MG 13 caliber 7.92 mm. Ammunition consisted of 61 stores, which were located both in the tower (8 stores) and in the vehicle body (four stacks of 8, 20, 6 and 19 stores). The maximum angles of vertical guidance of machine guns ranged from -12 ° to + 18 °. Targeting was carried out using the Zeiss TZF 2 telescopic double sight. The tank commander could fire machine guns separately.

Tank turret Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A
Source - nevsepic.com.ua

In the aft engine compartment, a four-cylinder air-cooled Krupp M304 horizontal-boxer carburetor engine with a Solex 40 JEP carburetor was originally installed. He developed a maximum power of 57 liters. from. at 2500 rpm. The capacity of the gas tanks located right there was 144 liters (Pz.I tanks could only run on leaded gasoline with an octane rating of about 76). Two exhaust pipes were displayed on both sides.

The electrical equipment was powered by a Bosch GTL 600 / 12-1200 generator with a power of 0.6 kW or a Bosch RRCN 300 / 12-300 with a power of 0.3 kW. The generator provided a voltage in the network of 12 V. The tanks were not equipped with radios (only FuG2 receivers with whip antennas were installed on command vehicles), while commands were given using flare pistols and signal flags, a set of which was on each tank. There was also no tank communication device, so the crew members communicated with each other using a communication pipe.

Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A, rear view
Source - nevsepic.com.ua

Already in December 1932, it became clear that the engine power was insufficient. To replace it, experts from Essen suggested installing an 80-horsepower V-eight air-cooled engine, also developed by the Krupp corporation. At the same time, it was indicated that in order to install it, it is necessary to lengthen the engine compartment by approximately 220 mm, otherwise the engine will simply not fit into the car. The search for a suitable engine continued until 1935, when the choice of UVS specialists settled on a 100-horsepower in-line six-cylinder product from Maybach, model NL 38 Tr, with liquid cooling.

By this time, the Krupp designers had already created an elongated chassis with an additional fifth road roller and a fourth support roller, and the sloth was lifted from the ground. Until 1935, this tank was designated as "La.S.-May", and later it was given the index "Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B". The car also received a new five-speed transmission ZF Aphon FG31, which provided the following speed modes:

• in first gear - up to 5 km / h;
• on the second - up to 11 km / h;
• on the third - up to 20 km / h;
• on the fourth - up to 32 km / h;
• on the fifth - up to 42 km / h.

Since 1936, new MG 34 machine guns made by Rheinmetall-Borsig began to be installed on the tanks - by this time their ammunition load had increased to 90 stores with 2260 rounds. The trigger of the left machine gun was placed on the steering wheel for raising the weapon to the left of the commander, and the right one on the steering wheel of the turret to the right of him. The turret turning mechanism itself was moved to the right side of the turret mask.

No other fundamental changes were made to the design. Now German documentation has new additional designations - Pz.I with a Krupp engine ("mit Kruppmotor") and with a Maybach engine ("mit Maybachmotor").

Tank Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B
Source - regimiento-numancia.es

"Tractors" are drafted into the army

Since 1935, the Pz.Kpfw.I has been produced by five German companies: Rheinmetall-Borsig, Daimler-Benz, Henschel & Son, MAN and Krupp Grusonwerk. In total, the German industry produced 477 tanks of the Ausf.A model (with serial numbers from 10 001 to 10 477) and 1016 Ausf.B (with serial numbers 10478-15000 and 15201-16500). In 1938, 22 additional buildings were assembled by Wegmann. Thus, by the beginning of the first territorial acquisitions of the Third Reich, the Pz.Kpfw.I turned out to be the most massive tank in the Wehrmacht.

In order not to waste the expensive service life of the vehicles, which, moreover, had a habit of breaking down quite often, the Sixth Department simultaneously placed orders for the production of heavy trucks with a carrying capacity of 8.8-9.5 tons, intended for the transport of Pz.Kpfw.I. The most widespread of them were Bussing-NAG models 900 and 900A, as well as Faun L900D567. Later, for these purposes, the Wehrmacht began to use captured Czech (Skoda 6VTP6-T, Skoda 6K and Tatra T81) and French (Laffli S45TL, Bernard and Willeme) vehicles.

