280018 SdKfz 251/1 Ausf D (aka 251D)

The SdKfz 251 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251) half-track was an armored fighting vehicle designed and first built by the Hanomag Company during World War II.  Used by the Wehrmacht, the Sd.Kfz. 251 was designed to transport the panzergrenadiers of the German mechanized infantry corps into battle.  Sd.Kfz. 251s were the most widely produced German half-tracks of the war, with at least 15,252 vehicles and variants produced by various manufacturers, and were commonly referred to simply as “Hanomags” by both German and Allied soldiers. There were four main model modifications (Ausführung A through D), which formed the basis for at least 22 variants.  The initial idea was for a vehicle that could be used to transport a single squad of panzergrenadiers to the battlefield protected from enemy small arms fire, and with some protection from artillery fire.  In addition, the standard mounting of at least one MG34 or MG42 machine gun allowed the vehicle to provide support by fire for the infantry squad