Sd.Kfz. 8
| Schwerer Zugkraftwagen 12 t, Sd.Kfz. 8 | |
|---|---|
A Sd.Kfz. 8 towing a Gotha Go 242 glider | |
| Type | Heavy half-track |
| Place of origin | Nazi Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1939–1945 |
| Used by | Nazi Germany Czechoslovakia Romania Bulgaria |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Daimler-Benz |
| Designed | 1936–1939 |
| Manufacturer | Daimler-Benz, Krupp, Krauss-Maffei, Škoda |
| Unit cost | 46,000 RM |
| Produced | 1937–1944 |
| No. built | approx. 4,000 |
| Specifications (DB 10) | |
| Mass | 14,700 kg (32,400 lb) |
| Length | 7.35 m (24 ft 1 in) |
| Width | 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Height | 2.77 m (9 ft 1 in) overall |
| Crew | 2 + 11 |
| Engine | Maybach HL85 TUKRM 8.5L 12-cylinder water-cooled petrol 185 PS (182 hp; 136 kW) |
| Payload capacity | 2,550 kg (5,620 lb) |
| Transmission | ZF 4 + 1 speed |
| Suspension | torsion bar |
| Ground clearance | 40 cm (16 in) |
| Fuel capacity | 250 L (55 imp gal; 66 US gal) |
Operational range | 250 km (160 mi) road 125 km (78 mi) cross-country |
| Maximum speed | 51 km/h (32 mph) road 21 km/h (13 mph) cross-country |
The Sonderkraftfahrzeug 8 ("special motorized vehicle 8"), usually abbreviated to Sd.Kfz. 8, was a German half-track designed by Daimler-Benz that saw widespread use in World War II. Its main roles were as a prime mover for heavy towed guns such as the 21 cm Mörser 18, the 17 cm Kanone 18 and the 10.5 cm FlaK 38. It also served as an infantry transport. Approximately 4,000 were produced between 1938 and 1945. It was used in every campaign fought by the Germans in World War II, notably the Invasion of Poland, the Battle of France, the Balkans Campaign, the Eastern Front, the North African Campaign, the Battle of Normandy and the Italian Campaign.