CZK - DTP na podvozku Hkl 6p (dílna technické pomoci)

In 1956, the intention arose to develop a technical support workshop (DTP), which would operate directly on the battle line. For this reason, it had to be a vehicle that had good terrain and adequate crew protection of the crew. The headquarters of the tank and mechanized troops therefore counted using the platform of the prototype of the new Czechoslovak armored personnel carrier OT-810 or the platform of the captured German armored personnel carrier Sd .Kfz. 251.
The vehicle was to serve as a transport for the crew of the repair team and for the transport of the necessary spare parts and aggregates. The equipment of the vehicle was to include its own autogenous cutter and welding machine, tools for locksmith and plumbing work, tools and parts for repairing electrical equipment, etc. At the same time, the DTP was to be used for rescuing and towing light vehicles. In the case of the use of weapons of mass destruction, the crew was also to carry out the demolition of equipment. It could also serve as a medical vehicle.
The DTP was to represent the operatic means of the Deputy Commander for Technical Affairs of the battalion or regiment. The Deputy Commander for Technical Affairs would work in a mobile technical observatory on the platform OT-810 or Hkl 6p (Sd.kfz. 251), the development of which was given in the same period.
On April 24, 1956, there was a proposal for the development of DTP on the research board of the Commander of the Tank and Mechanized Army with representatives of the 1st Military District and the 2nd Military District, the Military Technical Academy and 13. tank division. He probably founded a task card in 4/1956 npor. Janousek and approved by the commander of VTMV General Janko.
Due to the ease of necessary modifications of the platform, the project was quickly developed and the prototype was to be completed by March 30, 1957. The financial administration of the NGO set aside CZK 50,000 for work related to this project.
Since the OT-810 was still in development at the time, it was not possible to use its platform. Therefore, the platform of the captured German transporter Hkl 6p (Sd.Kfz. 251 Ausf. D) was used to build a prototype DTP. The vehicle registration number 66433 was used. It was a machine repaired by Škoda and 8.4.1949 delivered to the unit Infantry Battalion 13 (motorized).
The bumper was mounted on the front of the vehicle together with a winch from the American armored personnel carrier M3 in the Czechoslovak army called "International" ( M5A1, M14). The rope on the winch was 16 mm thick and 20-30 meters long. The autogenous cutter was to be used for cutting armor plates 5 - 50 mm thick. Inside the vehicle was a workbench with a vice and a set of hand tools. Inside there were also cabinets for consumables and crew equipment, part of the set of electrical engineering, for auxiliary starting vehicles the vehicle carried a pair of 12/24 V batteries with a capacity of 120 Ah and a pair of air cylinders 150 kg/cm ² (as in the tank T-34/85). In addition, two water tanks were transported, each with a capacity of 100 liters. They were used as water heaters to fill the radiators of combat vehicles. A hand pump was available to pump this fluid. Four 20 liter oil canisters, two antifreeze canisters and two rubber water bags, each with a volume of 10 liters, were also transported.
The crew had two sails with dimensions of 2x3 meters, which they used as protection against rain. There was a spotlight for repairs during the night. Stretchers were also available to remove the wounded. The radio station RM-31 was available to connect to the units, the driver had an infrared telescope available for night rides. The crew had a camouflage net, vehicle smoke and a fire extinguisher.
Tests of the prototype took place in the years 1957-1958, first at the Scientific and Technical Polygon in Doksy. In 1958, a prototype was provided for testing by selected units of the Czechoslovak Army.
However, the development was stopped in 1958 due to the failure to include vehicles in the tables of peace figures.
In the 60s of the 20th century, the tank army introduced DTP-62 and motorized rifle divisions DTP-64 .

According to the memories of a former soldier by profession Dušan Hradecký, the DTP on the platform of the original Sd.Kfz. 251 was located in Rančířov near Jihlava until 1991 (!). It was supposed to be about 8. tank regiment in subordination 4. tank division. According to his memoirs, the vehicle was originally German and refuses to confuse the Czechoslovak mutation OT-810. The lord has been dealing with military history for many decades and, according to his colleagues, he has been informed that he has been there since the war. He states that the vehicle had all the characteristics of German vehicles, including the German Maybach engine. He recalls that the vehicle was originally an engineer version ( Sd.Kfz. 251/7?). The vehicle was to take part in every military exercise. After 1991, it was to be scrapped. Information about the preserved German half-belts until the early 1990s is not unique.

Martin Dubánek - Prototype of technical assistance workshop on HKL 6p chassis, Military revue magazine 12/2009, ISSN: 0027-8211
Jiří Frýba - Armored personnel carrier OT-810, Grada Publishing, year of publication 2017, ISBN: 978-80-271-0231-0
Communication with Dušan Hradecký (former professional soldier in the years 1988-1997 VÚ-3276 Jihlava, 8th Tank Regiment/ 4th Panzer Division)