OT-810 to Sd.Kfz. 251/9 ausf D "stummel" CONVERSION
History
The Sd.Kfz. 251 is an iconic second world war vehicle with a main German halftrack, which was used on all European and African fronts, by all sides. It was, of course, mainly used by the Germans, and as trophies by the US, British, Red Army, Armia Krajova (Polish resistance troops), French Resistance, and all others. After the war hundreds of them made up the backbone of the Czechoslovakian army, and were much used in the war, and in the years after that they needed to be replaced with something similar, as this vehicle was known and reliable. During the war many Czech companies (Skoda, Tatra, Poldi hutte, CKD, etc.) produced sd.kfz's components and completed vehicles of different kinds.
Soviet Czechoslovakia invented the OT-810 (armored transporter) based on German technology with many modern solutions of its period, which strongly improved the performance of the vehicle.
Harder armor, a bigger crew compartment, a V-8 diesel powerful engine (nearly twice as strong as before) and a better turning ability (the 251 can’t turn with the track as a tank, and OT can). As a driving vehicle the OT is much faster and smoother at turning.
But comparing it to the 251, its look is completely different, only the main wheels are the same, all the rest is different. None of the armor can be used untouched, none of the doors, visors, fenders, everything has to be new in the case of rebuilding it to the shape of the wartime sd.kfz 251.
Project
On behalf of our good friend, the professional re-enactor from Belgium, we made a full conversion rebuild of the OT-810 body to sd.kfz 251/9 ausf D "Stummel".
The Sd.Kfz. 251/9 was built using the original 7,5 canons made for the Stug-3 Schturmgeschutz ausf A B C D E, while the stug-F started with a new long barreled cannon, the Germans wanted to improve the firepower of the 251's in panzer grenadier company, and so used the guns they had in stock.
The first vehicles were built in May 1942, but they mainly came to the forefront in 1943. Some of their companies had also supported the tracked mines, "Goliath" Sd.Kfz. 303. The first vehicles were built based on the sd.kfz. 251 ausf C, but most of the vehicles were built as version D (ausf D).
It was completely refurbished: all frame and suspension, (gearbox, differential, swing arms and wheels are absolutely the same as in the original sd.kfz. 251), and all the interior and exterior was built’. With all the visible number plates, registration numbers and the camouflage of the 2nd panzer division which fought against US troops on the Western Front.
Conversion of OT-810 to any kind of sd.kfz 251, ausf A-B-C-D of any type /1 till /23 is possible.
