War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

File:SDKFZ Media 3.png

2021-01-18T06:28:10Z

U80963344:

An Sd.Kfz.234/2 engaging an M4 Sherman across the river

B17B

2020-08-20T05:31:32Z

U80963344: added few pictures of B17 B in battle gameplay, like dive bombing and fighting

{{Specs-Card|code=saab_b17b}}
{{About
| about = Swedish bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = B17A
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Swedish bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]].

In the late 1930s, the Swedish Air Force was looking to replace their ageing Fokker S 6 biplane reconnaissance aircraft with a newer aircraft. Work began by Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar and was designated as the L 10, however in 1939 after merging with Saab, the designation was changed to Saab 17. Updated requirements required the reinforcing of the wings to be able to utilise the aircraft as a dive bomber though further modifications were necessary to ensure clearance of bombs mounted on the underside of the fuselage so they would clear the propeller arc when dropped during a dive.

Though only serving for a few short years with the Swedish Air Force due to the advent of turbojet aircraft, the {{PAGENAME}} continued to serve with other countries for another 20 years. In War Thunder, this bomber featuring a Swedish license-built Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engine can hustle to its target (though not faster than many fighters it will face), but diving towards the ground and making a b-line for the target will ensure you get there as fast as possible. Sometimes making a bit of a wide arc along the sides of the map will ensure fighters will ignore you until they start seeing you blow up a bunch of ground targets and become a threat to their side winning.

It often happens in the early rank matches of the game where the smaller bombers such as the {{PAGENAME}} can decisively win the match by taking out all of the ground targets. Some pilots become known for effectively eliminating ground targets with their light bombers in so much that at the beginning of the match and after every respawn, they are immediately targeted for elimination to prevent the match from quickly ending in the enemies favour.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===


The {{PAGENAME}} is relatively manoeuvrable aircraft for a light bomber, especially when loaded down with ordnance. Though it will not turn fight very well, it will not be as stiff as some find medium and heavy bombers to be. Through the use of flaps and extension of landing gear to act as a speed brake, pilots will find that the {{PAGENAME}} can be effectively used to bomb columns of vehicles or other targets of choice found on the map.

If pressed into an air-to-air battle or if an air target of opportunity presents itself, the {{PAGENAME}} can be effective in either damaging or disabling the enemy aircraft. If the situation becomes dire and the {{PAGENAME}} is still holding onto its suspended ordnance, it might be best to go ahead and drop them to allow for more manoeuvrability and increased chances of survival.

When using smaller bomb types, it is best to use this aircraft as a low-altitude bomber as trying to use it at mid or high altitude, the AI vehicles will tend to be able to easily avoid the bombs. Also, the smaller bombs tend to do piddly damage against bases, but when working with other bombers every little bit helps.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 3,900 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 373 || 363 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.2 || 22.1 || 4.3 || 4.1 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 420 || 395 || 18.9 || 20.0 || 8.5 || 6.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 400 || 400 || 280 || ~9 || ~6
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===

[[File:B17 Armour Plates.png|450px|thumb|right|Protective components found in the '''{{PAGENAME}}'''.]]

* 10 mm steel - Pilot's seat backrest
* 10 mm steel - Gunner rear protective plate

== Armaments ==
=== Offensive armament ===

{{main|Ksp m/22 Fh (8 mm)|Ksp m/22 Fv (8 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 8 mm Ksp m/22 Fh machine gun, wing-mounted (500 rpg)
* 1 x 8 mm Ksp m/22 Fv machine gun, wing-mounted (500 rpg)

The Swedish Air Force chose to outfit the {{PAGENAME}} with license-built copies of the Browning M1919 machine gun, which originally was calibrated for 6.5 mm however this round was found to be less effective against fabric-covered aircraft and so the gun was recalibrated up to 8 mm. The Swedish variant is listed as the Ksp m/22 machine gun of which two were mounted on this bomber with a gun in each wing. To be of any real use to the pilot either in aerial combat (if forced into it) or during ground attack, convergence must be set preferably in a range of 250 m - 400 m for best results especially with ground attack as this will allow firing capability on ground targets with ample room to manoeuvre without fear of crashing into the ground.

