SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

sd.kfz.234/4 7.5 mm L/48 Service Questions

1655 views
3 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    August 2012
sd.kfz.234/4 7.5 mm L/48 Service Questions
Posted by majorpayne on Thursday, April 20, 2017 7:01 PM

 

Hello everyone,

 

           I am new to the forums here on FSM, but have been a subscriber for many years. I recently picked up Dragons 1/35 sd.kfz.234/4 with the 7.5mm L/48 gun. I am looking to create a historically accurate depiction of this vehicle as it would have been implemented at the end of WWII. I have found many references of the 234/4 with the L/46 gun, but cannot find any information about what units were assigned the limited number of 234/4's equipped with the L/48. Figured this would be the best place to see if anyone could lend a hand. Thank you much in advance and have a great rest of your day!

 

 

 

  • Member since
    September 2016
Posted by Peter Smith on Thursday, April 20, 2017 7:33 PM

If you mean Dragon kit 6814, then I believe it is common wisdom that this is a "paper panzer".  It is based on the 324/3 with the normal L/24 gun replaced with an L/48, presumably the KwK 40.  I imagine the mounting would have struggled with the recoil force of the more powerful gun, especially without a muzzle brake: the PaK 40 mounting in the 234/4 for essentially the same gun was more substantial.  BTW, there was no L/46 7.5cm gun: L/43 or L/48.

Only 88 of the 234/3 were built anyway, followed by 89 of the 234/4.  The role of the 234/3 was essentialy fire support, although the shaped-charge round for the L/24 was reasonably effective against AFV's (better than the 5cm AP in the 234/2).  That changed to a principally anti-tank role with the 234/4, which was essentially a wheeled panzerjager.  

So I can see the attraction of substituting the L/48 gun to quickly re-work 234/3 into a virtual 234/4.  If this could be done on the 234/3 then it could also theoretically be done on the 250/8 and 251/9.  But as I said, I don't believe it ever happened: possibly a one-off experiment, but no more.

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Thursday, April 20, 2017 9:10 PM

The 234/4 was in production only for the last five or so months of the war in Europe. At that point, especially after the massive losses of armor on both fronts, the vehicles were likely thrown into ad hoc kampfgruppen as they came out of final assembly. A quick image search of "sdkfz 234/4" will show a few in various late war settings and conditions. 

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    August 2012
Posted by majorpayne on Thursday, April 20, 2017 9:11 PM

Thank you so much for the reply. You were right, it is kit 6814. I thought it was odd that it was designated 234/4 when it more resembles the 234/3. The "paper panzer" fact would explain why I could not find any historical data. Thanks again for the insightful response!

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.