Sd.Kfz. 6/2

Sd.Kfz. 6/2

Sd.Kfz.222

Sd.Kfz. 6/2

Sd.Kfz.222

Germany

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.3	1.7	1.7

Class:

SPAA

Research:5 900

Purchase:6 300

Show in game

Description

The 3.7 cm Flak 36 auf Selbstfahrlafette or simply Sd.Kfz. 6/2 was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the half-track chassis Sd.Kfz. 6, armed with a 3.7 cm FlaK 36 L/98 anti-aircraft gun. This SPAA was developed to counter Allied and Soviet airpower, as well as protect Luftwaffe airfields from aerial attacks. As the truck's platform was occupied by the anti-aircraft mount, a single-axle trailer was attached for carrying ammunition. Initially, there was no armour shield for the gun, and it was only added in later production series modifications. Most Sd.Kfz. 6/2 were deployed with Luftwaffe air defence units, but some SPAAs also served with Wehrmacht and SS troops. The Sd.Kfz. 6/2 was first tested on the Eastern Front in 1941, but subsequently saw widespread use. It was manufactured by companies Büssing-NAG, Daimler Benz, BMM, Praga from 1941 to 1943, with a total of 339 Sd.Kfz. 6/2 assembled.

The Sd.Kfz. 6/2 was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces prior to Update 1.41. In terms of its mobility characteristics, the SPAA is comparable to most medium tanks, allowing it to keep pace with allies while covering them from aerial attacks. The main advantage of the SPAA is its 37 mm gun with instant reloading and impressive rate of fire, which provides dense fire and can deal with not only any aircraft but also some tanks. However, one should not be caught in the enemy's sights too often: apart from the gun shield, the Sd.Kfz. 6/2 has no armour and can be easily destroyed even by machine gun fire. The same applies to aircraft - while the armour shield may protect the gun crew during a head-on attack, a side or rear approach by an aircraft can be fatal for the vehicle.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull0 / 0 / 0

Turret7 / 0 / 0

Crew4 people

Visibility107 %

Armour type:

• Structural Steel
• Rolled homogeneous armour (Gun shield)

Armour	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	3 mm (3-9°) Grille 3 mm (83-84°) Front hood	3 mm	3 mm	3 mm
Gun Shield	7 mm (25-33°)	10 mm	N/A	N/A

Notes:

• There is practically no armour on this vehicle aside from the gun shield which can protect from some light machine gun fire and shrapnel from nearby explosions

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB55 / 10 km/h

RB and SB50 / 9 km/h

Number of gears6 forward

1 back

Weight10.4 t

Engine power

AB248 hp

RB and SB130 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB23.8 hp/t

RB and SB12.5 hp/t

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	55	10	10.4	163	248	15.67	23.85
Realistic	50	9		102	130	9.81	12.5

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB337 → 433

RB274 → 352

SB391 → 503

Total cost of modifications5 950

4 480

Talisman cost410

Crew training1 800

Experts6 300

Aces75

Research Aces135 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

20 / 30 / 30 %

106 / 106 / 106 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 300 Cost: 230 60 Suspension Research: 270 Cost: 200 55 Brake System Research: 270 Cost: 200 55 Filters Research: 370 Cost: 280 75 Transmission Research: 640 Cost: 480 130 Engine Research: 640 Cost: 480 130	Improved Parts Research: 300 Cost: 230 60 Improved FPE Research: 270 Cost: 200 55 Crew Replenishment Research: 370 Cost: 280 75	37mm_ger_flak36_HE_ammo_pack Research: 300 Cost: 230 60 Horizontal Drive Research: 300 Cost: 230 60 37mm_ger_flak36_AP_ammo_pack Research: 270 Cost: 200 55 Adjustment of Fire Research: 270 Cost: 200 55 37mm_ger_mgr_HE_ammo_pack Research: 370 Cost: 280 75 Elevation Mechanism Research: 370 Cost: 280 75 Artillery Support Research: 640 Cost: 480 130

Armaments

Main armament

37 mm FlaK36 cannon

Ammunition318 rounds

Belt capacity6 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

0.5 → 0.4 s

Fire rate160 shots/min

Vertical guidance-8° / 85°

37 mm FlaK36						Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	318 (6)	160	-8°/+85°	±180°	N/A	30.82	42.66	51.80	57.28	60.94	0.49	0.43	0.40	0.38
Realistic						20.83	24.50	29.75	32.90	35.00

The driving compartment at the front of the vehicle creates a dead zone for the gun, that means that when an enemy is straight ahead you'll have to manoeuvre to get the gun on target. Take this into account when positioning your vehicle.

