Kfz 13
Armoured car
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Kfz. 13 (also Maschinengewehr-Kraftwagen) was the first armoured reconnaissance vehicle introduced by the Reichswehr after the First World War and, by 1935, 147 units of this lightly armoured vehicle had been delivered to the fleet. The Kfz. 13 was based on a civilian car, the Adler Standard 6.[1] Although the Kfz. 13 was equipped with all-wheel drive, the vehicle had poor cross-country capability and the added weight led to overheating. The unarmed version, the Kfz. 14 communications vehicle, was equipped with a radio set instead of the machine gun.[2][3]
| Kfz 13 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type | Armoured car |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1933–1941 |
| Used by | Germany |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Daimler-Benz |
| Produced | 1932–35 |
| No. built | 187 147 Kfz 13, 40 Kfz. 14 |
| Variants | Kfz 14 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2.1 t (2.1 long tons; 2.3 short tons) |
| Length | 4.2 m (14 ft) |
| Width | 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Crew | 2 (Kfz 13) 3 (Kfz 14) |
| Armor | 8 mm (0.31 in) |
Main armament | MG 13, later MG 34 with 1,000 rounds of ammunition |
| Engine | Adler "Standard 6" water-cooled six cylinder 2,916 cm³ inline engine 51 hp (38 kW) |
| Fuel capacity | 70 litres (15 imp gal) |
Operational range | 380 km (240 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 70 km/h (43 mph) road |
The Kfz. 13 & 14, along with other armored reconnaissance cars, spearheaded the Invasion of Poland, where it was found that their thin armor was readily penetrated by Polish anti-tank weapons. By the time Poland surrendered, 23 cars of both types had been destroyed. The cars next saw action in the Battle of France, where they once again saw losses, but performed a bit better due to the better roads there. The vehicles continued being used in the Balkans and invasion of the Soviet Union. All of the cars sent to the Soviet Union were destroyed by 1941 and all remaining cars were retired from active service that same year, afterwards only being used for training or by second-line troops.[2]
