Hobby Master 1/72 HG5001 Sd. Kfz. 7 German 8 Ton Half-Track Luftwaffe Air-Borne Tank Division, Summer 1941, Eastern Front
The concept for the Sd.Kfz. 7 dates back to 1934 when the need for this type of vehicle was realized. It wasn’t until 1938 before the first vehicle actually left the factory. The vehicle had theater-type bench seats capable of carrying up to 12 men. There was stowage room at the rear for ammunition for the large guns it usually towed. These vehicles required a lot of maintenance and were prone to tracks breaking. The on road speed wasn’t very good but it off-road abilities made up for it.
The German Sd.Kfz. 7 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 7) was an 8-ton half-tracked vehicle designed to transport troops over all types of terrain. It was a favorite mode of transportation for the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and the Waffen-SS. It soon became the main vehicle for moving the 8.8 cm Flak gun and the 150 mm Howitzer. This vehicle was used in large numbers for the German triumphant parade through Paris in 1940 as well as in propaganda films. It is one of the most recognized German vehicles of WWII.