Sonderkraftfahrzeug (abbreviated Sd.Kfz.

,[1] German for "special purpose vehicle"

or "special ordnance vehicle") was the ordnance inventory designation used by Nazi
Germany during World War II for military vehicles; for example Sd.Kfz. 101 for the
Panzer I.

Sd.Kfz. numbers were assigned to armored, tracked, and half-tracked vehicles in

military service with Nazi Germany prior to and during World War II.

Sd.Kfz. numbering system[edit]

There were no strict rules regarding number series. For example, the Pz Kpfw II
Ausf. L was designed and named as a reconnaissance vehicle, yet was placed in the
100-series rather than the 200-series. Overall, the vehicles were placed in these
categories:

Sd.Kfz. 1 to 99: Unarmoured half-tracked vehicles

Sd.Kfz. 100 to 199: Tanks and tank variants, such as tank destroyers and self-
propelled artillery
Sd.Kfz. 200 to 299: Reconnaissance vehicles, armoured cars, armored personnel
carriers, and command tanks
Sd.Kfz. 300 and above: Mine-clearing and demolition charge laying vehicles
Designations[edit]
Sd.Kfz. 1 to 99[edit]
Sd.Kfz. 2 (Kettenkrad light half-track "tracked motorcycle")

Sd.Kfz. 2
Sd.Kfz. 2/1 (Field cable-laying variant for long distance field cable
"Feldfernkabel")
Sd.Kfz. 2/2 (Field cable-laying variant for heavy field cable "Schweres Feldkabel")
Sd.Kfz. 3 (Maultier) half track cargo vehicle

Sd.Kfz. 3 (Maultier)
Sd.Kfz. 3a (Maultier based on 2 ton Opel trucks)
Sd.Kfz. 3b (Maultier based on 2 ton Ford trucks)
Sd.Kfz. 3c (Maultier based on 2 ton KHD trucks)
Sd.Kfz. 4 (Maultier based on 4.5 ton trucks)
Sd.Kfz. 4/1 (Maultier with 15 cm Nebelwerfer 42 rocket launcher)
Sd.Kfz. 6 (5 ton medium halftrack for the engineers)

Sd.Kfz. 6
Sd.Kfz. 6/1 (5 ton medium half-track for the artillery)
Sd.Kfz. 6/2 (self-propelled 37 mm antiaircraft gun)
Sd.Kfz. 6/3 (Tank destroyer armed with captured Russian F-32 gun in an armored
superstructure)
Sd.Kfz. 7 (8 ton medium half-track)
Sd.Kfz. 7/1 (self-propelled 20 mm quad antiaircraft gun)
Sd.Kfz. 7/2 (self-propelled 37 mm antiaircraft gun)
Sd.Kfz. 7/6 (variant for anti-aircraft range finding)
Sd.Kfz. 8 (12 ton heavy half-track)

Sd.Kfz. 8
Sd.Kfz. 9 (18 ton heavy half-track)
Sd.Kfz. 9/1 (halftrack mounted 6 ton crane)
Sd.Kfz. 9/2 (halftrack mounted 10 ton crane)
Sd.Kfz. 10 (1 ton light halftrack)

Sd.Kfz. 10
Sd.Kfz. 10/1 (light gas detection vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 10/2 (light decontamination vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 10/3 (light decontamination sprayer vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 10/4 (self-propelled 20 mm FlaK 30 antiaircraft gun)
Sd.Kfz. 10/5 (self-propelled 20 mm FlaK 38 antiaircraft gun)
Sd.Kfz. 11 (3 ton light halftrack)

Sd.Kfz. 11
Sd.Kfz. 11/1 (smoke-generation vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 11/2 (medium decontamination vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 11/3 (medium decontamination spraying vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 11/4 (smoke-generation vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 11/5 (medium gas detection vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 100 to 199[edit]
Sd.Kfz. 101 (Panzer I Ausf. A/B light tank)
Sd.Kfz. 111 (Panzer I ammunition carrier variant)
Sd.Kfz. 121 (Panzer II Ausf. A to F light tank)
Sd.Kfz. 122 (Panzer II "Flammingo" flamethrower tank)
Sd.Kfz. 123 (Panzer II Ausf. L "Luchs" reconnaissance tank)
Sd.Kfz. 124 (Wespe self-propelled 105 mm artillery)
Sd.Kfz. 131 (Marder II self-propelled 75 mm antitank gun)
Sd.Kfz. 132 (Marder II self-propelled 76.2 mm antitank gun )
Sd.Kfz. 135 (Marder I tank destroyer on captured Lorraine Tracteur Blind� tracked
carrier)
Sd.Kfz. 135/1 (self-propelled 150 mm howitzer)
Sd.Kfz. 138 (Marder III self-propelled 75 mm antitank gun)

