Sd.Kfz.234/4

This page is about the German tank destroyer Sd.Kfz.234/4. For other versions, see Sd.Kfz.234 (Family).

Sd.Kfz.234/4

Sd.Kfz.234/4

Germany

III Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.7	4.7	4.7

Class:

PREMIUM

Tank destroyer

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Description

The s.Pz.Sp.Wg. (7,5 cm) Sd.Kfz.234/4 (full name: Schwerer Panzerspähwagen 7.5 cm Sonderkraftfahrzeug 234/4 Panzerabwehrkanonenwagen) was a relatively improvised variant on the Sd.Kfz.234 chassis, created in late 1944 to prevent PaK40s from falling behind during the constant retreat of the Germans on all fronts. By removing the superstructure of the Sd.Kfz.234 and installing a PaK 40 mount with a small cut in the bottom half of the shield, the gun could roll into position, take shots, and drive at full speed in reverse.

It was introduced during Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica" in the "Operation S.U.M.M.E.R." event of 2017 that lasted from 28 July to 28 August, unlocked after obtaining 7 tanker Marks of Distinction. The PaK40/3 L46 (75 mm) is powerful enough to destroy most tanks with a single hit. Meanwhile, the Sd.Kfz.234/4 has a top speed of 30-40 km/h in both forward and reverse, allowing for quick relocation. It is possible, though not necessarily required, to use the 75 mm gun and return fire while moving. Terrain features such as bushes and shadows can provide excellent concealment, so make use of them to stay hidden. As a last line of defense, the Sd.Kfz.234/4 is also equipped with a pintle-mounted MG42 machine gun, which provides a high rate of fire for dealing with soft targets and low-flying aircraft.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull30 / 8 / 10

Turret14 / 14 / 10

Crew4 people

Visibility84 %

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour
• Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Vision ports)
• Structural steel (Side skirts)

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 (19-35°) + 4 mm	10 mm (21-46°)	5 mm
Gun shield	4 + 4 mm (18-29°)	N/A	N/A	N/A

Notes:

• Wheels provide 10 mm of armour thickness.
• Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.

The best way to deal with this tank is to immobilize it while sitting outisde of its gun's reach. Because of its low armour values, it can be easily penetrated with 12.7 mm MG fire or HE shells to the open roof. Most armour-piercing shots will simply over-penetrate the vehicle's front armour and will not do much to the crew compartment unless aimed at specific crew or module locations. As such, explosive ammunition is the preferred methods of elimination (overpressure).

Mobility

Reverse gearbox

Forward and backward movement is possible at the same maximum speed

Speedforward / back

AB98 / 98 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

Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	98	98	11.7	298	401	25.47	34.27
Realistic	90	90		186	210	15.9	17.95

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB727

RB818

SB1 128

Crew training10 000

Experts67 000

Aces330

Research Aces570 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 70 / 110 / 130 %

2 × 136 / 136 / 136 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tires Suspension Brake System Filters Transmission Engine	Improved Parts Improved FPE Crew Replenishment	Horizontal Drive 75mm_kwk_37_40_HEAT_ammo_pack Adjustment of Fire Airstrike 75mm_kwk_40_APCR_ammo_pack Elevation Mechanism Improved optics 75mm_ger_Smoke_ammo_pack

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm PaK40/3 L46 cannon

Ammunition36 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

7.6 → 5.9 s

Vertical guidance-5° / 22°

Horizontal guidance-20° / 20°

75 mm PaK40/3 L46					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	36	-5°/+22°	±20°	-	12.3	17.1	20.7	22.9	24.4	7.67	6.78	6.25	5.90
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	APCBC	151	148	135	121	108	96
Hl.Gr 38B	HEAT	80	80	80	80	80	80
PzGr 40	APCR	182	177	159	140	122	107
Sprgr. 34	HE	10	10	10	10	10	10

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	APCBC	792	6.8	1.2	14	28.9	48°	63°	71°
Hl.Gr 38B	HEAT	450	4.4	0.05	0.1	872.1	62°	69°	73°
PzGr 40	APCR	990	4.1	-	-	-	66°	70°	72°
Sprgr. 34	HE	550	5.74	0	0.1	686	79°	80°	81°

Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Screen radius (m)	Screen deploy time (s)	Screen hold time (s)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
K.Gr.Rot Nb.	540	6.2	13	5	20	50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Sd.Kfz.234/4

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
36	31 (+5)	13 (+23)	1 (+35)	No

Notes:

• Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
• Left flank empty: 31 (+5) shells.

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG42 machine gun

Ammunition2 100 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
Pintle	2,100 (150)	1,200	±20°	±45°

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

Pros:

• High muzzle velocity and great penetration power means it is great for long range battles
• Adequate ammo count for prolonged combat
• Can move forward and backwards with equal speed
• Low profile
• Eight-wheel drive gives it good surface traction and handling, much better manoeuvrability
• Doesn't flip when turning

Cons:

• Very weak armour, can be penetrated by aircraft weapons and heavy machine guns
• Open-topped, making it very vulnerable to attacks from the air or overpressure damage
• Limited gun traverse
• Crew compartment is littered with ammo
• Vehicle will be immobilized if the driver is knocked out
• Bad gun depression only -5°

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 L/46 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 theatre 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.234/4 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #58 - Metal Beasts section at 08:00 discusses the Sd.Kfz.234/4.

Best armored cars discusses the Sd.Kfz.234/4 at 4:37 - War Thunder Official Channel

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

• [Devblog] Sd.Kfz.234/4 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen