Late WW2 Vehicles - more added 16 Oct

[dadlamassu]

I have recently come into the possession of a document that was found while a hotel in Nuremberg  was rebuilt.  The paper is thin, yellow and fragile, the typewritten carbon copy letters are faded to grey. But they are as chilling now as the day it was written in November 1944.
The document is a detailed account of a secret meeting and several agreements made at the Konisch Hotel in Nuremberg on 10 August, 1944. At this meeting, Nazi officials ordered an elite group of German bankers and  industrialists to plan for Germany's post-war recovery, prepare for the Nazis' return to power and work for a 'strong German empire'. In other words: the Fourth Reich.

The closely typed document, marked 'Secret', detail how there was to be a secret army, the Werwolfen, which was to work with the Nazi Party to continue Germany's resistance after the defeat.  For this secret hoards of weapons and gold were to be set up at secret locations. 

The industrialists present included representatives of Volkswagen, Krupp and Messerschmitt. They waited expectantly as SS Obergruppenfuhrer Dr Berndt Tohst opened the meeting. Tohst held one of the highest ranks in the SS, equivalent to Lieutenant General. He cut an imposing figure in his tailored black ceremonial uniform and high, peaked cap with silver braiding. Black uniformed guards were posted outside and the room had been searched for microphones.

There was a sharp intake of breath and several sidelong glances when he began to speak. "Germany must realise that the war cannot be won", he declared. "It must take steps in preparation for a post-war campaign." Such defeatist talk was treason, more than enough to earn a short holiday in one of the Gestapo's cellars, followed by a one-way trip to a concentration camp if you were lucky.

But Tohst had been given special licence to speak the truth – the future of the Reich was at stake. He ordered the industrialists to produce special armoured bullion carriers and escort vehicles to get the gold safely and without suspicion into position.  As commander of Geheimnis Transportgruppe H he ordered that the vehicles should be made from as many existing parts as possible and make use of vehicles returned from the front for repair where possible. 

The document outlined that the vehicles should resemble current armoured vehicles, be fast, lightly armoured and have excellent reliability and cross country performance.  Also that after delivery of the gold and weapons they had to be combat capable as raiding vehicles. 

[Rick Lowe]

'Berndt Tohst'... now that's funny, right there!

[dadlamassu]

The Ozelot

Given the short time frame and the necessity to pack as much gold bullion into the vehicle as possible the Volkswagen and Krupp teams scoured the archives and vehicle parks for suitable equipment.  The most available and suitable hull was that of the Panther tank.  Several damaged vehicles returned from the front were acquired.  To retain the combat capability a smaller turret was deemed necessary.  Years ago there had been a proposal to fit a Leopard turret onto the Panther hull but these turrets were no longer available.  However, the SdKfz 234 series had the 234/1 with a 2cm gun and the 234/2 (Puma) with a 5cm gun.  Krupp had a few improved 5cm KwK 39/3 from an abandoned project.  The Puma turret was selected because it was available.  The Pz IV might have been better but the only chassis available were worn out and production of new ones was about to cease.

The Panther hulls chosen were lightened by cutting off the 80mm upper and 60mm lower front plates replacing them with lighter 50mm plates and retaining the same slope.  These were the same thickness as the hull side plates.  The inside of the vehicle was altered to stow 72 rounds of 5cm ammunition and racks for up to 3 tonnes of gold bullion ingots. These were easily removed and replaced by racks for 5cm ammunition, radio equipment or other stowage.  Unfortunately, the need to retain combat capability meant that the gold was awkward to load into the vehicle and had to be loaded in the same way as ammunition through the hatches.  The top front plate had a port fitted for an MP44, MG34 or MG42. 

The Puma turret also had 50mm frontal armour sloped at 20 degrees and its sides were 30mm thick at 30 degrees.

The Puma's gun was supposed the 50mm L/60 KwK 39/2.   These guns had high pressure breeches to allow a greater propellant charge and also fired improved ammunition with a performance almost equivalent to the 7.5cm L/48 gun. A coaxial 7.92mm machine gun was also fitted and another carried for the commander's position.

The original HL230 (750hp) engine was replaced with the HL234. This 850hp engine was also destined for use in the Panther II.

