“Stuka zu Fuß” with Crew

In 1941, the Wehrmacht began receiving a self-propelled multiple rocket launcher equipped with 28/32 cm Nebelwerfer 41 rockets. One of the chassis used for this system was the Sd.Kfz. 251/1 half-track armored personnel carrier. The main modification to the Sd.Kfz. 251/1 was the installation of framework structures along the sloped sides of the hull, each carrying three launch frames with rockets. The troop compartment accommodated a crew of 3–4 soldiers instead of ten panzergrenadiers.

Preparing the vehicle for firing required considerable physical effort. The crew manually lifted and secured the launch frames to the side brackets. Due to the weight of the rockets and containers, reloading was a lengthy process. The launch frames could be elevated from +5° to +40° using a lifting mechanism. Horizontal aiming was performed by turning the entire vehicle. Two special pins mounted on the engine hood helped with precise positioning.

The main purpose of the system was to provide fire support for tank and panzergrenadier formations. The characteristic whistling of the rockets, reminiscent of the sound of a Ju 87 dive bomber, earned the vehicle the nickname “Stuka zu Fuß,” meaning “Stuka on Foot.” “Stuka” was the German army’s nickname for the Ju 87 dive bomber.