Krupp Protze

Krupp L 2 H 43 / L 2 H 143 / Kfz.70
Krupp Kfz.70 on display at Deutsches Panzermuseum, Germany.
Type Artillery tractor / Utility truck
Place of origin  Germany
Service history
Used by  Germany
Wars World War II
Production history
Designer Krupp
Manufacturer Krupp
Produced 1934–1941
No. built 7,000
Variants Several, see text
Specifications
Weight 2,600 kg
Length 5.10 m
Width 1.93 m
Height 1.96 m
Crew 1 + 5 passengers + 1 light towed gun (Kfz.69), 2+10 (Kfz.70)
Armor None
Engine Krupp Boxer motor, 3.3 liters
53 or 60 hp
Payload capacity 1,150 kg
Fuel capacity 110 liters
Operational
range
 450 km (on road)
Speed 70 km/h

The L 2 H 43 and L 2 H 143 "Krupp-Protze" (unofficial designation) was a six-wheeled 6x4 German truck and artillery tractor produced between 1934 and 1941 and heavily used in World War II. It was powered by a 55 hp or, from 1936, 60 hp Krupp M 304 4-cylinder petrol engine. Its main purpose was to tow artillery, especially the PaK 36, and transport motorized infantry.

This vehicle was extensively used on the Eastern Front, during the North African campaign and in France and Sicily. The "Krupp-Protze" was of relatively advanced design. Its fuel consumption was relatively high (24 Litres / 100 km on road) in comparison to the comparable Opel Blitz 1.5 t truck (16.5 liters / 100 km, produced 1938 - 1942). Total production was about 7,000 units.

Variants

A successful design, the Krupp-Protze was converted into several variants:

  • Kfz.19 - Telephone truck
  • Kfz.21 - Staff car
  • Kfz.68 - Radio mast carrier
  • Kfz.69 - Standard configuration for towing the 3,7 cm PaK 36
  • Kfz.70 - Standard configuration for personnel carrying
  • Kfz.81 - Ammo carrier conversion for 2 cm FlaK gun, usually towed
  • Kfz.83 - Generator carrier for anti-aircraft searchlight, usually towed
  • Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf. A - Armoured personnel carrier, six-wheeled version, only 20 built in 1937; production went to Daimler-Benz, who built the Ausf. B four-wheeled version in 1941 and 1942.

Sometimes anti-tank (37 mm Pak 36) and anti-air (2 cm Flak) guns were mounted directly on the truck bed. Note on troop carrying capacity: Kfz.69 carried 2 in front with 4 in a pair of forward and rear facing seats (2+2+2); Kfz.70 carried 2 in front with 10 seated in the rear bed benches (2+10).

See also

References

Notes

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