=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|sb m/42 (50 kg)|mb m/40 (250 kg)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* 9 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (450 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg mb m/40 bomb (250 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg mb m/40 bomb + 4 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (450 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg mb m/40 bomb (250 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg mb m/40 bomb + 4 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (450 kg total)

While the initial payload option consisting of nine 50 kg bombs might feel a little on the weak side compared to a might 500 kg bomb, fear not as other nation aircraft such as the comparable Sukhoi [[Su-2 (Family)|Su-2]] or the massive Farman [[F.222.2]] and its 52 x 50 kg bombs can completely devastate columns of vehicles on early maps. These light trucks and anti-aircraft artillery are easily dispatched with the 50 kg bombs and can easily reward the bomber pilot with the [[awards]] "Antimech", "Heavy Metal Fury" or "Thunderer", just to name a few.

Larger payload options should be reserved for targets which tend to be the tougher nut to crack such as pillboxes or medium and heavy tanks. Base bombing should be avoided unless flying in arcade battles without the threat of enemy fighters, but at the rate of 320 kg or 450 kg at a time, it will take a while to eliminate a base unless you are working with others.

=== Defensive armament ===

{{main|Ksp m/22-37 R (8 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is defended by:

* 1 x 8 mm Ksp m/22-37 R machine gun, dorsal turret (300 rpg)

This single pivotable 8 mm machine gun is mostly a last resort defence weapon. With the limited range of motion and its blind spot directly to the rear (due to the vertical stabilizer), the pilot will need to "wag" the tail of the aircraft to ensure the gunner can engage any trailing fighters. The entire bottom of the bomber is unprotected and largely from above and the sides too.

== Usage in battles ==


The {{PAGENAME}} is used effectively as a low-altitude bomber, however, it can also be used to an extent as an attacker too.

;Bomber

Several different configurations of bombs area available for the {{PAGENAME}} depending on the targets available on any given map. The smaller 50 kg bombs tend to be used best on low-altitude quick strikes against columns of vehicles driving down a roadway. Low-altitude works best here as the vehicles do not have as much time to scatter and avoid incoming bombs. The 50 kg bombs do not have a huge shrapnel radius, so the less time the vehicles have to scatter the more likely they will be destroyed by direct explosion or the shrapnel wave which follows.

The larger 250 kg and 500 kg bombs are not as effective against mobile vehicle targets unless they clustered relatively close together where the splash damage from the bombs will take out multiple targets at a time. Targets which are more heavily protected such as pillboxes, medium and heavy tanks are also good options for the heavier bombs. Though these bombs will put a small dent in the larger bases, those should be left to medium or heavy bombers which can carry multiple 500 kg+ bombs, however, if bombers are grouping up on a base, do not hesitate to lend a hand if you are close enough to toss in a few bombs.

;Ground/Fleet attacker

Typically this bomber will be found at a lower altitude and after dropping bombs (and either waiting for the reload timer or heading back to base), there are typically targets of opportunity which the 8 mm machine guns can inflict damage or destroy. Due to the limited machine guns on the aircraft, it may be necessary to make a second pass. The manoeuvrability of this aircraft is sufficient enough to quickly turn around and make another pass. Dwelling in one target environment for long is never a good option as you will draw the attention of fighters so be on the move and keep the speed of the aircraft at a good clip to ensure potential energy is there when you need it.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! Survivability
! colspan="3" | Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage repair
| Radiator
|
| Offensive 8 mm
|
|
|-
| II
|
| Compressor
| Airframe
|
| Turret 8 mm
| m/40
|-
| III
| Wings repair
| Engine
|
| New 8 mm MGs
|
|
|-
| IV
|
| Engine injection
| Cover
|
| New 8 mm MGs (turret)
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very good bomb load (rivals Sukhoi [[Su-2 (Family)|Su-2]] light bombers)
* Extended landing gear can act as a "poor-man's" airbrake
* Very manoeuvrable low to the ground, can easily out turn most heavy fighters
* For an aircraft at its BR, it has a decent amount of armour

