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The Wespe (German for wasp) was a German self-propelled artillery vehicle during World War II based on the Panzer II tank.
Overview
In 1940, during the Battle of France, it was quite apparent that the main tank of the German forces, the Panzer II, was unsuitable as a direct combat vehicle, both underarmed and underarmored, though it proved mechanically sound. Thus, when the need then arose for a self-propelled artillery vehicle, the Panzer II was a natural choice, removing the vehicles from frontline service and extending their useable lifespan.
The design for the Wespe was done by Alkett, based on the Panzer II Ausf F chassis. Production of the vehicles were primarily done at various plants in Poland. The conversion process itself proved relatively simple, replacing the Panzer II turret with a 105 mm howitzer and gun-shield.
The Wespe first saw combat in 1943 on the Eastern Front, and proved so successful that Hitler ordered all Panzer II production was to be reserved for the Wespe alone, dropping other projects such as the Marder II.
The Wespe stayed in production from 2/1943 until mid-1944 when Soviet forces captured the Polish factories. By that time 662 examples were produced, with an additional 158 as weaponless ammunition carriers.
External links
- Achtung Panzer! (http://www.achtungpanzer.com/wespe.htm)
- AFV Database (http://afvdb.50megs.com/germany/wespe.html)
- OnWar (http://www.onwar.com/tanks/germany/tfwespe.htm)
- War Gamer (http://www.wargamer.com/Hosted/Panzer/artillery.htm)
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