VK 5.01 (muničné vozidlo)

Gepanzerter Munitions-Schlepper (VK 5.01)
In 1943, a project for an armoured ammunition vehicle Gepanzert Munitionsschlepper VK 5.01 from Bad Oeynhausen was drawn up on the drawing boards of the Weserhütte company. The machine was to have a unique suspension using coil springs and was to have five overlapping running wheels, similar to the Panthers and Tigers. Mass production was planned. 6000 units for infantry units and 2000 for artillery units.

When discussing the specifications at a meeting in Bad Oyenhausen on 1.6.1943, the following vehicle parameters were specified.

length: 3830 mm
width: 2220 mm
height: 1690 mm
speed min. 30 km/h
armouring up to 20 mm of lesser quality steel
load capacity: 2000 kg
load weight in tow: 2000 kg
engine: 4,2l Maybach NL 38 TR from Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B(100k)
fuel consumption: 100 l/100 km
fuel tank capacity: 220 l
dimensions of the internal transport compartment (l/w/v): 1300/1200/1100mm
crew: 2 (driver,gunner) + 2-3 men sitting on the seat in the rear of the vehicle
armament: 1 x machine gun MG 34/MG 42 calibre 7,92 mm
belts and running wheels were not to use scarce rubber

Wooden mock-ups were to be made and after reviewing them, a decision was to be made on the further fate of the project.

Oberamtman Krenzer demanded the following design changes:

- reduce the overall height of the vehicle to 1550 mm
- move the doors to the right side and the engine to the left
- increase the maximum towing capacity to over 2000kg, to allow for the towing of 7.5 cm anti-tank guns and 15 cm sIG howitzers

Dipl.Ing. Peitz, after an inspection in Oyenhausen and an assessment of the wooden models, decided to produce three prototypes. One piece was to have torsion suspension and two pieces were to have a spring-suspended chassis. There were problems with the availability of high quality armoured steel and therefore, if there was enough of it, higher quality steel plates (12 mm thick) were to be used, whose protective effect against infantry gun fire and shell splinters was to be the same with the smaller thickness as with the lesser quality steel of greater thickness (20 mm).
The comments were incorporated into the design, except for the location of the engine (it was on the right side) and the doors for ammunition loading/unloading and crew egress (it was on the left side).
One prototype fell into Allied hands in 1945.

Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louise Doyle - Gepanzerte Nachschub Fahrzeuge (Armored Supply/Ammunition Vehicles) VK 3.01 to schwere Wehrmacht-Schlepper, Panzer Tracts No.17, year of publication 2004, ISBN: 0-9744862-4-8
Water J. Spielberger - Beute-Kraftfahrzeuge Und -Panzer Der Deutschen Wehrmacht, Motorbuch, ISBN 3613012553 / 9783613012554 / 3-613-01255-3


In these publications, the misconception established about this vehicle, which for a long time and often even today has been and is considered to be a vehicle intended for the transport of infantry, i.e. an infantry fighting vehicle, has been set straight.
VK 5.01 (muničné vozidlo) - Maketa vozidla.

Maketa vozidla.
VK 5.01 (muničné vozidlo) -


VK 5.01 (muničné vozidlo) -


URL : https://www.valka.cz/VK-5-01-municne-vozidlo-t34723#125864 Version : 0
A copy of the transcript of the American report dated May 19, 1945 and photographs from the original report.

National Archives (NARA)

VK 5.01 (muničné vozidlo) -


VK 5.01 (muničné vozidlo) -


VK 5.01 (muničné vozidlo) -


VK 5.01 (muničné vozidlo) -


VK 5.01 (muničné vozidlo) -


VK 5.01 (muničné vozidlo) -


VK 5.01 (muničné vozidlo) -


URL : https://www.valka.cz/VK-5-01-municne-vozidlo-t34723#125865 Version : 0
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