SdKfz 251 8 3D model

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The SdKfz 251, Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251, was a medium half-track armored personnel carrier from the Second World War era in Germany. Produced by Hanomag in 1938, this versatile vehicle was based on the artillery tractor Sd Kfz 11 and rolled off the production lines continuously from June 1939 to March 1945. Throughout WWII, alongside its lightweight counterpart SdKfz 250, the SdKfz 251 served as Germany's primary armored transporter and also functioned as a platform for developing various combat vehicles with diverse capabilities. During World War II, in terms of production volume, only the American M3 Armored Personnel Carrier exceeded the numbers produced by the SdKfz 251. In addition to its significant deployment within Germany's armed forces, the vehicle was supplied to the nation's allies, albeit in small quantities. Following WWII, a modernized version of this armored vehicle emerged in Czechoslovakia until its production ceased in Detva at the plant Podpolyansk strojarne in 1962. It remained in use by Czechoslovakian armed forces through much of the 1980s and was officially retired in 1995. One notable variant, designated as Sd. Kfz.251/8, had a specific function: serving as an armored ambulance with space to accommodate either two recumbent and four sedentary patients or eight wounded who were sitting upright during transportation.