G96 20mm Flak with Protze?

[Cav Dog]

Does anybody know if the Protze models come with the tarps as part of the casting or if the tarps are a separate piece? If they are a separate piece, will it fit on the G97 Protze that has an open top?

[Ritter]

Its a one-piece casting (tarp and vehicle) but the Krupp Protze blister comes without tarp molded.

Troy

[Cav Dog]

Thanks, Troy. That is what I was afraid of. I am working on some Bulge Motorized Panzer Grenadiers and I already have the open topped Protzes. The PGs were tough but I doubt even they rode around Belgium in open top trucks in December of '44. As a follow up question, if I have to buy new trucks, what would the appropriate model be for that late in the war?

[Ritter]

Panzergrenadiers officially lost their organic transport in 1944. This is not to say that they would not have any trucks only the OFFICIAL TO&E does not list them as having any. I imagine that retained trucks, stolen civilian and enemy booty would still be found within the unit.

It must have been rough man-packing the 81mm mortars and HMGs of the Schwere Platoon!

Prior to that, I believe the structure was:
Platoon HQ , 3 x Panzergrenadier squads, 2 x Kfz. 1 Kubelwagons, and 3 x Opel Blitz trucks per platoon.

So I would buy the G97 Kfz. 70 krupp protze for '39 to '42, G25 3-ton Opel Blitz '42-'43 and pretty much anything goes after that.

Troy

[Mk 1]

Ritter wrote:
Panzergrenadiers officially lost their organic transport in 1944. This is not to say that they would not have any trucks only the OFFICIAL TO&E does not list them as having any. I imagine that retained trucks, stolen civilian and enemy booty would still be found within the unit.

Pictures from 1944 and 1945 usually show the grenadiers riding on the panzers. Easier done on a Panther than a Pz IVj, to be sure. Pretty crowded onto them, too. Guess they learned it on the Eastern Front, but it was quite evident on the Western Front.

As to trucks, indeed the Opel Blitz. But German motor transport was a real menagerie. If you are building up a truck-born force, I'd suggest making it about 1/2 per TO&E, and filling it out to about 3/4 strength with out-of-sorts items. A few Bedfords, GMCs or Sudebakers, and a Renault truck or three would not be out of place. I would expect that civilian trucks were pretty rare in German hands by 1944, most having been confiscated and used-up during 1941/42/43 timeframe.

[pmskaar]

Not a whole lot to add to what Ritter and Mk I have already said but it appears that the Krupp Protze is more appropriate for early war through 1942. In North Africa I have yet to see any pictures of these although there may have been some - just haven't seen any pictures. Perhaps there may have been an occasional one of these still in service late in the war if available but it appears that they were not widely used after 1942.
The Opel Blitz and other similar types appear more common in North Africa and the German army in general as the war continued.
Now for my own question. Having purchased some of the Flames of War supplements such as Hitler's Fire Brigade and Desert Fox, I am left with the impression that the Germans used a lot of Steyr type vehicles as troop transports for Panzer Grenidiers. Is this accurate or is this some sort of inaccuracy from the folks at Battlefront? I really would like to know so I can correctly mount my troops when I'm ready. I know there was often a variety of various truck types including captured ones but I am specifically interested in the Steyr which GHQ makes in 2 versions plus an additional van body.

Pete - Binpicker, Out!

[Mickel]

In one of the Osprey Battle Of The Bulge books Zaloga refers to Panzer Grenadiers mounted up in their Steyr trucks, for what it's worth. Rightly or wrongly, my early war German motorised infantry are running around in them (or will be, once they're painted)

Mike