Sonderkraftfahrzeug
Sonderkraftfahrzeug (abbreviated Sd.Kfz.,[1] German for "special purpose vehicle") was the ordnance inventory designation used by Nazi Germany during World War II for military vehicles; for example Sd.Kfz. 101 for the Panzer I.
Sd.Kfz. numbers were assigned to armored, tracked, and half-tracked vehicles in military service with Nazi Germany prior to and during World War II.
There were no strict rules regarding number series. For example, the Pz. Kpfw. II Ausf. L was designed and named as a reconnaissance vehicle, yet was placed in the 100-series rather than the 200-series. Overall, the vehicles were placed in these categories:
- Sd.Kfz. 1 to 99: Unarmoured half-tracked vehicles
- Sd.Kfz. 100 to 199: Tanks and tank variants, such as tank destroyers and self-propelled artillery
- Sd.Kfz. 200 to 299: Reconnaissance vehicles, armoured cars, armored personnel carriers, and command tanks
- Sd.Kfz. 300 and above: Mine-clearing and demolition charge laying vehicles
Sd.Kfz. 1 to 99
- Sd.Kfz. 1 (Krupp/Daimler Geschützkraftwagen Kraftwagen 19; number later deleted)
- Sd.Kfz. 2 (Krupp/Daimler Tractor; number later reassigned)
- Sd.Kfz. 2 (Kettenkrad light half-track "tracked motorcycle")
Kettenkrad Sd.Kfz. 2 in Russia - Sd.Kfz. 2/1 (Field cable-laying variant for long distance field cable Feldfernkabel)
- Sd.Kfz. 2/2 (Field cable-laying variant for heavy field cable Schweres Feldkabel)
- Sd.Kfz. 3 (Armored version of Daimler DZVR; number later reassigned)
- Sd.Kfz. 3 - Maultier half-track cargo vehicle
Sd.Kfz. 3 (Maultier) unloaded from a Messerschmitt Me 323 "Gigant" transport aircraft - Sd.Kfz. 4 (Maultier based on 4.5-ton trucks; also known as Sd.Kfz. 3/5)
- Sd.Kfz. 4/1 (Maultier with 15 cm Nebelwerfer 42 rocket launcher)
- Sd.Kfz. 5 (3-ton 6x6 truck, Krupp L3 H63/H163 fuel tank vehicle)
- Sd.Kfz. 6 (5-ton medium halftrack for engineers)
Sd.Kfz. 6 - Sd.Kfz. 6/1 (5-ton medium half-track for the artillery)
- Sd.Kfz. 6/2 (self-propelled 37 mm antiaircraft gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 6/3 "Sd.Kfz. 6 mit 7.62 cm FK 36(r)", half track carrying a captured Soviet 76mm M1936 (F-22) gun portee in an armored superstructure)
- Sd.Kfz. 7 (8-ton medium half-track)
- Sd.Kfz. 7/1 (self-propelled 20 mm quadruple anti-aircraft gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 7/2 (self-propelled 37 mm antiaircraft gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 7/3 (armored fire-control vehicle for V-2 rockets on 8-ton towing vehicle)
- Sd.Kfz. 7/6 (variant for anti-aircraft range finding)
- Sd.Kfz. 8 (12-ton heavy half-track)
Sd.Kfz. 8 half-track towing Gotha Go 242 glider - Sd.Kfz. 9 (18-ton heavy half-track)
- Sd.Kfz. 9/1 (halftrack mounted 6 ton crane)
- Sd.Kfz. 9/2 (halftrack mounted 10 ton crane)
- Sd.Kfz. 9/6 (tractor with 40-ton winch)
- Sd.Kfz. 10 (1-ton light halftrack)
Sd.Kfz. 10 - Sd.Kfz. 10/1 (light gas detection vehicle)
- Sd.Kfz. 10/2 (light decontamination vehicle)
- Sd.Kfz. 10/3 (light decontamination sprayer vehicle)
- Sd.Kfz. 10/4 (self-propelled 20 mm Flak 30 antiaircraft gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 10/5 (self-propelled 20 mm Flak 38 antiaircraft gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 11 (3-ton light halftrack)
Sd.Kfz. 11 - Sd.Kfz. 11/1 - carrier for 10 cm Nebelwerfer 35 and 10 cm Nebelwerfer 40 mortars
- Sd.Kfz. 11/1 - designation re-issued in 1944: self-propelled 20 mm Flak 38 antiaircraft gun
- Sd.Kfz. 11/2 -medium decontamination vehicle
- Sd.Kfz. 11/3 -medium decontamination spraying vehicle
- Sd.Kfz. 11/4 -smoke-generation vehicle
