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Light demolition carrier "Goliath"

(Sd.Kfz.302/303a/303b)

In the year 1940 a small demolition carrier, which was developed by the french manufacturer Kegresse, was sunk in the Seine and recovered by the germans, who explored it detailed. Already in November 1940 the order to develop a small, remote controlled, fully tracked vehicle, which should carry at least 50kg of explosives, was given to Borgward. The idea behind that was to destroy enemy bunkers, fortified positions and even tanks from a safe distance with the help of this vehicle. Because the explosive charge was fixed to the vehicle, the whole vehicle was blown up at the target. It was intended to look like that enemy positions were discovered, then engineers, sitting in secure position, drove "Goliath" with remote control to the enemy and there the "Goliath" was blown up.

The prototype got four large wheels and was driven by two electric-motors, which were fed by two batteries. The production vehicle then got smaller roadwheels, fixed to leaf-springs, what led to two enough space between the tracks for battery-carrying sponsons on each side. That brought more space for the explosive charge, which was now 60kg! The track was guided above the sponsons by three return rollers and the idler wheel was made as disc-type, which all can be seen on the next picture.

So this was the "leichter Ladungsträger" (light demolition carrier) Sd.Kfz.302 - E-Motor (Electric engine) or even known as "Gerät 67". From April 1942 to January 1944 the manufacturers Borward and Zündapp produced 2650 of this type. It was propelled by two Bosch MM/RQL 2500/24 RL2 electric-motors, each giving 2.5kW. Two batteries gave the energy for the motors. With the overall weight of 370kg a maximum speed of 10kph could be achieved. The driving-range was about 1.5km on streets and 800m cross country. For longer transports there was a two wheeled trailer, on which "Goliath" was brought to the battle zone. At the rear of the vehicle the drum, which carried the wire, was located. It was a three strand wire, where two strands were for driving the vehicle and one for detonating the charge. The "Goliath" was 1.5m long, 0.85m wide, 0.56m high and the hull was made of 5mm steel. The tracks were 16cm wide and made of 48 links each. With a ground clearance of 11.4cm and a track ground contact length of 73cm it was enabled to cross trenches of 60cm width.

Disabled German remote controlled "Goliaths" (filled with explosives) being examined by 2d NBB personnel, Utah Beach, June 6-7, 1944

The first "Goliath" E-Motor vehicles were given to Panzerpionierkompanien (Goliath) 811-815, which belong to Heerespionierbataillon(mot) zbV600 (Taifun). Also the Pioniersturmbrigade 627 got some of the first "Goliath". Only a few "Goliath" E-Motor came into action, because the charge was too small to make big success and also the price of a Sd.Kfz.302 was about 3000,-RM (Reichsmark), which was expensive and was one of the main reasons to discontinue the production by January 1944 and to speed up the development of a cheaper carrier with a combustion engine. in March 1945 there were 2527 Sd.Kfz.302 ready for action, what shows that the use of this vehicle was very little.

As said before the "Goliath" should become better and cheaper. Already in November 1942 a demolition carrier was demanded, which could carry bigger charges over longer distances. The manufacturers Zündapp and Zachertz built a successor with the base of a "Goliath", which got a combustion engine. The designation was "Leichter Ladungsträger (V-Motor)", "Goliath", Sd.Kfz.303a respectively Sd.Kfz.303b or "Gerät 671" respectively "Gerät 672".

The first version (Sd.Kfz.303a / Gerät 671) was built from April 1943 to September 1944 in a number of 4604. This vehicle could carry a 75kg charge. A Zündapp SZ7 two cylinder, two-stroke-engine with 703cm³ gave 12.5bhp and speeded the 370kg heavy vehicle to 10kph. The petrol tank, located at the rear, contained 6 litre, so the maximum range of 12km on streets or 6-8km cross-country was given. The hull was made of 10mm steel and the vehicle hat a length of 1.62m, a width of 0.84m and a heigth of 0.6m. In contast to the electric-motor version, this version got a new designed spoked idler, only two return rollers, a raised air-intake cowl on hull top and the roadwheels were suspended by swingarms and coil springs. The tracks weighted 25.5kg and were made of 48 links each.

Of the following version Sd.Kfz.303b / Gerät 672 were 325 produced from November 1944 on. This version now could carry a 100kg charge and can be distinguished from version "a" by the dimensions. The length now was 1.63m, the width 0.91m and the height 0.62m. Despite of increased weight of 430kg it could achive a speed of 11.5kph with the same engine. The other technical data is the same as for Sd.kfz.303a.