For the transportation of armored vehicles, the German industry also produced special trailers Sd.Anh.115 and Sd.Anh.116 (abbreviated from Sonder Anhanger - "special trailer") with a carrying capacity of 8 and 22 tons, respectively. For their towing, heavy wheeled tractors Hanomag SS100 or half-track 18-ton Sd.Kfz.9, although in fact the trailer could tow any tractor with a carrying capacity of more than five tons.

Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B in the back of a Faun L900D567 truck. The second tank is towed by a truck on a special trailer
Source - colleurs-de-plastique.com

By April 1934, fifteen tanks of the first series were sent to the Training Group of Automobile Forces in Zossen, where they were used to train new personnel. The following tanks were used to form the materiel of the first three German tank divisions (hereinafter referred to as TD), which were fully equipped with Pz.Kpfw.I tanks by October 15, 1935. With the beginning of the arrival of the Pz.Kpfw.II model in units (in 1936), the proportion of "units" dropped to 80% - now each company was equipped with four Pz.Is and one Pz.II. Subsequently, the proportion of "units" in the Panzerwaffe units steadily decreased.

For obvious reasons, the industry of Nazi Germany is associated exclusively with military equipment. But in fact, quite interesting civilian cars were produced in the Third Reich.

The thirties of the twentieth century is not the easiest period in the history of Germany. The country has just begun to recover from the Great Depression, which directly affected the lives of citizens.

It is not surprising that the Nazis, who seized power in the country, actively played on these moods of the population. The automotive industry is by no means an exception. This is one of the areas in which the rulers of the Third Reich tried to show the superiority of their ideology over others, and to demonstrate how the new government can make people's lives better with the help of cars.

Today we will tell you about what kind of cars were popular in Germany of that period, and you will also find out what car the fictional Soviet intelligence officer Otto von Stirlitz drove in. Just in case, let's make a reservation: we in every possible way condemn the Nazi ideology, and in no case are we trying to whitewash the activities of the Third Reich with this publication. The results of the Second World War and the Nuremberg Trials are not subject to revision! We only give curious examples of technology from that period, and we consider these cars exclusively from a historical point of view.

Mercedes-Benz 770

Mercedes-Benz 770

With the phrase "cars of the Third Reich" in the head of many, a fairly stable image immediately arises - Adolf Hitler is driving. Admittedly, there is nothing surprising in such associations - Nazi propaganda actively showed the Fuhrer in its films and television magazines. Most often, the leader of the Nazis drove around in a Mercedes-Benz 770K with the numbers "1A 148 461".

At the time of its appearance in 1930, the Mercedes-Benz Typ 770, also known as the Großer Mercedes ("Big Mercedes"), was indeed the largest and most expensive car of the German brand. Under the hood of this car was a 7.6-liter engine that developed 150 hp. in the regular version and 200 hp. - on the supercharged version. Transmission - 4-speed mechanics. Of course, only the finest materials were used in the interior trim of the Big Mercedes, including leather and wood. The 770 also had a convertible version.

All in all, the Mercedes-Benz Typ 770 was not an easy car, and given the starting price of 29,500 Reichsmarks, not everyone could afford it. But the car was very fond of the elite, and not only the Nazi. For example, Reich President Paul von Hindenburg, Japanese Emperor Hirohito, Pope Pius XI and Pius XII drove such a car. Well, in 1931, Adolf Hitler was added to the list. Moreover, the Fuhrer preferred the open version of the car.

Maybach SW38

Just as they do today, Maybach cars were prominent in Nazi Germany and were among the most prestigious. True, then Maybach was not a division of Mercedes-Benz, but a separate company - Maybach-Motorenbau (this explains the two letters "M" on the brand emblem). But by the 30s, Maybach had a real history and fame as a pioneer behind him, because it was Wilhelm Maybach who once helped Gottlieb Daimler in creating the first car in the world.