- Sd.Kfz. 11/5 -medium gas detection vehicle
- Sd.Kfz. 11/1 - carrier for 10 cm Nebelwerfer 35 and 10 cm Nebelwerfer 40 mortars
![](./File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-559-1085-07,_Italien,_Flugzeug_Me_323_Gigant,_Opel_"Maultier".jpg){kind=link}
Sd.Kfz. 100 to 199
- Sd.Kfz. 101 Panzer I Ausf. A, B, C and F light tank
- Sd.Kfz. 111 Panzer I ammunition carrier variant
- Sd.Kfz. 121 Panzer II Ausf. a to F light tank
- Sd.Kfz. 122 Panzer II (Flamm) flame tank
- Sd.Kfz. 123 Panzer II Ausf. L "Luchs" reconnaissance tank
- Sd.Kfz. 124 Wespe self-propelled 10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzer on Panzer II chassis
- Sd.Kfz. 128 Panzer II (50 mm KwK 39 L/60), VK 16.02 Leopard
- Sd.Kfz. 131 Marder II self-propelled 7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank gun on Panzer II chassis
- Sd.Kfz. 132 Marder II self-propelled Soviet 7.62 cm Pak 36(r) antitank gun
- Sd.Kfz. 135 - Marder I Panzerjäger tank destroyer on captured French Lorraine 37L tracked carrier
- Sd.Kfz. 135/1 (self-propelled 150 mm howitzer)
- Sd.Kfz. 136 Bergepanzerwagen 38
- Sd.Kfz. 138 (Marder III self-propelled 75 mm anti-tank gun)
Marder III (Sd.Kfz. 138) had either a Soviet 76.2 mm F-22 field gun, or German 7.5 cm Pak 40 on a Panzer 38(t) chassis - Sd.Kfz. 138/1 - Grille self-propelled 150 mm sIG 33 infantry gun on Panzer 38(t) chassis
- Sd.Kfz. 138/2 - "Hetzer" jagdpanzer based on the Panzer 38(t) chassis
- Sd.Kfz. 139 - Marder III self-propelled 76.2 mm anti-tank gun
- Sd.Kfz. 140 - Flakpanzer 38(t) (Flakpanzer 38(t) auf Selbstfahrlafette 38(t) Ausf M) self-propelled 20 mm anti-aircraft gun on a Panzer 38(t) chassis
- Sd.Kfz. 140/1 - armored reconnaissance vehicle based on the Panzer 38(t)
- Sd.Kfz. 141 - Panzer III medium tank with 37 mm or 50 mm L/42 main gun
Panzer III (Sd.Kfz. 141) Ausf H with short 5cm KwK 38 gun - Sd.Kfz. 141/1 - Panzer III medium tank with 50 mm L/60 main gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 141/2 - Panzer III medium tank with short-barrelled 75 mm KwK 37 main gun
- Sd.Kfz. 142 - StuG III assault gun with 75 mm L/24 main gun
- Sd.Kfz. 142/1 - StuG III assault gun with 75 mm L/43 or L/48 main gun
- Sd.Kfz. 142/2 - StuH 42 assault gun with 105 mm L/28 main gun
- Sd.Kfz. 143 - Panzer III based artillery observation post
- Sd.Kfz. 144 - Bergepanzerwagen III
- Sd.Kfz. 161 - Panzer IV medium tank with 75 mm L/24 main gun
Panzer IV Sd.Kfz. 161 with Schurzen side skirts - Sd.Kfz. 161/1 - Panzer IV medium tank with 75 mm L/43 main gun
- Sd.Kfz. 161/2 - Panzer IV medium tank with 75 mm L/48 main gun
- Sd.Kfz. 161/3 - Möbelwagen self-propelled 37 mm antiaircraft gun
- Sd.Kfz. 161/4 -Wirbelwind self-propelled 20 mm x 4 antiaircraft gun
- Sd.Kfz. 162 - Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer with 75 mm L/48 main gun on Panzer IV chassis
- Sd.Kfz. 162/1 - Jagdpanzer IV with 75 mm L/70 main gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 163 - Sturmgeschütz IV for Sturmkanone 40 (L/48)
- Sd.Kfz. 164 - Nashorn (until 1944 known as Hornisse) panzerjäger tank destroyer with 88 mm Pak 43 main gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 165 - Hummel self-propelled 150 mm artillery
- Sd.Kfz. 165/1 - Heuschrecke self-propelled 105 mm artillery
- Sd.Kfz. 166 - Brummbär self-propelled 150 mm infantry gun
- Sd.Kfz. 167 - Sturmgeschütz IV assault gun with 75 mm L/48 main gun
- Sd.Kfz. 171 - Panther tank
Panther Sd.Kfz. 171 - Sd.Kfz. 172 - proposed assault gun variant of Panther tank
- Sd.Kfz. 173 - Jagdpanther (Panzerjäger Panther) tank destroyer
- Sd.Kfz. 179 - Bergepanther recovery variant