The sponsons on each side carried now two batteries, the control unit and air filters. At the front of the hullt the charge was placed, while the engine was in the middle compartment. At the rear the wire-drum, which carried 650m of wire, was placed as well as the petrol tank as mentioned before. The ground clearance was 16.8cm which allowed a wade depth of 22cm. The trench crossing abilty of the Sd.Kfz.303a was 85cm and of Sd.Kfz.303b even 1.00m. The grade climbing ability was 70°.

Trailer for carrying the German "Goliath" Sd.Kfz. 302 Sprengpanzer

To produce a "Goliath V-Motor" about 542kg of unalloyed and 10kg alloyed iron was needed. The price of this type of "Goliath" was only 1000,-RM, which was more cheap than the "Goliath" with electric motor. Nevertheless this version also wasn't very successful und also not often used in combat. Of all, nearly 5000 produced Sd.Kfz.303, were 3797 still waiting for action in January 1945!

Borgward B IV Ausführung mit Raketenpanzerbüchse 54

The last battle of the schwere Ladungsträger SdKfz. 301 Borgward IV was as the conversion, known as Wanze (Borgward B IV Ausführung mit Raketenpanzerbüchse 54), armed with a battery consisting of six 8.8cm Raketenpanzerbüchse 54/1. This was undoubtly one of the characteristic vehicles created by combination of new arms with already existing chassis. This resulted in more or less exotic "interim solution" vehicles, created by the desperate situation and the lack of resources Germany suffered from in early 1945. Wanze was clearly an "interim solution" vehicle, built for the remaining ill-equipped troops of the German army. The basis for developing such vehicle was a small and easy maneuvered panzerjäger which were to be issued to the troops defending industrial areas and cities classified by Hitler as "festungs" - fortresses. These were to be sent out against the never stopping masses of enemy armor advancing towards Berlin in the last months of the war. There was always a shortage of running panzerjägers, e.g in February of 1945 the kommandant of Festung Breslau (Wroclaw) had only single Jagdpanzer IV, eight StuG IIIs and few PzKpfw IIs in his first kompanie der Panzerjäger Abteilung Breslau. The second, third and forth companies were exclusively equipped with Panzerschreck and Panzerfausts.

Probably SdKfz.301 Borgward IV Ausf. C Wanze, abandoned near Brandenburger Tor, Berlin, 1945.

The Raketenpanzerbüchse 54/1 was a 8.8cm recoiless rocket launcher and with its 3.3kg rocket, it was able to penetrate 220mm of armour up to 200 meters. As bombed out and shreded buildings often blocked streets and thereby made movement very difficult, sometimes not even PaK guns could be brought up where the enemy threatened to breakthrough, the only effective weapons carried by the infantry were panzerschrecks and panzerfausts. Movement, however was not quicker than the infantry would move, and something had to be done. Standard automobiles were rebuilt with benches for the infantry and captured Universal Carriers were fitted with three panzerschrecks mounted over the engine compartment.

In February / March of 1945, it was realized that one needed a light panzerjäger, but the production of a new vehicle was not an option. One mounted six Raketenpanzerbüchse 54 to one unit and ordered this to be mounted on a wheeled or tracked vehicle. This vehicle were from a protective position to point its turnable battery on the target and then fire all six rockets simultainously. The VW Kübelwagen was a good alternative and was eventually chosen as the wheeled vehicle, although selecting a tracked vehicle was more difficult. At first one tried to adopt the PzKpfw. I, which at the time either stood in depots worn down, or used as Fahrschulausbildungspanzer. Also, Renault UE(f) were tested, they had previously been rebuilt as Munitionsschleppers.

Captured Wanze in use by the Russians in Berlin, 1945.

The vehicle that was available in sufficient numbers and in such condition that a reconstruction could be considered was the schwere Ladungsträger SdKfz. 301 Borgward IV Ausf. C. Including the Ausf. A and B, there were some 318 held in reserve plus another 79 vehicles serving in combat units as of January of 1945. (They were built as offensive weapons, not really of any good use in the defensive battles of 1944/45). The SdKfz. 301 Borgward IV was accepted, and approx. 56 were rebuilt to Panzerjäger Wanze. The vehicles were rebuilt in slightly different ways. In Borgward IV Ausf. B, one built in an extra seat for the gunner to the left of the driver, protected by an armored plate in the front. The rocket unit was then mounted to the left of the gunner. This rocket unit could be turned by the gunner through a shoulder support. On the rocket barrels a plate was attached to protect the gunner from shrapnel whirled up by the rockets when fired. Ausf. Cs were rebuilt in the same manner, with the exception for the driver being seated to the extreme left.

