Wehrmacht Maultiers

The Wehrmacht command in its plans for conducting a lightning war well understood the role of vehicles. Reliable provision of mobility of combat units, delivery of military cargo, ammunition, transportation of personnel, weapons and other tasks were assigned to trucks. However, with the onset of autumn 1941, in the off-road conditions of the Eastern Front, thousands of Wehrmacht cars began to get stuck in wet soil and snow. It was decided to put on part of the trucks instead of the rear axle tracked trolley. This was done as part of the ‘Maultier’ (Mule) program – the creation of a half-track cross-country freight transport for the needs of the Wehrmacht. In 1942, German industry began to produce half-track cars based on three-ton trucks, among which were the KHD S3000/SS M of Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz (on the KHD S3000 chassis) and Ford V3000S/SS M (on the Ford V30 chassis).

The KHD-produced Maultier received the military index Sd.Kfz.3c, and the Ford version received Sd.Kfz.3b., and Ford – Sd.Kfz.3b. Machines were universal and had excellent cross-country ability, they transported personnel and cargo off-road, towed guns, with automatic guns installed in the body were used as anti-aircraft self-propelled guns, and variants with a closed body could be used as army ambulances. Starting in 1943, simplified cabs (“Einheitsfahrerhaus”) began to be installed on Wehrmacht trucks, this was done in order to simplify production. In turn, some Maultiers were equipped with such cabins.