Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD

This page is about the German tank destroyer Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD. For other versions, see Sd.Kfz.234 (Family).

Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD

Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD

Germany

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.7	3.7	3.7

Class:

Light tank

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

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Description

The s.Pz.Sp.Wg. (5 cm 39/1 L60) is a Twitch drop version of the Sd.Kfz.234/2 with identifier 'Red 18'.

It was introduced during Update "Ixwa Strike" as a reward for watching Enlisted streams on Twitch.tv. A respectable armoured car, the Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD presents great speed and a significant 50 mm KwK39 cannon. Due to its status as a light tank, and thus having the ability to scout, it should put more emphasis on its speed to put itself in an advantageous position to sight targets for allies, with its gun only for emergencies should an enemy vehicle try to get an upper hand on the vehicle.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades

Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle

Armourfront / side / back

Hull30 / 8 / 10

Turret30 / 14 / 14

Crew4 people

Visibility84 %

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour
• Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Vision ports)
• Wheel (Tires)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	30 mm (40°) Front plate 15 mm (70°), 30 mm (55°) Front glacis 30 mm (35°) Lower glacis	8 mm (34-35°) Top 8 (10-35°) + 4 mm	10 mm (21°) Upper glacis 10 mm + 10 mm (46°) Lower glacis	15 (20°) Driver compartment 5 mm Crew & engine compartments
Turret	30 mm (20°) Turret front 30 + 50 mm (conical) Gun mantlet	14.5 mm (24-25°)	14.5 mm (25°) 8 mm (22°) Pistol port	8 mm

Notes:

• Torsion bars and wheels are 10 mm thick.
• Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
• Mudguards and storage boxes are 4 mm thick.
• Vision ports on car body are 10 mm thick.

Mobility

Reverse gearbox

Forward and backward movement is possible at the same maximum speed

Speedforward / back

AB100 / 100 km/h

RB and SB90 / 90 km/h

Number of gears7 forward

7 back

Weight11.7 t

Engine power

AB401 hp

RB and SB210 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB34.3 hp/t

RB and SB17.9 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	100	100	11.7	325	401	27.78	34.27
Realistic	90	90		186	210	15.9	17.95

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB318 → 461

RB375 → 544

SB445 → 646

Total cost of modifications6 940

6 760

Talisman cost530

Crew training3 000

Experts10 000

Aces115

Research Aces160 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

30 / 30 / 40 %

112 / 112 / 112 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tires Research: 350 Cost: 340 75 Suspension Research: 310 Cost: 300 70 Brake System Research: 310 Cost: 300 70 Filters Research: 350 Cost: 340 75 Transmission Research: 560 Cost: 550 125 Engine Research: 560 Cost: 550 125	Improved Parts Research: 350 Cost: 340 75 Improved FPE Research: 310 Cost: 300 70 Crew Replenishment Research: 350 Cost: 340 75	Horizontal Drive Research: 350 Cost: 340 75 50mm_kwk_38_39_APCR1_ammo_pack Research: 350 Cost: 340 75 Adjustment of Fire Research: 310 Cost: 300 70 Airstrike Research: 310 Cost: 300 70 Elevation Mechanism Research: 350 Cost: 340 75 50mm_kwk_38_39_APCR2_ammo_pack Research: 350 Cost: 340 75 Smoke grenade Research: 350 Cost: 340 75 Artillery Support Research: 560 Cost: 550 125 Improved optics Research: 560 Cost: 550 125

Armaments

Main armament

50 mm KwK.39/1 cannon

Ammunition55 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

4.8 → 3.7 s

Vertical guidance-10° / 20°

50 mm KwK.39/1					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	55	-10°/+20°	±180°	N/A	13.3	18.4	22.4	24.8	26.4	4.81	4.25	3.92	3.70
Realistic					8.3	9.8	11.9	13.2	14.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
		10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
PzGr 39	APC	106	101	83	65	50	39
PzGr 40/1	APCR	130	121	90	62	43	29
PzGr 40	APCR	137	126	88	56	36	23
Sprgr. 38	HE	12	11	9	7	6	5

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
PzGr 39	APC	835	2.05	1.2	9	28.9	48°	63°	71°
PzGr 40/1	APCR	1,130	1.07	-	-	-	66°	70°	72°
PzGr 40	APCR	1,180	0.9	-	-	-	66°	70°	72°
Sprgr. 38	HE	870	1.82	0.4	0.1	217.6	79°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	7th rack empty	8th rack empty	9th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
55	33 (+22)	29 (+26)	25 (+30)	21 (+34)	17 (+38)	13 (+42)	9 (+46)	5 (+50)	1 (+54)	No

Ammo racks of the Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG42 machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition1 950 rounds

Belt capacity150 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate1 200 shots/min

7.92 mm MG42
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	1,950 (150)	1,200	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Pros and cons

Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".