In general, it is not surprising that the SW family of cars, dubbed "Little Maybach", turned out to be the most massive pre-war car of the brand. The first version, the Maybach SW35, which appeared in 1935, was equipped with a 3.5-liter engine with 140 hp. But only 50 of these cars were built.

Much more noteworthy is the Maybach SW38, equipped with a 3.8-liter 140-horsepower engine and a 4-speed transmission, which was produced from 1936 to 1939. The body of this car was created in the studio of Hermann Spone. And in different years, several versions were released: there was a four-door convertible, and a two-door open-top car, and a special roadster. Not surprisingly, in the summer of 2016, one of these cars was sold at Sotheby's for $ 1,072,500.

By the way, in 1939 Maybach released a new modification of the SW - 42 family car. It was already a sedan with a fundamentally different body and a 4.2-liter engine, the power of which, due to the peculiarities of the then technical regulations, remained the same - 140 hp. True, the same obvious reason - the war - prevented this model from gaining mass distribution and popularity.

Volkswagen Käfer

Volkswagen Käfer

If the party bosses of the Third Reich drove Mercedes and Maybachs, then ordinary burghers should have gotten a simpler car. By this, the Nazis wanted to demonstrate the growth of the well-being of citizens. That is why Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned by Hitler to develop a truly "people's car". Actually, the name of the Volkswagen brand is translated this way.

The result of the labors was Käfer, or in translation - "Beetle". For the first time, the new model was shown in the spring of 1939 at an exhibition in Berlin, although then the Beetle was not yet a Volkswagen, but was produced under the KdF-Wagen brand. The rear-engined car was powered by a 25-horsepower air-cooled engine and was extremely easy to maintain and manufacture. Of course, the public was very, very supportive of such a car.

Volkswagen Käfer

However, an interesting nuance was associated with the purchase of Volkswagen Käfer. Although the car had a nominal price of 990 Reichsmarks, it was not possible to buy a car with cash. Instead, it was necessary to purchase a special "Passbook" and glue special stamps there every week. Any missed payment meant the loss of all invested funds. Nevertheless, the Germans were still reaching for the "People's Car"

True, in 1939 more than 330,000 people were still left without the coveted "Beetle". The reason is that the plant where Käfer was produced has already been completely transferred to the military track. Only in the 60s, the Volkswagen management went to meet the deceived investors and offered them a discount on new cars. Well, the "Zhuk" itself safely survived this period, and with various changes it was produced right up to 2003. True, the last copy of this model was made not in his native Germany, but in Mexico.

Another "people's car" that appeared in the Third Reich was the Opel Kadett. This car was built on the basis of another Opel model - Olympia, and from 1937 it was produced at the plant in Rüsselsheim.

I must say that the Opel Kadett turned out to be a very progressive car for its time. Firstly, the model inherited from Olympia a structure with an all-metal monocoque body. Secondly, the car had a very advanced design. What are the headlights alone, integrated into the fenders! Finally, thirdly, and in terms of equipment, the Opel Kadett gave odds to many competitors. For example, hydraulic brakes were installed here for all four wheels, and in the cabin there was, for example, a sensor for the remaining fuel and oil pressure.

The Opel Kadett was powered by a 1.1-liter four-cylinder 23 hp engine. Although this is not much, due to its low weight of 750 kg, the car could accelerate to 90 km / h, which was considered a very good indicator. And the Opel Kadett cost 2,100 Reichsmarks - even if it was more expensive than the "Beetle", but the car could be bought immediately.

