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Classic Weapons of World War II

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Armour

Sd Kfz 234 (Germany)

Length 680cm / 268in
Width 233cm / 92in
Weight 11,741kg / 25,830lb
Crew 4
Armour 15mm / .6in max
Armament 20mm main gun and one 7.92 machine gun
Range 1,000km / 625m
Top speed 85km/h / 53mph

The light-armed version of the heavy-armoured car 234, also known as the Gerät 95, featured eight wheels and a 20mm cannon held within a rotating open-topped turret. The outstanding ability of the vehicle, powered by a Tatra 103 engine through six forward and six reverse gears, soon gained it a tough reputation.

A Puma version (Sd Kfz 234/2) armed with a 50mm gun was produced in large numbers with a closed turret. It was used in both Africa and Russia, its 12-cylinder diesel engine coping well with the extreme conditions. Where most armoured cars featured the application of armour to a chassis, the 234 cleverly used the hull of the vehicle for this purpose (rather like a modern car). There was also an extra-heavy model (Gerät 96), which carried a 75mm cannon.

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