- Sd.Kfz. 181 - Tiger I heavy tank
- Sd.Kfz. 182 - Tiger II ("Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B") heavy tank
- Sd.Kfz. 184 - Ferdinand/Elefant "Panzerjäger Tiger (P)" tank destroyer
- Sd.Kfz. 185 - Jagdtiger tank destroyer with 88 mm L/71 main gun due to lack of supply of 128mm gun
- Sd.Kfz. 186 - Jagdtiger tank destroyer with 12.8 cm Pak 44 main gun
![](./File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-022-2949-28,_Russland,_Jagdpanzer_"Marder".jpg){kind=link}
![](./File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1969-107-58,_Panzer_V_"Panther".jpg){kind=link}
Sd.Kfz. 200 to 299
- Sd.Kfz. 221 (Leichter Panzerspähwagen with 7.92 mm machinegun)
- Sd.Kfz. 222 (Leichter Panzerspähwagen with 2 cm KwK 30 gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 223 (Leichter Panzerspähwagen with radio gear)
- Sd.Kfz. 231 6-rad (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (6 wheel) with 2 cm KwK 30 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 231 - Sd.Kfz. 231 8-rad (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (8 wheel) with 2 cm KwK 30 gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 232 6-rad (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (6 wheel) with medium range and short range radios)
- Sd.Kfz. 232 8-rad (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (8 wheel) with radio gear)
- Sd.Kfz. 233 (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen with 7.5 cm KwK 37 gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 234 (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen)
- Sd.Kfz. 234/1 (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen with 20 mm gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 234/2 (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen with 50 mm gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 234/3 (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen with 75 mm gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 234/4 (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen with 7.5 cm Pak 40 gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 247 (armored staff car)
- Sd.Kfz. 250 (armored light halftrack)
- Sd.Kfz. 250/1 (with communications gear)
Sd.Kfz. 250 - Sd.Kfz. 250/2 leichter Fernsprechpanzerwagen light armored halftrack with cable-laying gear
- Sd.Kfz. 250/3 (with radio gear)
- Sd.Kfz. 250/4 ( with twin antiaircraft machineguns)
- Sd.Kfz. 250/5 leichter Beobachtungspanzerwagen observation post)
- Sd.Kfz. 250/6 (reconnaissance vehicle)
- Sd.Kfz. 250/7 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (schwerer Granatwerfer) (mortar carrier)
- Sd.Kfz. 250/8 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (7.5 cm) with 7.5cm KwK 37 gun
- Sd.Kfz. 250/9 ( with 20 mm L/55 gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 250/10 (with 37 mm antitank gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 250/11 (with 2.8 cm sPzB 41 anti-tank "rifle")
- Sd.Kfz. 250/12 (for survey crews)
- Sd.Kfz. 250/1 (with communications gear)
- Sd.Kfz. 251 (medium armored halftrack)
Sd.Kfz. 251 carrying troops in southern Russia in 1942 - Sd.Kfz. 251/1 (with communications gear)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/2 (mortar carrier)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/3 (with radio gear)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/4 Schützenpanzerwagen für Munition und Zubehör des leIG18 - artillery tractor
