It is important to remember that Sturmgeschütz were concieved as infantry support vehicles and were originally part of the artillery branch. In the early way the platoon leader's vehicle was a leichter, gepanzer Beobachtungskraftwagen (light armored observation half track) Sd.Kfz.253.
Sd.Kfz.253 The Sd.Kfz.253 was based on the chassis later used by the Sd.Kfz.250. The superstructure had a closed crew compartment and a flat cupola (offest left of middle) mounted on the roof. The cupola hatches opened to the side and each contained a cut out to allow scissor periscopes to be deployed. Behind the cupola, a rectangular hatch was installed (hinged on the right side). A wooden trough ran along the right top of the superstructure to protect the 2 meter antenna in the down position. A once piece access door was mounted in the rear left side of the superstructure. The 253 carried two Fu. 15 receivers and a Fu. 16 transceiver as well as a backpack radio
Delivery of the Sd.Kfz.253 began in August, 1940 and production ceased in June 1941 after the startup and delivery of the leichte Beobachtungspanzerwagen (light observation halk track) Sd.Kfz.250/4. In total 285 Sd.Kfz.253's were delivered.
Sd.Kfz.250/4 The Sd.Kfz.250 was produced in many variants. Sturmgeschütz units received the Sd.Kfz.250/4* which contained aditional radio and observation equipment for command and control duties. The 250/4 carried two Fu. 15 receivers (2 meter rod antenna) and a Fu. 16 transceiver (2 meter star antenna) as well as a backpack radio
Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. E The StuG III Ausf. E, was a modification of the Ausf. D and designed as a platoon command vehicle. The Ausf. E carried carried two Fu. 15 receivers (right pannier) and a Fu. 16 transmitter (left pannier). Subesquent variants of the StuG carried either two Fu. 15 receivers or two Fu. 15 receivers and a Fu. 16 transceiver, depending on their function.
Radios
Equipment
Description
Frequency range (kilocycles)
Aerial
Range Kilometers (Miles)
Fu. 15
Ultra short wave receiver "h" (UKw.E.h)
23000-24950
2-Meter Rod
Fu. 16
10 watt transmitter "h" (10 W.S.h)
2-Meter Rod
4 (2.5)
2 (1.3)
Ultra short wave receiver "h" (UKw.E.h)
23000-24950
2-Meter Rod
*Initially Sd.Kfz. 250/4 designation was assigned to a leichte Truppenluftschützpanzerwagen or light antiaircraft variant armed with a dual MG34 mount that never reached production. Subsequently the 250/4 designation was used to identify the command and observation vehicle assigned to Sturmgeschütz units
Sd.Kfz. 253
Sd.Kfz. 250/4
StuG III Ausf. E
Sources SPIELBERGER, Walter J.Sturmgeschutz & Its Variants, (Spielberger German Armor & Military Vehicles Series, Vol 2). Schiffer Publishing, 1993
