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German Flame Half-Track Tactics

A look at German Flame Half-Track Tactics and the associated vehicle Sd.Kfz. 251/16 and organizations. We look at German regulations and documents from 1943 to 1945, as well as experience reports on the called “mittlerer Flammpanzerwagen” literally “medium flame armored vehicle/car”. The guidelines, tactics and crew setup within the halftrack like the “Flammführer” literally “flame leader” and “Flammschützen” which literally means “Flame Riflemen”. Check out the Stuka: The Doctrine of the German Dive-Bomber Book campaign here: http://stukabook.com »» GET OUR BOOKS «« » The Assault Platoon of the Grenadier-Company November 1944 (StG 44) - http://sturmzug.com » Army Regulation Medium Panzer Company 1941 - http://www.hdv470-7.com »» SUPPORT MHV «« » patreon - see videos early (adfree) - https://www.patreon.com/join/mhv » subscribe star - https://www.subscribestar.com/mhv » paypal donation - https://paypal.me/mhvis » YouTube Membership - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK09g6gYGMvU-0x1VCF1hgA/join »» MERCHANDISE «« » teespring - https://teespring.com/stores/military-history-visualized » SOURCES « H.Dv. 298/4a: Führung und Kampf der Panzergrenadiere. Heft 3: Das Panzergrenadier-Regiment (gp.). Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen: Germany, 1944. D 660/8: Mittlerer Flammpanzerwagen (Sd Kfz 251/16) Vorläufige Gerätebeschreibung und Bedienungsanweisung zum Fahrgestell. 1943. Jentz, Thomas L.; Doyle, Hilary Louis: Panzer Tracts No.15-3: Mittlerer Schuetzenpanzerwagen (Sd.KFZ.251) Ausf.C & D: History of Production, Variants, Organization, and Employment in Action from 1943 to 1945. Panzer Tracts: Boyds, MD, USA, 2006. Jentz, Thomas L.; Doyle, Hilary Louis: Panzer Tracts No.15-2 – mittlere Schuetzenpanzerwagen (Sd.Kfz.251). History of Variants, Production, Organization, Issue, Tactics, and Employment in Action from 1939 to 1942. Panzer Tracts: Boyds, MD, 2005. Pöhlmann, Markus: Der Panzer und die Mechanisierung des Krieges: Eine deutsche Geschichte 1890 bis 1945. Ferdinand Schöningh: Paderborn, 2016. von Senger und Etterlin, F. M.: Die Panzergrenadiere. Geschichte und Gestalt der mechanisierten Infanterie 1930-1960. J. F. Lehmans Verlag: 1961, München. Culver, Bruce: SdKfz 251 Half-Track 1939-45. Osprey Publishing: Oxford, UK, 1999. Spielberger, Walter; Doyle, Hilary Lous, Jentz, Thomas L.: Halbkettenfahrzeuge des deutschen Heeres. Motorbuch Verlag: Stuttgart, 2012. Spielberger, Walter J.; Doyle, Hilary L.; Jentz, Thomas L.: Halbkettenfahrzeuge des deutschen Heeres. Motorbuch Verlag: Stuttgart, Germany, 2012. https://www.wwiidaybyday.com/kstn/kstn11181apr44.htm #FlameHalfTrack,#WW2,#GermanTactics

Comments

Martin (Tally Ho) Turner

Very interesting. I can see this was a very effective weapon but I would not want to be in the crew sitting on all that oil! Do you know if these were used mainly on the eastern front or where they also used in the west? I haven't read any Allied accounts of coming across flame-halftracks in Normandy for example. The British had the Churchill Crocodile flame-tank and there are reports of crews from knocked out tanks being shot, which I guess shows how emotive (and effective) the use of flame throwing vehicles was.

Military History Visualized

yeah, one manual includes a list on how to treat flameoil victims and it notes, we don't have much information yet. Interesting question, I need to take a look at the experience reports, I actually can't recall if the location was mentioned. Considering how rare the vehicle was and that its use was limited, its operation was likely rather rare.