Wespe (Sd.Kfz. 124)
In service 1943 - 1945
The Panzer II as a self-propelled field howitzer - light, reliable, and the mainstay of Panzer artillery.
Built byFAMO, Ursus-Werke
Development history
The Wespe put the standard 105 mm divisional howitzer on a lengthened Panzer II chassis with an open-topped fighting compartment at the rear. Cheap and mechanically sound, it let Panzer divisions keep artillery moving with the tanks rather than waiting for towed guns to displace. Around 680 were built from 1943, serving on all fronts until the end of the war; their ammunition-carrier variants shared the same hull with the gun removed.
Notable actions
- Battle of Kursk
- Eastern Front 1943-45
- Battle of Normandy