Ammunition

• Default: APHE · FI-T - This belt can fulfill both roles (anti-aircraft and anti-tank) only at the cost of a halved rate of fire for effective shells against a specific target (especially for the anti-tank role) until dedicated belts are available.
• Sprgr. 18: FI-T - This belt is adapted to the anti-air role as it contains only incendiary rounds. It will deal good damage to aircraft but will deal next to no damage to ground vehicles.
• PzGr: APHE - This belt deals decent damage against lightly armoured vehicles and planes but excels against tanks. When targeting ground vehicles, aim for weak spots.
• M.Gr.18: HEI-T - This belt excels in the anti-air role: with an increased muzzle velocity and a larger explosive filler, it deals heavier damage to airplanes than the "Sprgr. 18" belt. It will deal next to no damage to ground vehicles.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
	10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
FI-T	7	7	5	4	3	3
APHE	49	46	33	22	14	10
HEI-T	7	7	6	4	4	4

Shell details
Ammunition	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
						0%	50%	100%
FI-T	820	0.62	0.1	0.1	49.3	79°	80°	81°
APHE	770	0.69	1.2	9	22.1	47°	60°	65°
HEI-T	914	0.55	0.1	0.1	108	79°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Sd.Kfz. 6/2

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty
53	50 (+3)	46 (+7)	43 (+10)	39 (+14)
5th rack empty	6th rack empty	7th rack empty	8th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
36 (+17)	29 (+24)	18 (+35)	0 (+53)	Yes

There are 15 ammunition boxes strung about the bed of the truck. Two under the loader, three sitting on the tailgate, and the rest under the benches behind the driver. Most tankers won't bother trying to ammo rack you thanks to your exposed crew members, so bring as much as you want. However, near misses from aircraft and tanks alike could set off a box since they are kind of everywhere if you do take a full load, so follow alternate recommendation if one has concerns for this.

Notes:

• Take a full loadout (53 clips of 6 rounds) if the battle might last.
• Alternately, pack only 36 clips in order to keep all ammo boxes under the bed bench for shorter battles like AB.

Usage in battles

To use this machine to its fullest capabilities, stay away from areas of heavy combat, as you can be taken out very easily, especially by machine gun fire and HE shells. You should always stay behind friendly troops, but don't stay at spawn as it is most likely the first place enemy planes will go to drop bombs.

If you want to fight with the tanks, you'll definitely need to research APHE-only belts. However, the APHE's lacklustre penetration means this option is extremely limited and highly discouraged for a Sd.Kfz. 6/2 user. This is a tactic that should only be used as a last-stand measure against a flanking enemy that is unaware of the Sd.Kfz. 6/2's position. Avoid any open terrain, watch the battlefield situation carefully and wait, or use your speed to get out of any unfavourable battle condition. When the suitable target is spotted and in-range, it is a good idea is to reverse around the corner turned sideways, with your gun aiming at the expected enemy direction. This manoeuvre exposes only half of your turret and makes it possible to very quickly hide again behind the corner when needed. Your driver, engine and more than half of the vehicle remain hidden the whole time, meaning the damage from kinetic shell would be reduced, but chemical shells would still finish off the tank upon contact. This kind of positioning also significantly shortening the exposure time and lowering the chance of being immobilised. When targeting tanks, aim at side armour of the hull and/or turret, or just hit any weak spots. Make sure the enemy is close by, generally less than 400 m, as the aim dispersion and massive recoil of the gun can cause the shells to spray everywhere, a bad idea if wanting to take out the enemy as quick and precise as possible.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• 37 mm capable of dealing heavy damage to planes upon contact
• Deadly against light tanks and lightly-armoured tank destroyers
• Decently fast (50 km/h top speed)
• Very short reloading time
• Losing 1 or 2 crew members have no noticeable effect on vehicle performance (apart from temporary immobilisation for example)
• Having no armour is also an advantage - AP/APCR Rounds that most players use often just harmlessly pass through the vehicle without doing any damage
• Difficult to destroy in one shot unless using pure HE rounds as APHE rounds will often just pass through without detonation
• Some players don't recognize this vehicle as any kind of threat, and carelessly show their sides that just might be able to be penetrated with the 37 mm AP
• Friendly tanks around you often have higher priority for all enemies, meaning you can often escape from combat unharmed, or surprise unsuspecting enemies

Cons:

• No armour - single HE shell from anything will usually knock out the vehicle
• Very vulnerable to damage from overpressure: artillery strikes, even being 20 m away from you, will destroy the vehicle
• Entire crew vulnerable to being strafed by planes and tank machine gun fire
• Slow rate of fire can make shooting down faster planes difficult
• Gun goes up when it is traversing over the driver, preventing you from firing ahead of your vehicle
• Ammo can run out if not careful
• Gun recoil is ridiculous, making continuous fire useless against any decently armoured target
• Knocked out easily if rammed by an airplane (RB)

