Sd.Kfz. 251/16 – Flammpanzerwagen. Fitted with two flame projectors and initially a rear-mounted flamethrower, detachable but still connected to the vehicle, to be operated by dismounted infantry.
This was in addition to the standard forward machine gun mount. Six Sd.Kfz. 251/16 Flammpanzerwagens were authorised for issue to each Panzergrenadier regiment or in the Pioneer battalion.
Though vulnerable, they were used very successfully at night to quickly attack enemy infantry who had just captured German trenches, hitting the enemy before they could consolidate and bring up the heavy weapons that would make them much costlier to defeat later.
Late ausf. D versions had larger gun shields.
In game terms they are also very vulnerable, but players generally overestimate their ability and concentrate forces to destroy it. This is its real value. With attention directed towards it you can concentrate elsewhere.
More German vehicles, Greek WW2, and Midlam Miniatures figures coming.
Nicely done, Dave! 🙂 I like the crew figures, who I assume are wearing the “official” protective gear for flamethrower operators (never seen that before) unlike the crews in the archive photos, who aren’t! It was probably considered in a similar manner to camouflage spray equipment in that it was the second item discarded by crews (the first items were gas masks)!
They are standard issue which we all kn ow doesn’t last first contact!
Wow, that’s a crazy (and very scary) weapon. Nice work!
Thanks Faust it was fun to put together and paint.
great looking vehicle Dave
Thanks
Ditto to what John wrote. Also, another nice combat engineer vehicle, well done.