However, our readers will be interested in Opel Kadett for one more reason. The fact is that this particular model became the basis for the future Soviet automobile "Moskvich-400". And there is no secret in this. The fact is that the Soviet side received technical documentation and equipment from the Opel plant in Brandenburg for reparations. And although the original Opel Kadett was produced elsewhere - at the plant in Rüsselsham, the Soviet Small Car Plant, thanks to the help of German designers, actually recreated the model and gave it the name "Moskvich-400". By the way, they say that the choice in favor of the Opel Kadett was also not accidental - allegedly Joseph Stalin liked this model.

Mercedes-Benz G4

Mercedes-Benz G4

If you like the Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6 six-wheeled monster SUV, then you will surely like its distant cousin, the Mercedes-Benz G4. This car was originally created in the Third Reich for the needs of the army. The car was originally driven by a five-liter eight-cylinder 100 hp engine. and had a complex all-wheel drive system.

The military did not like the car. But the Reich Chancellery was delighted, and from 1938 they began to use it for trips to the occupied territories, primarily to Czechoslovakia and Austria. By that time, the Mercedes-Benz G4 was already equipped with another V8 engine - a 5.2-liter 115-horsepower unit. And over the next two years it was replaced by a 5.4-liter "eight" with 110 hp.

In general, from a "SUV" Mercedes-Benz G4 quickly turned almost into a parade limousine. In addition, this model was one of the models that Adolf Hitler personally drove. Moreover, the Fuhrer presented one car to the Generalissimo of Spain, Francisco Franco. True, the circulation of the G4 was rather small: only 57 cars were produced during the entire production period. Of these, only three cars have survived to this day. One of them, a car that belonged to Franco, is now in the car collection of the Spanish royal family. Another car in which Hitler hosted the parade in the annexed Sudetenland is kept in the Museum of Technology in Sinsheim. Finally, the third car is located in American Hollywood, where it was repeatedly used in the filming of films.

What about BMW? Didn't the Bavarians make cars during the Nazi dictatorship? They let out. True, we must not forget that, firstly, BMW became an automobile company only in 1929, and before that it was engaged in the production of aircraft engines and motorcycles. Secondly, it is not entirely correct to call BMW cars of that time completely "Bavarian". The fact is that in 1929 BMW acquired a plant in Eisenach, which is located in another part of Germany - Thuringia.

But BMW was able to quickly establish the production of cars there, and by the mid-30s, the brand was delighting buyers with rather interesting cars. Such as, for example, the BMW 326 - a four-door model produced in sedan and convertible bodies. The car was equipped with a two-liter six-cylinder engine with a capacity of about 50 hp, combined with a four-speed transmission. The maximum speed is 115 km / h, which at that time was considered a very good indicator.

The BMW 326 has proven to be a fairly successful model. From 1936 to 1941, 15,936 cars were produced, despite the rather high price. For example, for a convertible, considered small, they asked for 6,650 Reichsmarks. It is not surprising that in 1940 BMW planned to replace the 326th with a new model built according to the same scheme - BMW 332. However, the outbreak of World War II left only three pre-production prototypes from these plans.

Auto-Union-Rennwagen

Auto-Union-Rennwagen

It may seem that in the Third Reich there were exclusively cars for the top of the NSDAP, cheap cars for the common people, well, and military equipment. In fact, this is not so. There were also racing cars in Nazi Germany. First of all, this is Auto-Union-Rennwagen.

In late 1932, Ferdinand Porsche began work on a racing car, the main feature of which was the placement of the engine behind the driver in front of the rear axle. The car was developed under the order of the Auto Union AG concern to participate in the Grand Prix. The car, called Typ A, was equipped with a 4.4-liter sixteen-cylinder engine developing 295 hp. and 530 Nm. The result was not long in coming: already in 1934, racer Hans Stuck set three world records on this car, accelerating to 265 km / h on the Berlin AFUS track.

Auto Union Typ C V16 Streamliner

Incidentally, the Typ A was far from the only racing car produced by Auto Union AG. The Type A was followed by Typ B, Typ C, Typ C / D and Typ D. And, for example, the Typ C, equipped with a 6-liter 520-horsepower engine, was generally a unique car. It was on it that the racer Bernd Rosemeyer in 1937 managed to accelerate to 400 km / h on a regular road and set several world speed records.

