Wespe Self-Propelled Artillery

The SdKfz 124 Wespe self-propelled artillery was a 105-mm field howitzer mounted on the chassis of the Panzer II light tank. In the Summer of 1942, the German 105mm leFH 18 field howitzer was set up behind an open-topped armored shield on the rear portion of the tank hull. Maximum armor thickness of the steel shield was 18-mm. The next year, in 1943, it was assigned to front line units of the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front.

The Wespe self-propelled howitzer was so successful in its artillery fire support role that Adolf Hitler himself ordered that all available Panzer II chassis should be allocated to the Wespe alone. The main factory of the mobile artillery piece was located in Famo, Poland. There, production of this weapon was fast, and by mid 1944 more than 600 Wespe self-propelled howitzers had been built.

A typical Wespe went into action carrying its crew of five, which included the driver, and 32 rounds of ammunition. A battery of this artillery piece was completely mobile, with the forward observer being carried in light-armored vehicles. The fire orders were relayed back to the battery by radio from the advanced observation point.

Specifications

Type: self-propelled howitzer

Artillery Piece Caliber: 105mm

Weight: 11,000 kg

Length: 4.81 m

Width: 2.28 m

Height: 2.3 m

Powerplant: one Maybach, 6-cylinder, gasoline engine, developing 140 HP.

Maximum Speed: 40 km/h (24.85 mph)

Range: 220 km (137 miles)

Armament: one 105mm howitzer and one 7.92mm machine gun.

Crew: 5

Below, the Wespe self-propelled artillery on the Eastern Front in 1944.

The mobile leFH 18 providing fire support to the German Infantry.