Product Details

Sd.Kfz.3 Maultier (Mule) is the name given to series of half-track trucks used by Germans during World War II. They were based on Opel, Mercedes-Benz, Alfa-Romeo or Ford trucks. Soon after invading Russia, German troops discovered that their wheeled transport vehicles were unsuitable for the sparse road network, particularly in the muddy conditions of the rasputitsa. Only half tracks like the Sd.Kfz.11 could haul supplies to forward units in these conditions, but removing them from their combat role for supply duties was not feasible, so it was decided to produce half-tracked versions of standard Opel, Daimler-Benz, Alfa-Romeo and Ford trucks (lorries) by removing their rear axles, truncating the prop shafts and connecting them to redundant Panzer I track assemblies. Heavier trucks (4 tons payload) were fitted with Panzer II track assemblies.