In general, Auto-Union-Rennwagen clearly demonstrates that both time and money were devoted to motor sports in the Third Reich. For example, Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz received 500,000 Reichsmarks for the development of motorsport. But, despite the records and achievements of these cars in peacetime, the Second World War and, in particular, the opening of the Eastern Front, virtually destroyed the development of motorsport in the Third Reich.

Horch 830

Backfill question: what car did the Soviet intelligence officer Stirlitz drive? If you watch the movie "Seventeen Moments of Spring", you can see a Mercedes-Benz Typ 230 (W153) in the frames. But this is on the screen. And in the original book by Yu. Semyonov you can read "Stirlitz opened the gate, got behind the wheel and turned on the ignition. The reinforced engine of his Horch hummed smoothly and powerfully."

However, the author does not specify what kind of Horch model we are talking about. It is possible that we are talking about the Horch 830, a rear-wheel drive car, first presented at the Berlin Auto Show in 1933. Initially, this car was offered with a three-liter 70-horsepower engine, but a year after the premiere, the Horch 830 received an upgraded version with a 3.25-liter engine of the same power. Subsequently, this engine gave way to a 3.5-liter one, which in different versions produced 75 and 82 hp. The most powerful versions were the Horch 830 BL and Horch 930 V, introduced in 1938. These cars were equipped with a 3.8-liter 92-horsepower engine.

However, regardless of the engine, the Horch 830 was a prestigious car that not everyone could afford. The price is about 10,150 Reichsmarks, almost twice as expensive as the Mercedes-Benz Typ 230. And although 11,625 Horch 830s were produced at the Zwickau plant from 1933 to 1940, only representatives of the upper elite could buy it. It was impossible to imagine the SS Standertenfuehrer on such a machine - the relevant authorities would immediately become interested in him. So, as they say, Stirlitz has never been so close to failure.

Thus, by the time it entered the Second World War, Nazi Germany had a fairly well-developed automobile industry. It is not known how her fate would have developed if it had not been for the ideas of racial superiority, the desire to start a war for "living space" and "finally solve the Jewish question" that gripped the minds of the country's leaders. However, this is a topic for a completely different article.

It was global and lasted from 1939 to 1945. Throughout these years, the mainstay of military logistics has been the conventional horse. Thus, the infantry companies were supplied with ammunition, which was brought in with the help of horses. At a higher level of supply (battalion, regiment, division), the German army and the Red Army used trucks. Trucks played a vital role in transporting troops, maintaining supply lines and serving as fire engines.

Unlike our country, the automobile industry was developed in Germany at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. For example, already in the 1920s there were many companies that were producing 3 ton trucks. As a result, the Wehrmacht did not have a shortage of cargo vehicles. For example, during the attack on France, the German army received many 10-ton trucks.

Fortunately, there were no German autobahns in the USSR. So many of the truck models that were used during the war in Europe could not be used on our territory. This is Russia - come on, goodbye!

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army was in service with 272.6 thousand vehicles, including 257.8 thousand trucks and special trucks, of which the overwhelming majority of cars were GAZ-AA and ZIS-5.

The Wehrmacht had half a million cars. And they were good trucks, including off-road ones. In 1941, 333 thousand cars were produced in Germany, 268 thousand in the occupied countries, and another 75 thousand cars were produced by the allies of the Third Reich.

We have collected for you the most interesting German trucks that were used by the German army.

1. Krupp L2H43

A light truck used by the German troops during World War II. An air-cooled 4-cylinder engine with a speed of 70 km / h was mainly used to transport and tow Pak35 / 36 37 mm anti-tank guns.

During World War II, the Krupp L2H143 truck was very popular with the Wehrmacht for its good driving characteristics and became the standard truck for German infantry divisions deployed in France, Poland, the Balkans and Russian battlefields.