All Wanzes had three smoke dischargers attached to their front plates, and these played an important roll when attacking as the panzerjägers first rolled out from their hide-outs eg. a street corner to get a free line of fire and then quickly targeting and firing at the enemy and finally retreat whereby the smoke grenades were launched in order to protect the vehicle and hide its movement phase. Well back in protection, one could reload everything for a new action. In April of 1945, a panzerjäger-versuchs abteilung fighting was in Berlin. Its equipment consisted partially of VW Kübelwagen and Borgward IV equipped with Raketenpanzerbüchse 54/1. Any larger massed operation were never made. There is photo evidence of abandoned Borgward IV in the area held by 11. SS Freiwilligen Panzergrenadierdivision "Nordland" in central Berlin. In Wilmersdorf, there were VW Kübelwagen with Raketenpanzerbüchsen in combat with enemy armor of the Soviet 9th Mechanized Regiment and caused some casualties. After that, the traces of an "interim soultion" disappear in the mess of shot up vehicles in the rubbles of Berlin, where after some time everything was cleaned up and scrapped. Even though, Soviet special units were looking for new technical solutions, the only evidence of a follow-up is the American M-50 "Ontos", armed with 6 recoiless rocket launchers and issued to the USMC in 1955, who used it in the early stages of the Vietnam war.

Additional Sources:

www.strange-mecha.com
mythicpanzers.jexiste.fr
ww2photo.mimerswell.com
wilk.wpk.p.lodz.p
www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/1167
users.skynet.be

On This Day In History

Birthdates which occurred on March 30:
1135 Maimonides [Moses Ben Maimon] Còrodoba Spain, philosopher/physician
1432 Mehmed II [Fâtih] Sultan of Turkey (1451-81)
1672 Peter I "the Great" Romanov great tsar of Russia (1682-1725)
1674 Jethro Tull agricultural writer (Basildon), baptised
1719 Sir John Hawkins England, wrote 1st history of music
1746 Francisco Jose de Goya Fuendetodos Spain, painter/etcher (Naked Maja)
1790 Joseph Smith Rear Admiral (Union Navy), died in 1877
1804 Salomon Sulzer composer
1823 Joseph Farmer Knipe Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1901
1824 Innis Newton Palmer Brevet Major General (Union volunteers)
1825 Samuel Bell Maxey Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1895
1836 Karl Freiherr von Stumm-Halberg German industrialist/politician
1842 John Fiske [Edmund Fisk Green] US historian/philosopher
1853 Vincent van Gogh Zundert Netherlands, artist who always lent an ear (Irises)
1880 Sean O'Casey Ireland, playwright (Playboy of the Western World)
1886 Stanislaw Lesniewski Poland, logician/mathematician
1888 Anna Q Nilsson Ystad Sweden, actress (Shenandoah, Uncle Tom's Cabin)
1894 Sergei Ilyushin Russian airplane builder (Ilyushin)
1913 Frankie Laine [Frank Paul LoVecchio] Chicago IL, singer (Hey, Good Lookin', That's My Desire)/ actor (Frankie Laine Show, Rawhide)
1913 Richard Helms CIA head (1966-73)
1914 Sonny Boy Williamson [John Lee] blues musician (Down & Out Blues)
1919 McGeorge Bundy Boston MA, national security adviser under JFK
1926 Ray McAnally Buncrana County Donegal Ireland, actor (My Left Foot, Empire State, Sicilian)
1930 David Staple joint president (Council of Churches for Britain & Ireland)
1930 Peter Marshall [Pierre LaCock] Huntington Long Island NY, TV game show host (Hollywood Squares)
1931 Aleksey Vasilyevich Sorokin Russian cosmonaut
1937 Warren Beatty Richmond VA, actor (Bonnie & Clyde,Shampoo, Dick Tracy)
1940 Astrud Gilberto Brazil, singer (Girl From Ipanema)
1940 Jerry Lucas Middletown OH, NBA center (New York Knicks, NBA rookie of year 1964, Olympics-gold-60)
1945 Eric Clapton [Eric Patrick Clapp] Ripley England, legendary guitarist/singer (Yardbirds, Cream, Tears in Heaven)
1948 Dave Ball rocker (Procul Harum)
1948 Jim Dandy Mangrum vocalist (Black Oak Arkansas-Jim Dandy)
1957 Yelena Vladimirovna Kondakova Russian cosmonaut (Soyuz TM 20, STS 84)
1962 M C Hammer [Stanley Kirk Burrell] Oakland CA, rapper (U Can't Touch This)
1964 Tracy Chapman US singer/songwriter (Freedom Now, I Got a Fast Car)
1968 Celine Dion Québec Canada, singer (I'm Your Woman)
1970 Secreteriat race horse, triple crown (1973)
1973 Caroline Ramagos Miss Mississippi-USA (1996)

