After Germany was forbidden usign any kind of tactical vehicles by the Versalles Treaty, the German government reached an agreement with the USSR at the end of the 20s (Rapallo Treaty) for settling a common plant of development and experiment of armored vehicles.
Under top secret and with the name of "Gepanzerte Mannschafft Transporwagen", the predeccesors of the 234 series were born. During 1926-1927, Daimler Benz and Magirus developed a vehicle of 8 wheels, while Büssing Nag did the same with an amphibiuos 10 wheels vehicle, fitting the requirements of the government.
The German Army only gained experience from these designs, as they still had to train with fake vehicles, commercial chassis with wooden or fabric superstructure. Anyway they were able to set up and improve the units and tactics that were to be succesfully employed later, in the Second World War
The first reconnoissance vehicle was the Kfz 13, in 1934. It had four wheels and was hardly used in combat, but it served as a base for a long series of 4, 6 and 8 wheels vehicles.
The most direct ancestor of the 234 were the 8 wheels GS chassis, namely SdKfz 231, 232, 233 y 263, from which it got part of its mechanichal components and general guidelines of design.
234/1 Mounting a "Hängelafette 38" (swinging mount) with a 2cm Kw.K.38 and one MG 42
234/2 Mounting a narrow profile turret with a 5cm Kw.K.39/1 and one MG 42
234/3 With a 7,5 cm Kw.K.51 L/24 in a K51 (Sf)mount, coaxial MG 42 and AA mounted MG
234/4 With a PaK 40 L/46 and one MG 42 in AA mount
According to Jentz, the 101 units of the 234/2 produced were distributed as follows:
-Panzer Lehr Div. (1 Kompanie/PzAufkAbt 130): 25 units. Painted in dark yellow and without numerals or crosses.
- 2 PzDiv (1.Kompanie/PzAufkAbt 2): 25 units. Some of its vehicles seem painted dark yellow without any marking (not even license plates) but a small trident and the Aufklärungs insignia, both on the front of the hull, at the left. Others, like the well knwon 111 carried 3 tone camo, crosses and numerals.
- 1 SSPzDiv (SSPzAufkAbt 1): 16 units. painted in dark yellow with camo, probably 3 tone. They also carried crosses and numerals (3 digits)
- 20 PzDiv ( PzAufkAbt 20): 16 units. There is a photo of a Puma white washed, in Silesia.
- 7 PzDiv (1Kompanie/ PzAufkAbt 7): 6 units
- 13 PzDiv: not known.
Here is a SdKfz 234/4 with 75mm ->