2. Phanomen Granit 1500A

Initially, Phanomen Granit vehicles were used by the German army as ambulances. But they had insufficient maneuverability, which is important on the battlefield. As a result, modernized Phanomen Granit 1500A cars were produced on the basis of old cars.

3. Burgward B3000

Medium trucks produced by German troops during World War II were mainly needed for transporting people and materials, as well as for towing artillery.

4. Magirus-Deutz Deutz A300

The half-track truck used by the Germans during World War II, like other half-track trucks, was mainly used on the battlefield. By the way, these machines were in service with the German army after the end of World War II (until the 60s of the 20th century).

5. Ford G917T

The American truck was produced by a German subsidiary that was operated by Ford. German trucks Ford G917T / G997T are almost identical to the British Ford-Ferderson E88. A total of 25,000 vehicles were produced in Germany and used by the German army.

6. Ford V3000S (G198TS)

This series of trucks was not originally manufactured in the United States, unlike many other American vehicles. The first models of the Ford V3000S trucks were manufactured by car factories in France, Belgium, Italy, Romania and Spain. A shortage of raw materials in Germany at the end of the war led to the simplification of the production of military vehicles. First, during the production of trucks at the end of World War II, the amount of tin was significantly reduced. For example, instead of metal, bumpers and car cabins were made from hardwoods.

It is noteworthy that due to a lack of funds and raw materials, Ford V3000S (G198TS) trucks even lost their headlights. As a justification for the absence of headlights in the description of the terms of reference, it was indicated that headlights are not needed, since they make the car visible to the enemy. In general, by the end of the war, Ford trucks were unreliable and poorly equipped. In total, Ford produced 24,110 vehicles for Germany during the war.

7.Ford V3000S: half-track version

The original version of the Ford V3000S trucks was designed by British engineers. But during World War II, the German army needed special vehicles. There was a special need for moving around roadless Russia. As a result, German engineers decided to modernize classic Ford trucks, equipping them with a tracked drive. In total, from 1942 to 1944, Germany produced 21,960 tracked Ford V3000S, most of which were used by the Wehrmacht in Russia and other countries of Eastern Europe.

8. Henschel 33 D1 / G1

From 1937 to 1941, about 22,000 Henschel 33 D / G trucks were delivered to the German army. Overall, the Henschel 33 trucks are powerful and very reliable vehicles with excellent flotation and endurance. These are purely German trucks produced in the late 1930s by a large industrial company in Germany.

9. Krupp L3H163

Krupp L3H163 trucks were produced in 1936-1938. These are trucks with 6x4 wheel arrangement. The maximum weight is 9 tons. The cars were equipped with 6-cylinder water-cooled gasoline engines. The volume of the engines was 7.8 liters. Maximum power - 110 hp. from.

This heavy truck could carry out many transport tasks that were useful to the German troops during the Second World War.

10. Mann ML4500A

The Mann ML4500A vehicles are heavy 4x4 trucks manufactured by Germany during World War II. These machines were mainly used to transport people and materials. Due to the complexity of production and high production costs, the production of machines was discontinued at the end of World War II. As a result, the plant was re-equipped for the production of Opel trucks.

11. Mercedes-Benz MB L6000

Heavy duty truck manufactured by Mercedes-Benz. It was equipped with a 6-cylinder diesel engine with a capacity of 95 liters. from. The truck was four-wheel drive. Produced from 1936 to 1940. The car had a 6x4 layout.

Due to its technical characteristics (strength), this car was produced in various versions, which during the Second World War performed different tasks, ranging from transporting artillery to transporting tanks in tow.

12. Trucks Mercedes L3000A

These diesel powered 3 ton trucks were manufactured by Daimler-Benz. From 1939 to 1944, 27,668 modified trucks were produced. In 1944, the Mercedes plant stopped production, as the German military department believed that 3-ton Opel trucks with gasoline engines were more adapted to the harsh military conditions in Russia, as they were easier to maintain.