'''Cons:'''

* Weak frontal and rear dorsal armament consisting of two and one 8mm machine gun(s) respectively
* Rear dorsal machine gun has a limited range of motion
* Vertical stabilizer causes firing blindspot directly to the rear of the aircraft
* Limited dive-bombing capabilities due to a lack of air brakes (can do shallow dives)
* Despite having an internal bomb bay, can't equip a loadout which solely uses said bomb bay.

== History ==

Late in the 1930s, aircraft manufacture Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar began developing the L 10, a reconnaissance aircraft in response to requirements set forth by the Swedish Air Force. The hopes were to replace the ageing biplane force of Fokker S 6s. Partway through the initial development of the aircraft, ASJA merged with SAAB and as such, the designation of the aircraft changed to SAAB 17. In addition to the reconnaissance portion of the aircraft’s capabilities, the wings were strengthened in order to be able to withstand higher forces imposed when utilising this aircraft as a dive bomber. Though outfitted with a centreline hardpoint to mount bombs, problems during dive-bombing would have occurred because released bombs would impact with the propeller. To avoid this and clear the propeller arc, a rigging system was built to ensure the bomb was thrown clear of the propeller arc in the event of dive-bombing.

The B17 saw limited usage with the Swedish Air Force, however, forty-six were sold to Ethiopia where they remained in active service all the way through 1968. Finland acquired two aircraft, however, they were utilised as target-tugs and quickly were destroyed during accidents. With the unique landing gear configuration, several were modified for usage with skis or floats for alternate landing locations, though the majority were outfitted with the unique covered landing gear.

== Media ==
[[File:B17 B -2.png|alt=A SAAB B17 B Dive-bombing an American convoy|left|thumb|A SAAB B17 B Dive-bombing an American convoy]]
[[File:B17B -1.png|alt=A SAAB B17 B attacking a PBY Catalina with tracer rounds|thumb|A SAAB B17 B attacking a PBY Catalina with tracer rounds]]

== See also ==


;Related development

* SAAB [[B17A]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Aichi [[D3A1|D3A]]
* Douglas [[SBD-3|SBD]] Dauntless
* Ilyushin [[IL-2 (Family)|Il-2]]
* Junkers [[Ju 87 (Family)|Ju 87]]
* Sukhoi [[Su-2 (Family)|Su-2]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6495-development-b17a-saab-s-first-en|[Development] B17A: SAAB's first]]

{{AirManufacturer Saab}}
{{Sweden bombers}}

File:B17 B -2.png

2020-08-20T05:26:30Z

U80963344:

A SAAB B17 B Dive-bombing an American convoy

File:B17B -1.png

2020-08-20T05:22:58Z

U80963344:

A SAAB B17 B attacking a PBY Catalina with tracer rounds

File:Sdkfz. 2342 media 1.png

2020-08-13T06:52:22Z

U80963344: U80963344 uploaded a new version of File:Sdkfz. 2342 media 1.png

An Sdkfz. 234/2 engaging a M4A1 Sherman

Sd.Kfz.234/2

2020-08-13T06:37:19Z

U80963344: I added a few pictures of Sdkfz. 234/2 gameplay in ;Media' section

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_sdkfz_234_2}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Sd.Kfz.234_2.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (also known as the '''{{PAGENAME}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Vision ports)
* Structural steel (Side skirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (40°) ''Front plate'' 15 mm (70°), 30 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (34-35°) ''Top'' 8 (19-35°) + 4 mm || 10 mm (21-46°) || 5 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm (20°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (1-79°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 14.5 mm (24-26°) || 14.5 mm (25°) 8 mm (21°) ''Pistol port'' || 8 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Wheels provide 10 mm thick protection.
* Vision ports on car body are 10 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=325|rbMinHp=186}}