- Sd.Kfz. 251/5 (medium armored halftrack for engineers)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/6 (medium armored halftrack command post)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/7 (medium armored halftrack for engineers)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/8 (medium armored halftrack ambulance)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/9 (medium armored halftrack with 75 mm L/24 gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/10 (medium armored halftrack with 37 mm antitank gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/11 (medium armored halftrack with telephone equipment)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/12 (medium armored halftrack with survey gear)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/13 (medium armored halftrack with artillery sound recording gear)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/14 (medium armored halftrack with artillery sound ranging gear)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/15 (medium armored halftrack with artillery flash spotting gear)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/16 (medium armored halftrack with flamethrower)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/17 (medium armored halftrack with 20 mm L/55 gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/18 (medium armored halftrack observation post)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/19 (medium armored halftrack with telephone exchange gear)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/20 (medium armored halftrack with infrared searchlight)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/21 Schützenpanzerwagen (Drilling MG151s). with triple 15mm or 20mm MG151 autocannon)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/22 (with 75 mm L/46 Pak-40 gun)
- Sd.Kfz. 251/23 (reconnaissance vehicle - possibly never produced. Was to have a 20mm gun in turret similar to Sd.Kfz. 234/1)
- Sd.Kfz. 252 (light halftrack ammunition carrier)
- Sd.Kfz. 253 leichter Gepanzerter Beobachtungskraftwagen (artillery observation post)
- Sd.Kfz. 254 (medium track or wheel observation post)
- Sd.Kfz. 260 (light armored radio car)
- Sd.Kfz. 261 Kleiner Panzerfunkwagen equipped with radios for army communication
The Sd.Kfz. 261 had a large frame aerial over the vehicle - Sd.Kfz. 263 6-rad (heavy armored radio car - 6 wheel)
- Sd.Kfz. 263 8-rad (heavy armored radio car - 8 wheel)
- Sd.Kfz. 265 (Panzerbefehlswagen Panzer I command tank)
- Sd.Kfz. 266 (Panzer III command tanks with FuG 6 and FuG 2 radios)
- Sd.Kfz. 267 (Panzer III, Panther tank, and Tiger I command tanks with FuG 6 and FuG 8 radios)
- Sd.Kfz. 268 (Panzer III, Panther, and Tiger I command tanks with FuG 6 and FuG 7 radios)
- Sd.Kfz. 280 gepanzerter Munitionsschlepper (armored ammunition tractor, also known as Sonderschlepper III)
Sd.Kfz. 300 and above
![](./File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1980-053-53,_Sprengpanzer_"Goliath".jpg){kind=link}
- Sd.Kfz. 300 - Minenräumwagen remote-controlled mine destroyer
- Sd.Kfz. 301 - Borgward IV heavy remote-control demolition layer
- Sd.Kfz. 302 - Goliath tracked mine (Leichter Ladungsträger Goliath) light remote-control demolition vehicle with electric motor
- Sd.Kfz. 303 - Goliath tracked mine light remote-control demolition vehicle with petrol engine
- Sd.Kfz. 304 - Springer medium remote-control demolition vehicle
- Chamberlain, Peter; Doyle, Hilary (1978). Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two: A complete illustrated directory of German battle tanks, armoured cars, self-propelled guns and semi-tracked vehicles, 1933-1945. Arco Pub. Co. p. 17. ISBN 978-0668045650.
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