Pros:

Cons:

History

Development

The blitzkrieg tactics in Poland and France gave the Germans a new appreciation of mobile and lethal reconnaissance vehicles. The Germans especially valued the armoured cars due to their speed, firepower, and their pre-war build-up as they were not restricted by the Versailles Treaty. The Germans started with armoured cars like the Sd.Kfz.231 family, each with different armaments. However, these vehicles had its flaws and in August 1940, Germany sought a replacement following the conclusion of the Battle of France.

The new vehicle was built off an improved Sd.Kfz.232 chassis made in monocoque construction by Büssing-NAG, its armoured body was made by Deutsche Edelstahlwerke, the turret by Daimler-Benz and Schichau, and air-cooled diesel engines by Ringhoffer-Tatra-Werke AG. The monocoque chassis design was built with an eight-wheel steering system, six forward and reverse gears, as well as having an additional driver seat in the rear for quick reversal get-aways. This construction led to Sd.Kfz.234 family. Vehicle construction first started in 1943 as the Sd.Kfz.234/2, which had a turret originally intended for the VK 1602 Leopard mounting a 5 cm L/60 gun, construction continued on this vehicle until mid-1944. The Sd.Kfz.234/2 earned the nickname "Puma" from the soldiers using it.

Production for Sd.Kfz.234/2 shifted towards other armaments in 1944 that replaced the original. This produced variants such as the Sd.Kfz.234/1 which replaced the turret with an open-top one carrying a 2 cm KwK38, this was produced between mid-1944 to early 1945. Right besides that, the Sd.Kfz.234/3 was produced with an open-top structure to mount a 75 mm howitzer, this was produced from mid-1944 until the end of 1944. At the Sd.Kfz.234/3's production end, it was replaced by the Sd.Kfz.234/4, also known as the "Pakwagen", that had the armament replaced by a 7.5 cm PaK40 anti-tank gun. This last variant was produced from the end of 1944 to the capitulation of Germany in World War II. A total of 478 Sd.Kfz.234 armoured cars were produced, 200 of the 234/1, 101 of the 234/2, 88 of the 234/3, and 89 of the 234/4.

Combat usage

The Sd.Kfz.234 cars were originally intended for the conflicts in North Africa. However, the engine development took abnormally long to complete and by the time it was ready, the North African theater had concluded. Nevertheless, they served in the Western and Eastern front with success, but was impeded by its low production count.

The Sd.Kfz. 234/2 variant was arguably the most popular, as the staple of the 234 family. The vehicle served in the Panzer Lehr Division, 1st and 2nd SS Panzer Division, 2nd, 7th, 13th, and 20th Panzer Division. The Sd.Kfz.234 in the recon companies were allocated in 19 or 25 vehicles per division, further split into platoons up to six vehicles and one as the headquarters. However, due to their low production numbers, this allocation was rarely kept in full strength in the war,

The Sd.Kfz.234 first saw combat in Normandy after D-Day in the stationed Panzer Lehr and 2nd Panzer Division in the Sd.Kfz.234/2 variant. The divisions used these vehicles in recon roles until their withdrawal behind the Seine River, with Panzer Lehr having 8 Sd.Kfz.234/2 of the original 26 it had. These divisions were rebuilt in the fall of 1944 with the Sd.Kfz.234/1 and Sd.Kfz.234/3 after the 234/2 ceased production.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD from live.warthunder.com.
• Skins and camouflages for the Sd.Kfz.234/2 can be used for the Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD.

Videos

Twitch Drop vehicle April 9th to12th - Puma TD - 8Bit Dane

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the vehicles;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

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