The Puma can reach a speed of around 45 km/h on flat terrain. Thanks to its transmission, it can drive in reverse with the same speed and manoeuvrability. Due to its wheeled design, it struggles in sand, snow and mud. It is also hard to keep going straight in a line at high speeds. The game does offer some degree of compensation for this via the "Activate Cruise Mode" control binding under the "Tank Driving" subsection. When using Cruise Mode, hold down the desired key you bound its activation to, and steer with mouse movements, allowing pinpoint steering while retaining speed. However, you cannot shoot while using Cruise Mode, so use it wisely.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK39 (50 mm)}}

The Puma fields the KwK.39/1 cannon, a similar cannon to that seen in the late Panzer III models, as well as the same ammunition. The cannon was designed for a, anti-tank role and it does its job well. It can select from a 106 mm pen APC shell, which should be your main round, two APCR shells with 130 mm and 129 mm pen respectively (you should carry a few of the better ones, especially if you uptier the Puma so it might see KV-1s, as well for long range sniping), and an HE shell witch can be used against AA trucks. As the APC shell has no ballistic cap, it might struggle against angled armour, so it is best to go for side shots. With a reload of 4.1 seconds and high velocity shells, this tank can do the job both in close-quarters and at long range.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK39 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK39]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 55 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 13.33 || 18.45 || 22.40 || 24.77 || 26.35 || rowspan="2" | 4.81 || rowspan="2" | 4.25 || rowspan="2" | 3.92 || rowspan="2" | 3.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.33 || 9.80 || 11.90 || 13.16 || 14.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 106 || 102 || 85 || 68 || 54 || 43
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 130 || 121 || 90 || 62 || 43 || 29
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 129 || 119 || 83 || 53 || 34 || 21
|-
| Sprgr. 38 || HE || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 835 || 2.05 || 1.2 || 9.0 || 28.9 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 1,130 || 1.07 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 1,130 || 0.90 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Sprgr. 38 || HE || 550 || 1.81 || 2.0 || 0.1 || 170 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''55''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG42 (7.92 mm)}}

The Puma has a coaxial MG42 that is only useful against exposed crew members.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG42 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG42]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,850 (150) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Puma adopts a lot of typical light tank tactics. To play this vehicle well, you must shoot and scoot. Your fast reload times in combination with a very fast reverse speed makes it ideal for firing around a corner then backing up and flanking. The tank is very fast on road, however it has poor performance off-road so it is not recommended on desert maps and muddy maps where you can get slowed down by the terrain. Due to the fact that you have weak armour and a compact crew module, penetrative shots typically result in your destruction. It is advised to not brawl with tanks and to flank whenever possible, using your speed and mobility versus enemy tanks as your armour. Use the terrain to your advantage, firing over hills and making good use of your gun depression. Sidescrape corners and do not hold angles, as you will most likely be destroyed.

The tank's speed in combination with its low spawn cost in RB as a light tank makes it ideal to spawn in at the start of the game and capture the objective in 2 or 3 point domination. This guarantees you spawn points for a respawn and gives you opportunities to flank the enemy.

The real beauty of the Puma is its ability to flank around different parts of the map very quickly. It is extremely manoeuvrable and can traverse most types of terrain very quickly (avoid mud). You should take up a covert play style with this vehicle. Even if you see an enemy, you should only fire at the perfect moment, where you are guaranteed a score. This especially applies to T-34s and KV-1's, where hits to the side or rear are far more effective. This being said, the 5cm gun is a great gun. It is easy to use, high velocity, accurate and has a good range of ammunition.

Notable enemies you will meet are the [[T-34 (1942)]] and [[M4|M4 Sherman]], along with armoured tanks like the [[Churchill I|Churchill]], [[Matilda III]], [[Valentine XI|Valentine]], and the [[KV-1_(L-11)|KV-1]] These tanks are difficult to penetrate and require advanced knowledge of weakspots, so it is advised to avoid these where possible. Medium tanks are easier to combat if flanked, however it is not always reliable due to the weak penetration of the PzGr 39 and the poor penetration to sloped armour for PzGr 40.