History

The gun

The 3.7 cm FlaK cannon was an anti-aircraft gun capable of fully automatic fire at a rate of 150 rounds per minute and is able to fire onto Allied aircraft up to four kilometres away. Multiple variants were made for the FlaK cannon from the 3.7 cm FlaK 18/36/37/43. The FlaK 18 was the initial variant with a dual-axle mount. The Flak 36 was a simplified variant with a lighter single-axle mount, the FlaK 37 has a simplified sighting system, and the FlaK 42 was the variant made for the German Kriegsmarine for their surface ships and U-boats. Of the variants, the FlaK 36 and 37 were the most produced guns

The vehicle

The Sd.Kfz.6 was a half-track designed in 1934 for the purpose of towing the 10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzer or 11 men in the back of the half-track, which could be covered by a canvas structure to protect the crew from the elements of nature. The vehicle was powered by a Maybach HL 54TUKRM 6-cylinder engine with 115 hp. Along with its use as a tractor for the 10.5 leFH 18 howitzer and other artillery pieces, the vehicle was to be used to tow heavy equipment for engineer units. Production was carried out by both Büssing-NAG and Daimler-Benz corporations. About 750 units were made during its production life until 1942.

Anti-aircraft mount

As World War II progressed, the need for a mobile air defence capable of engaging low flying targets became urgent. German engineers attempted to fill this need by modifying vehicles to fit an anti-aircraft gun. The Sd.kfz.6 half-track was modified with a new superstructure on the back, removing the backseats where the passengers would be. The superstructure allows the installation of a traversable anti-aircraft gun. The gun of choice for the Sd.kfz.6 was the 3.7 cm FlaK 36, the conversion for the vehicle was designated the 3.7 cm Flak 36 auf Selbstfahrlafette Sd.Kfz.6/2.

The Sd.Kfz.6/2 has the FlaK cannon mounted on the back, however, there is no gun shield for the crew to provide small arms protection from the ground. Thus, the ground support role for the vehicle was not a recommended role and is more best against flying targets. However, a modification on the vehicle by the crew to give protection against small arms and shrapnel. Ammunition for the gun was towed on a separate trailer towed by the half-track.

Modifications on the Sd.Kfz.6 into the Sd.Kfz.6/2 was carried out from 1941 to 1943, whereof the 750 of the Sd.Kfz.6, 339 were converted into the anti-aircraft variant. As the war progressed, the Sd.Kfz.6/2 were supplemented with the more numerous Sd.Kfz.7 half-track.

Archive of the in-game description

To fight against enemy aircraft, German designers developed a new AA gun based on the 5-ton Sd.Kfz. 6 produced by the company Bussing-NAG. The new AA vehicle had a 37 mm 3,7 cm FlaK 36 L/98 anti-aircraft gun with a 98-calibre long barrel placed on a rotating carriage. The vehicle carried 120 shells, towed by a Sonderanhänger Sd.Ah. 57 trailer. The anti-aircraft gun traveled with spare barrels. The 10.4 ton setup supported a crew of 5 to calculate the gun's trajectory. The anti-aircraft gun's effective rate of fire was 120 rounds per minute. The gun could fire at targets up to an altitude of 4,800 m. In stowed position, the sides of the towing vehicle were raised, and in combat situations they were reclined to facilitate a circular range of fire. The vehicle could reach a speed of 50 km/h and had a maximum range of 317 km. The AA vehicle was produced by the companies Bussing-Nag, Daimler Benz, Böhmisch-Mährischen Maschinenfabrik, and Praga from 1941 to 1943. A total of 339 were built. During production, the gun was fitted with a shield to protect those performing the calculations from bullets and shrapnel. Shield construction varied. At least 200 Sd.Kfz. 6/2 anti-aircraft guns entered the service of the Luftwaffe, and the rest joined the Wehrmacht's anti-aircraft divisions. An anti-aircraft division consisted of 9 AA vehicles. This vehicle was used in combat on all fronts.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Sd.Kfz. 6/2 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

German SPAAs discusses the Sd.Kfz. 6/2 at 1:45 - War Thunder Official Channel

See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• ZiS-43
• CCKW 353 AA
• Lvtdgb m/40

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.

Germany anti-aircraft vehicles
Wheeled	Sd.Kfz.222
Half-track	Sd.Kfz.251/21 · Sd.Kfz. 6/2
Flakpanzer IV	Wirbelwind · Ostwind · Ostwind II · Kugelblitz · Zerstörer 45
Other Flakpanzers	Flakpanzer I · Flakpanzer 38 · Flakpanzer 341
Wiesel AWC	Wiesel 1A4 · Ozelot
Radar SPAAG	Gepard · Gepard 1A2
Missile SPAA	FlaRakPz 1 · FlaRakRad