German - Sd.Kfz.251 Ausf.D Flammpanzerwagen

The German Sd.Kfz. 251 Ausf. D Flammpanzerwagen was a flamethrower-equipped variant of the widely used Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track, introduced in 1943 to provide close-support capability against enemy infantry in fortified positions. Based on the simplified Ausf. D chassis, it was fitted with two 14mm Flammenwerfer 42 projectors mounted on each side of the vehicle, allowing it to spray burning fuel in short bursts up to 35–40 meters. These were fed by internal fuel tanks holding around 700 liters of flammable mixture, giving the vehicle a limited number of attacks before resupply was necessary. Armour protection ranged from 8–15mm, sufficient to stop small arms fire but leaving the crew vulnerable to anti-tank weapons and heavy machine guns. A 7.92mm MG34 or MG42 machine gun was usually mounted for self-defence. Powered by the Maybach HL 42 engine, it could reach speeds of 50–55 km/h (31–34 mph), keeping pace with panzergrenadiers it was designed to support. The Flammpanzerwagen was used on both the Eastern and Western Fronts, where it was feared for its psychological impact as much as its destructive effect in close combat. However, its limited range and high vulnerability meant it was never fielded in large numbers.

Multi part resin model.

Printed by Imperator Models on License from Wargame 3D.