Out of all the enemies you will meet, the T-34s are probably the biggest threat. The sloped armour is difficult to penetrate and they have excellent mobility, meaning you will meet them often. The gun is also utterly devastating for the Puma. The high explosive filler and range of shells will make short work of your vehicle. If you encounter an T-34 (any variant), aim for the turret cheeks and take out the gunner. Aiming at the frontal hull armour is unreliable and often results in a ricochet. T-34s are also very, very mobile, so it is best to go for side shots on them if you insist on engaging them.

Shermans also present the problem of sloped frontal armour. The M4A1 isn't as much of a problem, but the M4/M4A2/M4A3 variants are more difficult to penetrate. From the side, Shermans have flat armour and tall profiles. They are easy to destroy when flanked, but they too have exceptionally good mobility, especially cross-country, so they can prove to be even more of a pain to deal with than T-34s. They also have short-stop stabilizers and .50 cals which make them even more of a threat.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="3" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tires
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
| PzGr 40/1
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Airstrike
|
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
| PzGr 40
| Smoke grenade
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
| Improved optics
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Main cannon is powerful. It has great penetration, reload speed and nice trajectory. AP penetrates normal targets (T-34, M4) easily and APCR (up to 128 mm penetration) can also effectively pen heavy targets like the [[KV-1]]
* Extremely high forward and reverse speed makes it the fastest vehicle on road; can get to positions quickly or retreat fast
* Small and narrow frontal profile allows it to hide behind small bushes or rocks; it's also harder to get hit
* Can be a great scout vehicle in higher ranks due to its fast speed. Even the [[M18 "Black Cat"|M18]] cannot easily outrun it
* Only 8 mm side armour meaning some shells will go straight through without being detonated, for example, the BR-471 from the [[IS-2]]
* Has a wide range of good-looking camouflage to unlock. Suitable for almost every terrain/map
* Has 6 smoke grenades that create a wide frontal screen when launched; very useful when trying to cover up a general area
* Surprisingly durable at times, due to inexperienced players shooting at the front, ignoring the crew member lying in the back

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour overall, can get killed by almost anything including artillery strikes, strafing planes and [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]]
* Extremely slow turret rotation, combined with the sharp turns at high speed, it is hard to aim
* Relatively low calibre shells tend to bounce off angled armour, angled hull of the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]] is almost impossible to penetrate
* Compact crew compartment, will be easily destroyed in one shot by a skilled player
* Starts to snake around at high speeds making it hard to control, needing counter-steering.
* Sluggish mobility on snowy (eg. Frozen pass) and desert (eg. Sinai) maps which take away its biggest advantage: speed
* Cannot turn in place due to wheels
* Smoke grenades can only be launched all at once which limits its effectiveness

== History ==

===Development===
The blitzkrieg tactics in Poland and France gave the Germans a new appreciation of mobile and lethal reconnaissance vehicles. The Germans especially valued the armoured cars due to their speed, firepower, and their pre-war build-up as they were not restricted by the Versailles Treaty. The Germans started with armoured cars like the Sd.Kfz.231 family, each with different armaments. However, these vehicles had its flaws and in August 1940, Germany sought a replacement following the conclusion of the Battle of France.

The new vehicle was built off an improved Sd.Kfz.232 chassis made in monocoque construction by Büssing-NAG, its armoured body was made by Deutsche Edelstahlwerke, the turret by Daimler-Benz and Schichau, and air-cooled diesel engines by Ringhoffer-Tatra-Werke AG. The monocoque chassis design was built with an eight-wheel steering system, six forward and reverse gears, as well as having an additional driver seat in the rear for quick reversal get-aways. This construction led to '''Sd.Kfz.234''' family. Vehicle construction first started in 1943 as the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Sd.Kfz.234/2]], which had a turret originally intended for the VK 1602 Leopard mounting a [[KwK 39 (50 mm)|5 cm L/60]] gun, construction continued on this vehicle until mid-1944. The Sd.Kfz.234/2 earned the nickname "Puma" from the soldiers using it.

