- Yes
- No
I would like to see the Daimer Benz ARW 8 Wheeled armored car of the 1920s, armed with a 3,7 cm gun in a turret. This would be a great low BR (1.0/1.3) armored car of thin armor, with a relatively weak gun, but general a fun playstyle, like the Sd.Kfz.221 2,8 cm S.Pz.B.41 but with 3,7 cm gun in a 360° turret.
While also vurnerable to Cal. .50 and other HMGs, it would be fast, nimble and have an adequat armarment of the 3,7 cm KwK L/45.
It can be seen as the developmental father to the Sd.Kfz.231 (8-Rad), being visually similar. (While the Sd.Kfz.231 (6-Rad) would be inbetween)
After WWI the german army (Reichswehr) had a couple of different armored cars, which were simply armored bodys on artillery tracktros, such as the KD-I and Daimler DZR 19 mit 3,7 cm TAK System Fischer. While these were ok-ish for street fighting and as security cars, they were still just armored artillery tracktors, huge, and not exactly the best and certainly not usable for reconnaissance, due to no cross country ability.
Time didnt stay still, while the other nations continued development of tanks and armored cars, Germany didnt want to stay still either. While the Versailles Treaty (technically) prohibited development of modern armarments, tanks and armored cars, Germany “simply” took multiple ways around it, such as missinforming names ( Vs.Kfz.31 Leichttraktor Rheinmetall ) (Light tractor), simply going to other nations, either by buing up companies or taking part in them (Rheinmetall → Solothurn Swiss, Krupp → Bofors Sweden) and making packts with other countrys for informatic exchange and training (Germany → USSR).
With the start of the new Programm Manschaftstransportwagen (which would also later be the early name for the Sd.Kfz.251) in 1926 the first contracts were awarded by the WaPrüfamt 6 in 03.1937 to Daimler-Benz, Bünssing-NAG and Magirus. These would later come again to make the 3 slightly different Sd.Kfz.231 (6-Rad) vehicles, also suggested by me Schwerer Panzerspähwagen Sd.Kfz.231 (6-Rad) (Magirus M 206 a).
The Contracts to design were both an 8x8 (ARW) by DB and and 10x10 (ZRW) by Büssing-NAG vehicles.
These were generally known also under Mannschaftstransportwagen (Trooptransport vehicles) (which in my opinion is a bit missleading, as unlike the later Sd.Kfz.251, this vehicle didnt have a troop carrieng capacity, however maybe this was intentional, for the Versailles Treaty).
The following Specifications were called for:
- Top speed of 65 km/h (forward and in reverse) and on railroad tracks
- Daily range of 200 km
- Off road capabilitys were:
- to climb a 1:3 grass covered grade
- cross a 1,5 m trench
- 1m deep creek
- over obstacles 0,3 m tall
- max weight of 7,5 ton to keep the ground pressure below 0,7kg/cm²
- Crew of 5 (commander, driver, 2 gunners and radio operator)
On 17.04.1928 the defense ministry approved to buy 6 trail vehicles under the Pzkw programm, and by spring of the same year they were to be finished and tested in 1929.
In addiiton to these the 2 other companies (Büssing-NAG and Magirus) were to produce 2 ZRW 10x10 and 2 ARW 8x8. While Rheinmetall was to design and produce the turrets, either armed with just 2 Mgs, or with 1 3,7 cm KwK L/45 and 1 Mg with at least 1 completed, which were even reported to be ready for mounting in Unterluss.
Comparative trails were held in Spring 1930 between the 3 companies, while they were seen as satisfactory, they were also too expensive for the limited production in the current economy of 1930. As such in 1931 the decition was made to not continue with the project and instead the same companies were again contracted to produce a 4x6 Armored car with 2 cm gun on a already exisiting truck chassis, which would become the (above linked) Sd.Kfz.231 (6-Rad), which were only relatively good and soon were already again replaced by the new prupose build Sd.Kfz.231 (8-Rad).
Overall the DB-ARW has a 8x8 Chasis with the front and back wheels with steering and overall leave spring suspention.
Specifications:
Dimensions: 5,45 m x 2,28 m x 2,14 m
Engine: DB M 36 6 Cylinder 100 PS at 2000 RPM
Armor: 8-14,5 (13,5mm mostly?)
Speed: 65 km/h forwards and backwards
Armarment:
3,7 cm KwK L/45 and 7,92mm Mg 08 (550 RPM) in the turret.
360° Traverse at 25°/Sec. Elevation: -10° to + 30° (+35°?)
General performance: Pzgr.18 and Sprgr.18 (possibly also Pzgr.40 and Sprgr.40 for ballancing?)
More info here:
Source:
Panzer Tracks No.13
Encyclopedia of the German Tanks The second World War 1933-1945 Doyle and Chemberlain
https://porschecarshistory.com/daimler-benz-achtradwagen-by-ferdinand-porsche-mtw-1
