Wespe

Wespe
Wespe at the Deutsches Panzermuseum in Munster, Germany
Type	Self-propelled artillery
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
In service	1943 - 1945
Used by	Nazi Germany
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	Alkett
Designed	1942
Manufacturer	Famo-Ursus
Produced	1943 - 1944
Number built	676
Variants	ammunition carrier
Specifications
Weight	11 tonnes (24,250 lb)
Length	4.81 m (15 ft 9 in)
Width	2.28 m (7 ft 6 in)
Height	2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Crew	5 (commander, driver, three gunners)
Armor	5 - 30 mm (.19 - 1.18 in)
Main armament	1x 10.5 cm leFH 18/2 L/28 with 40 rounds
Engine	6-cyl petrol Maybach HL 62 TR 140 PS (138 hp, 103 kW)
Power/weight	12.7 PS/tonne
Suspension	leaf spring
Operational range	220 km (137 mi)
Speed	40 km/h (25 mph)

The Sd. Kfz. 124 Wespe (German for "wasp"), also known as Leichte Feldhaubitze 18/2 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II (Sf.) ("Light field howitzer 18 on Panzer II chassis (self-propelled)"), was a German self-propelled artillery vehicle developed and used during the Second World War. It was based on a modified Panzer II chassis.

In 1940, during the Battle of France, it was apparent that the intermediate tank of the German forces, the Panzer II, was unsuitable as a main battle tank. Though mechanically sound, it was both under-gunned and under-armoured. The chassis, however, proved servicable for providing mobility to the 10.5 cm field howitzer. Existing chassis were converted to self-propelled artillery vehicles, just as had been done with the Marder II, which was a conversion designed to provide mobility to the PaK 40/7.5 cm anti-tank gun.

The design for the Wespe was produced by Alkett, and was based on the Panzer II Ausf. F chassis. Alkett had earlier worked with Alfred Becker to convert captured French armoured vehicles into self-propelled artillery carriers. Amongst other modifications to the Panzer II, the engine was moved forward and the chassis was slightly lengthened to gain sufficient space for the rear-mounted 10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzer. The superstructure was lightly armored, with 10 mm armor plate (enough to stop small arms fire) and was open at the top and to the rear. The vehicles were produced by FAMO's Ursus plant in Warsaw.

The Wespe was in production from February 1943 until June 1944, when Soviet forces approached the frontier. By that time, 676 had been produced. An additional 159 were modified to serve as mobile artillery ammunition carriers.

The Wespe first saw combat in 1943 on the Eastern Front. It proved very successful, and Hitler ordered all production of Panzer II chassis to be utilized in the production of the Wespe alone, dropping other projects, such as the Marder II self-propelled anti-tank gun.