Sd.Kfz. 138
Sd.Kfz. 138/1 (Grille self-propelled 150 mm infantry gun)
Sd.Kfz. 138/2 (Hetzer tank destroyer based on the Panzer 38(t) chassis)
Sd.Kfz. 139 (Marder III self-propelled 76.2 mm antitank gun)
Sd.Kfz. 140 (Flakpanzer 38(t) self-propelled 20 mm anti-aircraft gun on a Panzer
38(t) chassis)
Sd.Kfz. 140/1 (armored reconnaissance vehicle based on the Panzer 38(t))
Sd.Kfz. 141 (Panzer III medium tank with 37 mm or 50 mm L/42 main gun)

Sd.Kfz. 141
SdKfz 141/1 (Panzer III medium tank with 50 mm L/60 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 141/2 (Panzer III medium tank with 75 mm L/24 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 142 (StuG III assault gun with 75 mm L/24 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 142/1 (StuG III assault gun with 75 mm L/43 or L/48 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 142/2 (StuH 42 assault gun with 105 mm L/28 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 143 (Panzer III based artillery observation post)
Sd.Kfz. 161 (Panzer IV medium tank with 75 mm L/24 main gun)

Sd.Kfz. 161
Sd.Kfz. 161/1 (Panzer IV medium tank with 75 mm L/43 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 161/2 (Panzer IV medium tank with 75 mm L/48 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 161/3 (M�belwagen self-propelled 37 mm antiaircraft gun)
Sd.Kfz. 161/4 (Wirbelwind self-propelled 20 mm x 4 antiaircraft gun)
Sd.Kfz. 162 (Panzer IV based tank destroyer with 75 mm L/48 main gun) Jagdpanzer IV
Sd.Kfz. 162/1 (Panzer IV based tank destroyer with 75 mm L/70 main gun) Jagdpanzer
IV
Sd.Kfz. 164 (Nashorn tank destroyer with 88 mm L/71 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 165 (Hummel self-propelled 150 mm artillery)
Sd.Kfz. 165/1 (Heuschrecke self-propelled 105 mm artillery)
Sd.Kfz. 166 (Brummb�r self-propelled 150 mm infantry gun)
Sd.Kfz. 167 (StuG IV assault gun with 75 mm L/48 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 171 (Panther tank)

Sd.Kfz. 171
Sd.Kfz. 172 (Panther tank proposed assault gun variant)
Sd.Kfz. 173 (Jagdpanther tank destroyer)
Sd.Kfz. 179 (Bergepanther recovery variant)
Sd.Kfz. 181 (Tiger I heavy tank)
Sd.Kfz. 182 (Tiger II heavy tank)
Sd.Kfz. 184 (Elefant tank destroyer)
Sd.Kfz. 185 (Jagdtiger tank destroyer with 88 mm L/71 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 186 (Jagdtiger tank destroyer with 128 mm L/55 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 200 to 299[edit]
Sd.Kfz. 221 (Leichter Panzersp�hwagen with 7.92 mm machinegun)
Sd.Kfz. 222 (Leichter Panzersp�hwagen with 20 mm L/55 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 223 (Leichter Panzersp�hwagen with radio gear)
Sd.Kfz. 231 6-rad (Schwerer Panzersp�hwagen (6 wheel) with 20 mm L/55 main gun)

Sd.Kfz. 231
Sd.Kfz. 231 8-rad (Schwerer Panzersp�hwagen (8 wheel) with 20 mm L/55 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 232 6-rad (Schwerer Panzersp�hwagen (6 wheel) with radio gear)
Sd.Kfz. 232 8-rad (Schwerer Panzersp�hwagen (8 wheel) with radio gear)
Sd.Kfz. 233 (Schwerer Panzersp�hwagen with 75 mm L/24 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 234 (Schwerer Panzersp�hwagen)
Sd.Kfz. 234/1 (Schwerer Panzersp�hwagen with 20 mm L/55 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 234/2 (Schwerer Panzersp�hwagen with 50 mm L/60 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 234/3 (Schwerer Panzersp�hwagen with 75 mm L/24 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 234/4 (Schwerer Panzersp�hwagen with 75 mm L/46 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 247 (armored staff car)
Sd.Kfz. 250 (armored light halftrack)
Sd.Kfz. 250/1 (light armored halftrack with communications gear)

