Featuring three forward and one reverse gear, the Kettenkrad was used in a variety of roles including a transportation vehicle, power generator, communications vehicle, and towing vehicle. Capable of towing up to 4-tons it was widely used to pull light artillery and other equipment, as well as aircraft when used by the Luftwaffe.

The Goliath tracked mine (complete name: Leichter Ladungstrager Goliath (Sd.Kfz. 302/303a/303b)) was a remote controlled German-engineered demolition vehicle, also known as the beetle tank to Allies. Employed by the Wehrmacht during World War II, this caterpillar-tracked vehicle was approximately four feet long, two wide, and one tall. It carried 75-100 kg (165-220 lb) of high explosives and was intended to be used for multiple purposes, such as destroying tanks, disrupting dense infantry formations, and demolition of buildings and bridges.

Pictured here is a 1:48 scale replica of a German Sd. Kfz. 2 NSU Kettenkrad light tractor that was attached to the 20.Panzer Division, then serving in Russia during 1944. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 2-1/2-inches
Width: 3/4-inches

Release Date: March 2020

Historical Account: "Panzers East" - 20.Panzer Division was formed on October 5th, 1940, after the decision had been made to weaken the existing German tank divisions to create new ones. The new division drew units from various active and reserve units, among them the 19.Infanterie Division which had been converted to a tank division itself, having become the 19.Panzer Division.

Attached to Army Group Center, the division participated in the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa and remained in the front echelon of attack during the series of advances on Minsk, Smolensk and took part in Operation Typhoon, the failed attack on Moscow. It remained on the central front during the winter of 1941-42, engaged in defensive operations and retreat. In March 1942 it was withdrawn to Bryansk for refitting and a rest after heavy casualties during the winter that lead to disbanding of a number of its units.

20.Panzer Division, consisting of just one of the nominal three tank battalions, remained in the central sector of the Eastern Front, taking part in the capture of Voronezh in mid-1942 but otherwise engaged in defensive operations. It took part in the defence of Orel in the winter of 1942-43 and, in July 1943, was part of the northern spearhead during the battle of Kursk. The rest of 1943 was spent in a long retreat between Orel, Gomel, Orsha, and Vitebsk.

20.Panzer Division spent the winter of 1944 fighting in the Polotsk, Vitebsk, Bobruisk and Cholm areas. Having suffered heavy losses during the Red Army's Operation Bagration, the division was sent to Romania for refitting in August 1944. In October, the division was sent to East Prussia, then Hungary in December. It then retreated through Breslau, Schweinitz and Neisse in Silesia (now part of Poland). The division was transferred to Gorlitz (east of Dresden on the German frontier with Poland). On April 19th, 1945, the division was involved in a counteroffensive west of Gorlitz in the direction of Niesky, but disengaged three days later and retreated west. It counterattacked again in the Bautzen area, succeeding in relieving the local garrison at heavy cost to Soviet forces. By April 26th, 1945, the division was situated northwest of Dresden; by May 6th it retreated south across the Czechoslovakian border. Some divisional elements surrendered to the Red Army near Teplice-Sanov (northwest of Prague), whilst the rest, including elements of Panzer-Aufklarungs-Abteilung 20. surrendered to the U.S. Army at Rokycany, (between Prague and Plzen); they were handed over to the Soviet forces.