13. Mercedes L4500A

The Mercedes L4500A is a German heavy duty truck originally developed for civilian purposes, widely used by German forces on the Western and Eastern Fronts after the outbreak of World War II.

A total of 9,500 vehicles were produced between 1939 and 1944. Despite the number of vehicles produced, these truck models became the backbone of the logistics of the German army.

Mercedes L4500A was equipped with a 7.2-liter diesel engine. On the basis of this car, special versions were produced at the Mercedes plant: cars for field kitchens, artillery vehicles, ambulances and so on.

14.Mercedes l4500r Half-Truck

This Mercedes l4500 Half-Track model is equipped with a track-type rear axle drive. This modification made it possible to reduce the weight of the machine. But, despite this, the maximum speed of the truck dropped to 36 km / h. The car was equipped with a 112 hp 6-cylinder diesel engine. from. The main disadvantage of this half-track vehicle is fuel consumption, which was 200 liters per 100 kilometers. Nevertheless, the German army did not refuse to use it, since it was he who helped the Wehrmacht to travel through the endless impassable fields of Russia.

It should be noted that in the period from 1943 to 1944, the Mercedes L4500R became one of the main horses of the Eastern Fleet. During this period, Mercedes produced 1,486 vehicles.

15. Opel Lightning Truck

The Opel Lightning Truck was in great demand among German troops during World War II. This truck was used by the Wehrmacht in various modifications and versions on the battlefields, ranging from Northern Europe and Africa and from West to East. Such popularity of the truck speaks of its reliability and cross-country ability. But on the battlefields in Russia, the German army had problems with this car - in the harsh winter conditions, the car began to be capricious and was deemed unreliable.

By the way, since 1943, the Mercedes plant has also produced this truck. Despite the difficulties of its use in Russia, during the Second World War, the Opel and Mercedes factories produced about 100,000 vehicles.

16. Opel Lightning 6700

The Opel Lightning 6700 is an upgraded version of the original Opel Lightning truck. Compared with the original truck, the Opel Lightning 6700 model had a simplified design to reduce costs and increase production speed. Since the model was simpler, it was more suitable for movement in Russia.

17. Truck Skoda 6x4

Skoda 6x4 truck, which was produced in 1935-1939 of the 20th century. During World War II, it was mainly supplied to the Romanian front.

18. Swiss truck Berner

Berner truck, mainly used by SS units in 1945 in Italy. On April 27, 1945, he was captured on the Austrian border. Today the truck is on display at the San Lazaro Liberation Museum in Bologna.

19. German semi-track tractor Sd Kfz 7/1 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug)

This semi-tracked tractor was equipped with an 8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun and a 150 mm howitzer. Also, the Wehrmacht used Sd Kfz 7 tractors with 20-mm and 37-mm anti-aircraft guns. The disadvantage of these machines is that, compared to wheeled vehicles, half-track tractors are more difficult to maintain, as a result of which they often break down.

Nevertheless, the Germans did not abandon these combat vehicles, since they had excellent off-road maneuverability. True, the speed on the highway left much to be desired. But in the off-road conditions of Russia, this car was irreplaceable for the Wehrmacht.

20. Half-track armored personnel carrier Sd Kfz 251 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug)

The German medium half-track light armored personnel carrier participated in almost every German military operation during World War II. The car had various modified versions that could perform different transport tasks. Due to the sloping armor, it had high mine protection.

21. Truck tractor Steyr RSO / 01

The Steyr RSO / 01 tractor is an Austrian-made tracked truck for the Wehrmacht, designed for transportation in difficult terrain. However, high fuel consumption (45-75 liters per 100 km) and low maximum speed (15 km / h) did not allow the Steyr RSO / 01 truck tractor to be used for transporting people over long distances. Therefore, the main task of the tractor was to tow artillery on the front line. From 1942 to 1945, more than 25,000 tractors were sent to the front.