The Kettenkrad Sd.Kfz.2 - Type HK-101

51 Pages·1991·10.11 MB·English

by  Friedhelm Abel, This book offers numerous photographs and detailed text concerning one of the more unique German vehicles to be developed.

THE KETTENKRAD

Sd.Kfz. eg Type HK-101

Friedheim Abel

THE KETTENKRAD

Sd.Kfz.2 — Type HK-101

Friedhelm Abel

SCHIFFER MILITARY HISTORY
Phata Sauces:
Kablere (BAY

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Transaued fona he Germ by Davie Jahiston

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be st published photograph ofthe Ketone in
Ae snarl
The Kleines Kettenkraftrad
(Kettenkrad) Type 101 - Sd.Kfz.2

and other mocoreyele pares
Yehicle received the designation
olficial use) ol Kettenkealtiad. 0

A prownype — rergnivatle ay the spoked wheel

Develo

In building che {inst prototypes the NSU
Works nsed existing motarcycle pasts such a+
the front fork, headlight, whcels, benélebar:
fand instruments, The standard Fork of the
NSU 800-en3muchine soon proved to bee
ak, however, Wher crossing diiches anid
ined mosoncycle, simply broke,
dl, reinfoncol version wo suet inted
bbc tis, to, proved rather prone to lalare
The list 70 kelenhrider were deiivered
Une wits in 1940. These
small fork, ing Features of the pre
Dnducrion series were elark nf mudguard
‘on thereat passenger aves, high placement of
the tow hooks, eightspoked ides aid roade
wwheds, Tan housing of cst
aluminum and the high, angular shape o
the rear ait vent housing.
The Kevtenkrad was delivered with the
dvels weak Liont lotk until ibe endo
ihe unavoidable consequence of which
was frequent aepains. Later the entice unit
‘has replaced by anew fork with an hydraulic
shock absorber. Al sabsequem structural
Changes were the result of eifonts 10 save
materials and improve salety. “he great
affection the oops felt for the Kettenlaad
in large par: to its extraord
ess, evem in the mest difftenT

Righ:: This Keteembead already hs the
reinforced frane fork. Irs seein
Intern, however, becaiass of the side
rmouinied evoling gril, wbiets was Later

Tele
esas, tor example, capable at climbing

stoengils

Similar w hose of laiger waciors. The dis

Left: Hits Keston Longs the pe
praduetion sexes ai

registration nteaber, Ll
lop the disectur af tae N
Nockavsitmy, can
advantage of such complexity was that the
failure of one component «jammed gear in
thereduetividriveforecaiuple, would result
in the destruction of quitea largenumber of
grata and shafts, This is problem chat the
few Kereenkad owners of tada still have to
contend with

Tis imteresting (0 node that copied pares
manufactured (ody oom die best gear steel
hold up in the mot extreme situations, sure
Inroof that many defects and breakdowns
(uring the war years cauld he traced 0 she
inadeaquatesupply et aigh-«qustity materials.

In the Hast two seats of the wa NSU
designers were accupied with wo further
‘variants of the vehicle, One was a fve-sent
‘Kettenkrad powered by att Opel six-cylinier
‘engine, Aboucten provotypes were buslt. The
second variant was a wider, radio-conctolted
Nehicle whieh cond carry am explosive

ge. The vehicle, which dispensed with
the font fork, bore dnedesignation "Mitterer
Sprengladungsirager Soringer.” Somevlist
mote that 30 examples were built Due othe
intensive bombing of German indstey only
three vehicles ached the from

These photos also show Kettenkride
ita slope was dn

peal
esign aul ah
iaaereste it

ser oF gray
valid

Navan

ab the pre
ous mance om secaun: ! the scbele's nays

fhe Army, bn the Lanewnlies

ng

‘was