Sd.Kfz 234/4 (PaK 40) armoured car

Born of a desperation for more mobile anti-tank weapons as the Allied armies closed in on Germany, Hitler ordered that the 234/3 be upgraded to carry the far superior Pak40 anti-tank gun.

As a stand-in weapon it was still deployed with reconnaissance units and proved quite effective.

The SdKfz 234 series were eight-wheeled armoured cars used for armed reconnaissance ahead of a formations line of advance. There were 4 official versions and possibly some 'unofficial' field conversions:

• 234/1 with a 20mm gun and MMG in an open topped turret.
• 234/2 Puma with the 50mm gun in a fully enclosed turret.
• 234/3 mounting a short barrel 75mm gun in an open fighting compartment.
• 234/4 with the long barrel 75mm Pak40 anti-tank gun in an open fighting compartment
• Sd.Kfz.234 mit Luchs Turm i.e. a single example of a 234/2 Puma hull married with a Panzer II Luchs turret