Sd.Kfz. 250
Sd.Kfz. 250/2 (light armored halftrack with cable-laying gear)
Sd.Kfz. 250/3 (light armored halftrack with radio gear)
Sd.Kfz. 250/4 (light armored halftrack with twin antiaircraft machineguns)
Sd.Kfz. 250/5 (light armored halftrack observation post)
Sd.Kfz. 250/6 (light armored halftrack reconnaissance vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 250/7 (light armored halftrack mortar carrier)
Sd.Kfz. 250/8 (light armored halftrack with 75 mm L/24 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 250/9 (light armored halftrack with 20 mm L/55 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 250/10 (light armored halftrack with 37 mm antitank gun)
Sd.Kfz. 250/11 (light armored halftrack with 28 mm antitank gun)
Sd.Kfz. 250/12 (light armored halftrack for survey crews)
Sd.Kfz. 251 (medium armored halftrack)

Sd.Kfz. 251
Sd.Kfz. 251/1 (medium armored halftrack with communications gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/2 (medium armored halftrack mortar carrier)
Sd.Kfz. 251/3 (medium armored halftrack with radio gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/4 (medium armored halftrack tractor for infantry guns)
Sd.Kfz. 251/5 (medium armored halftrack for engineers)
Sd.Kfz. 251/6 (medium armored halftrack command post)
Sd.Kfz. 251/7 (medium armored halftrack for engineers)
Sd.Kfz. 251/8 (medium armored halftrack ambulance)
Sd.Kfz. 251/9 (medium armored halftrack with 75 mm L/24 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 251/10 (medium armored halftrack with 37 mm antitank gun)
Sd.Kfz. 251/11 (medium armored halftrack with telephone equipment)
Sd.Kfz. 251/12 (medium armored halftrack with survey gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/13 (medium armored halftrack with artillery sound recording gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/14 (medium armored halftrack with artillery sound ranging gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/15 (medium armored halftrack with artillery flash spotting gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/16 (medium armored halftrack with flamethrower)
Sd.Kfz. 251/17 (medium armored halftrack with 20 mm L/55 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 251/18 (medium armored halftrack observation post)
Sd.Kfz. 251/19 (medium armored halftrack with telephone exchange gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/20 (medium armored halftrack with infrared searchlight)
Sd.Kfz. 251/21 (medium armored halftrack with triple MG151 15 mm or 20 mm guns)
Sd.Kfz. 251/22 (medium armored halftrack with 75 mm L/46 Pak-40 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 251/23 (medium armored halftrack reconnaissance vehicle - possibly never
produced. Was to have a 20mm gun in turret similar to SdKfz 234/1)
Sd.Kfz. 252 (light halftrack ammunition carrier)
Sd.Kfz. 253 (light halftrack observation post)
Sd.Kfz. 254 (medium track or wheel observation post)
Sd.Kfz. 260 (light armored radio car)
Sd.Kfz. 261 (light armored radio car)

Sd.Kfz. 261
Sd.Kfz. 263 6-rad (heavy armored radio car - 6 wheel)
Sd.Kfz. 263 8-rad (heavy armored radio car - 8 wheel)
Sd.Kfz. 265 (Panzer I command tank)
Sd.Kfz. 266 (Panzer III command tanks with FuG 6 and FuG 2 radios)
Sd.Kfz. 267 (Panzer III, Panther tank, and Tiger I command tanks with FuG 6 and FuG
8 radios)
Sd.Kfz. 268 (Panzer III, Panther tank, and Tiger I command tanks with FuG 6 and FuG
7 radios)
Sd.Kfz. 300 and above[edit]
Sd.Kfz. 300 (Minenr�umwagen remote-control mine destroyer)
Sd.Kfz. 301 (Borgward B IV heavy remote-control demolition layer)
Sd.Kfz. 302 (Goliath vehicle light remote-control demolition vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 303 (Goliath vehicle light remote-control demolition vehicle)

Sd.Kfz. 303
Sd.Kfz. 304 (Springer vehicle medium remote-control demolition vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 305 (Opel Blitz 3 ton 4x2 Truck)
See also[edit]
List of World War II military vehicles of Germany
External links