The lighter gross weight (even with the gold) and the greater horsepower made the new vehicle now code named Ozelot (Ocelot) very agile and reliable.  It was certainly a match for the Allied Sherman and T-34s it was likely to meet.

Variant1:  Fuhrer GepanzertenTrager - Two Ocelots were kitted out with 4 extra seats for passengers in case they were needed to evacuate the Fuhrer and his immediate staff.

Variant 2: TransporterPanzer: It was proposed to convert Panther chassis to APC/Bullion carriers simply by removing the turret and stripping out the inside to allow bullion boxes or 10 infantry to be carried.  It was possible to arrange the inside to carry both passengers and bullion.  In the event too few were available.  The armour and engine modifications for the Ocelot may or may not have been made.  The resulting vehicle would have been in the same class as the Sherman and Ram Kangaroo.

SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Otto Nobettar takes delivery of his new vehicles and shows them off to his Leader.
 

[NARSES2]

I like those 

[dadlamassu]

This weekend I managed a couple more vehicles:

The teams searched for suitable vehicles and selected several heavy armoured cars of the SdKfz 234 series.  These were available and reliable vehicles still in production with as good spares support as the situation in Germany could allow.  The Tatra 103 engine might be difficult maintain in future as the factories were overrun.  Therefore, these were regarded as a more interim solution rather than a long term one. 

SdKfz 234/9 Rheingelt GepanzerterTrager

The bullion carriers were modified from heavy armoured cars returned from the front. 

The hull was widened and the internal stowage rearranged to carry bullion.  Large hatches were fitted in the roof and sides to facilitate the loading and unloading of the bullion boxes. 

The number of wheels was reduced from 8 to 6 to facilitate the side entry doors and the wider hull.  This had the added effect of making them outwardly similar the American M20 Armoured Utility Vehicle.  Mudguards similar to those of the earlier SdKfz 231-233 series were fitted. 

The commander's hatch was fitted to carry an experimental Krupp heavy machine gun.  This fired standard 15mm ammunition and outwardly resembled an enlarged MG42.  The mount allowed the gun to be sighted and fired from inside the vehicle.  Firing ports for MP44 were fitted in all superstructure faces.  The rear driver's position was retained.

SdKfz 234/10 Gepanzerten Begleitfahrzeug

The escort vehicle was externally similar to the bullion transport.  Its internal arrangement allowed up to 10 troops to be carried and fire their weapons from under armour.  The large rectangular roof hatches open to allow the troops to enter and exit. 

Variants proposed but not built:
8cm mortar carrier
FLAK – fitted with a 3cm 38

Other proposals for anti-tank, reconnaissance and infantry gun variants were abandoned as the existing SdKfz 234 series already provided these.





And the force:

[Hobbes]

So, did they call the unit that operated these vehicles the $$?

[NARSES2]

There's room on the list you know Harro ? 

I like these 

[TallEng]

I like them
The SdKfz 234/10 Gepanzerten Begleitfahrzeug reminds me of the
Maximum Security Vehicle of Captain Scarlet fame;
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=maximum+security+vehicle+dinky+toys&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#imgrc=l79hNX0mRf_PUM%3A
Although some of you my need to stretch your imagination a bit to see what I mean

Regards
Keith

[Captain Canada]

Nice. Great job on the camo !

[zenrat]

So, did they call the unit that operated these vehicles the $$?

There's room on the list you know Harro ? 

I like these 

I'd like to see this list.  I'm beginning to doubt it's veracity...

[NARSES2]

There's room on the list you know Harro ? 

I like these 

I'd like to see this list.  I'm beginning to doubt it's veracity...

Which is exactly what we want you to do 

[zenrat]

Aha! the old lull him into a false sense of security trick eh?

[tigercat]

Are you checking this list twice.

[zenrat]

I like what you are implying but I doubt Chris is up to doing the chimney thing.

[Modelling_Mushi]

I'm not sure you can butter up the judges with Berndt Tohst, I mean I can guarantee you won't see these vehicles in Aus a lot (Ozelot) but my car models, well, I can guarantee my Otto's Nobettar ........

.....OK, letting myself out to stand in the corner ....