Production for Sd.Kfz.234/2 shifted towards other armaments in 1944 that replaced the original. This produced variants such as the Sd.Kfz. 234/1 which replaced the turret with an open-top one carrying a [[KwK 30 (20 mm)|2 cm KwK 38]], this was produced between mid-1944 to early 1945. Right besides that, the Sd.Kfz.234/3 was produced with an open-top structure to mount a [[KwK 37 (75 mm)|75 mm howitzer]], this was produced from mid-1944 until the end of 1944. At the Sd.Kfz.234/3's production end, it was replaced by the [[Sd.Kfz.234/4|Sd.Kfz.234/4]], also known as the "Pakwagen", that had the armament replaced by a [[KwK 40 (75 mm)|7.5 cm PaK 40]] anti-tank gun. This last variant was produced from the end of 1944 to the capitulation of Germany in World War II. A total of 478 Sd.Kfz.234 armoured cars were produced, 200 of the 234/1, 101 of the 234/2, 88 of the 234/3, and 89 of the 234/4.

===Combat usage===
The Sd.Kfz.234 cars were originally intended for the conflicts in North Africa. However, the engine development took abnormally long to complete and by the time it was ready, the North African theater had concluded. Nevertheless, they served in the Western and Eastern front with success, but was impeded by its low production count.

The Sd.Kfz. 234/2 variant was arguably the most popular, as the staple of the 234 family. The vehicle served in the Panzer Lehr Division, 1st and 2nd SS Panzer Division, 2nd, 7th, 13th, and 20th Panzer Division. The Sd.Kfz.234 in the recon companies were allocated in 19 or 25 vehicles per division, further split into platoons up to six vehicles and one as the headquarters. However, due to their low production numbers, this allocation was rarely kept in full strength in the war,

The Sd.Kfz.234 first saw combat in Normandy after D-Day in the stationed Panzer Lehr and 2nd Panzer Division in the Sd.Kfz.234/2 variant. The divisions used these vehicles in recon roles until their withdrawal behind the Seine River, with Panzer Lehr having 8 Sd.Kfz.234/2 of the original 26 it had. These divisions were rebuilt in the fall of 1944 with the Sd.Kfz.234/1 and Sd.Kfz.234/3 after the 234/2 ceased production.

== Media ==

;[[File:Sdkfz. 2342 media 1.png|thumb|An Sdkfz.234/2 engaging an M4A1 Sherman]]

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23puma '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Sd.Kfz.234/2 "Puma" from live.warthunder.com.]

;[[File:Sdkfz.2342 media 2.png|thumb|An Sdkfz. 234/2 and a T-50 performing a flanking attack on an M4A1 Sherman.]]Sights

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI] (Sd.Kfz.234/2 included)

== See also ==


* [[Sd.Kfz.234/3]] - Tank destroyer version of the chassis, with a [[K51 L/24 (75 mm)|75 mm K51]] gun.
* [[Sd.Kfz.234/4]] - Another tank destroyer version with the longer [[PaK 40/3 (75 mm)|75 mm PaK 40/3]] gun.

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4713-development-sd-kfz-234-2-puma-the-nimble-feline-predator-en|[Devblog] Sd.Kfz 234/2 Puma: The Nimble Feline Predator]]

{{Germany light tanks}}

File:Sdkfz.2342 media 2.png

2020-08-13T06:36:22Z

U80963344:

An Sdkfz. 234/2 and a T-50 performing a flanking attack on an M4A1 Sherman.

File:Sdkfz. 2342 media 1.png

2020-08-13T06:25:39Z

U80963344:

An Sdkfz. 234/2 engaging a M4A1 Sherman