Sd.Kfz.251 was the most produced German halftrack of the war, with more than 15,000 units. This version armed with the 75mm KwK-37 L/24 gun was officially designated Sd.Kfz.251/9, although the troops gave it the unattractive nickname of “Stummel” or “stump”.Sd.Kfz.251 C and D variants were selected to install the same gun mount installed in Stug-III self propelled gun. Later in 1944, and with the purpose of facilitating the production, a new gun mount was designed that would be installed in several more light vehicles, then, the 75mm gun was redesignated as K51 (Sf).Sd.Kfz.251/9 was a powerful fire support vehicle for the Panzergrenadier infantry and its gun had good anti-tank capabilities. This gun had a traverse of 12º on each side and an elevation of -10º to + 12º. In addition, the Stummel had two 7.92mm MG.34 or MG.42 machine guns.KwK-37 L/24 gun fired the Pzgr.39 round, capable of penetrating up to 45mm of armor at 1,000 meters distance, and the anti-tank Pzgr.38 HL round, that penetrated 100mm at the same distance. The Stummel carried 52 projectiles for the gun and 2,000 rounds for the machine guns.The Sd.Kfz.251/9 were framed in the Reconnaissance Batallions within the Armored Divisions. They supported the Panzergrenadieres units that had the Sd.Kfz.251 as their standard armoured personnel carriers, although their use was not generalized and usually only one Battalion of each Panzergrenadier Division had these vehicles.
