[Would you like to see this in-game?]
- Yes
- No
0
voters
TL;DR: A German captured Somua MGC artillery tractor with an armored shell and 75mm gun.
History:
Following Germany’s July 1940 victory in France, the 227th Infantry Division was assigned for occupation. Alfred Becker, the battery chief of the 12th Battery in the 15th Artillery Regiment of the aforementioned division came across a number of abandoned vehicles while his unit was performing coastal protection duties. As Becker was a mechanical engineer, it was clear for him to see the benefits of mounting his artillery pieces onto the abandoned vehicles. Among these vehicles were many Somua MGC half-track artillery tractors. Becker had many of these half-tracks fitted with an armored shell before turning them into anything from ammunition carriers to Reihenwerfer launchers. Of course, as with many of the vehicles he found, Becker did his best to cram the trusty 7.5cm Pak 40 on it. Due to the MGC’s nature as an artillery tractor designed to tow 155mm artillery pieces, this was easily feasible and was successfully executed on at least 24 of the half-tracks, adding to his collection of Pak 40 armed Frenchies. This was the most elaborate conversion done on the half-track. A few of these may have seen combat as well, judging by the pictures of a few being knocked out by gunfire.
Place In War Thunder:
Many players were saddened to see the Sd.Kfz.251/22 in the battlepass instead of the tech tree. While I do not expect to see the S-307 in the tech tree, I believe that it can offer a more accessible premium alternative for those that either missed or didn’t take part in the battlepass. The Sd.Kfz.251/22 would be superior to the S-307 in terms of mobility but they would otherwise play the same. The potent gun would more than make up for the S-307’s lackluster mobility, especially if it received a lower BR. As with the Sd.Kfz.251/22, gun depression would not be a luxury you could enjoy, so you may be forced to engage enemies in the open and with your poor armor, you’d have to make sure your shots hit. The S-307 would slot in nicely as a Rank II GE Premium, potentially adding to Germany’s already strong 2.7 line-up.
Specifications:
Armament: 7.5cm Pak 40 and 1x MG34
Dimensions: 5.76m, 2.10m, 2.04m (L,W,H)
Weight: 7000~kg
Armor: Likely thin (No more than 20mm)
Crew: At least three (Gunner, Loader, Driver, and maybe a Commander)
Ammunition: APCBC, APCR, HEAT
Speed: 31~kph
Horsepower: 60hp
Pictures:
Side View:Side View (Knocked out):Rear View of the above vehicle:Side View (Also potentially knocked out):Inside of the fighting compartment:
Video:
Sources:
7,5 cm Pak 40 auf mSPW S307(f) : Germany (DEU)
7.5cm PaK 40 auf Mittlere Schützenpanzerwagen S307(f)
Beute-Kraftfahrzeuge und -Panzer der deutschen Wehrmacht (Bd. 12 der Reihe “Militärfahrzeuge”) by Walter J Spielberger