Introduction

The Schuetzen Panzewagen 251 was designed by the German company HanoMag. It entered trials in 1939 and was used in large numbers from 1940. Heinz Guderian submitted proposals for an armoured personnel carrier which would be fast enough to keep up with the tanks, provide protection from small arms fire and be simple and cheapEnough to build in large quantities. The chosen design was a development of an existing three ton artillery tractor produced by a Hana Mag.