Deaths which occurred on March 30:
0988 Arnulf II count of Flanders (965-988), dies
1202 Joachim Van Fiore Italian religious founder (Joachimism), dies
1547 François I of Valois-Angoulême King of France (1515-47), dies at 52
1840 George (Beau) Brummell Dandy, dies
1873 Benedict Augustin Morel psychologist (dementia praecox), dies at 63
1910 Jean Moréas [Y Papadiamantopoulos], Greek/French poet, dies at 53
1926 Feliks E Dzerzjinski Lithuanian organizer (KGB), dies at 48
1948 Mahatma Gandhi assassinated in New Delhi
1950 Léon Blum French premier (People's Front Govt), dies at 77
1961 P J Melotte discovered Jupiter's 8th satellite Pasiphae, dies
1966 Maxfield Parrish US painter, dies at 95
1979 Airey Neave British MP (Conservatives), killed by terrorist bomb
1981 Dewitt Wallace US founder (Reader's Digest), dies at 91
1986 James F Cagney actor (Public Enemy, Angels With Dirty Faces, Yankee Doodle Dandy), dies at his Stanfordville NY farm at 86
1994 Albert Goldman rock biographer (Elvis, John Lennon), dies at 66
2004 Alister Cook journalist (Letters from America)

Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1968 CICHON WALTER A.---FARMINGDALE NJ.
1969 LATIMER CLARENCE A.---DUE WEST SC.
1972 CROSBY BRUCE A. JR.---SPRINGVILLE NY.
1972 FINCH MELVIN W.---FORT BELVIOR VA.
[DIED QUANG BINH SEP 72 REMAINS RECOVERED 08/14/85]
1972 WESTCOTT GARY P.---POMONA CA.

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.

On this day...
0239 -BC- 1st recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet
0804 Liudger becomes 1st bishop of Münster
1282 Furious inhabitants of Palermo attack French occupation force
1456 Prince Louis of Bourbon elected bishop of Liege
1492 King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella sign decree expelling Jews from Spain
1533 Henry VIII divorces his 1st wife, Catherine of Aragon
1533 Thomas Cranmer becomes archbishop of Canterbury
1603 Battle at Mellifont: English army under Lord Mountjoy beats Irish
1814 Britain & allies march into Paris after defeating Napoleon
1822 Congress combined East & West Florida into Florida Territory
1842 Ether was used as an anaesthetic for 1st time by Dr Crawford Long (Jefferson GA)
1856 Russia signs Peace of Paris, ending the Crimean War
1858 Pencil with attached eraser patented (Hyman L Lipman of Philadelphia)
1864 Skirmish at Mount Elba AR
1865 Battle at 5 Forks Virginia
1867 US purchases Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 (2¢ an acre-Seward's Folly)
1870 15th Amendment passes, guarantees right to vote regardless of race
1870 Texas becomes last confederate state readmitted to Union
1889 John T Reid opens 1st US golf course (Yonkers NY)
1912 French protectorate in Morocco established
1919 Gandhi announces resistance against Rowlatt Act
1925 Stalin supports rights of non-Serbian Yugoslavians
1932 Amelia Earhart is 1st woman to fly solo cross the Atlantic
1935 Newfoundland changes time to 3½ hours W of Greenwich, repeats 44 seconds
1942 1st RSHA-transport from France arrives in camp Birkenau
1942 SS murders 200 inmates of Trawniki labor camp
1945 289 anti-fascists murdered by Nazis in Rombergpark Dortmund
1950 Phototransistor invention announced, Murray Hill NJ
1953 Einstein announces revised unified field theory
1961 NASA civilian pilot Joseph A Walker takes X-15 169,600' (51,690 meter)
1963 France performs underground nuclear test at Ecker Algeria
1964 Astronaut John Glenn withdraws from Ohio senate race
1966 Barbra Streisand stars on "Color Me Barbra" special on CBS
1967 Cover picture of Beatles' "Sergeant Pepper" is photographed
1970 Miles Davis Bitches Brew released
1973 Ellsworth Bunker resigns as US ambassador to South Vietnam

1981 President Reagan shot & wounded by John W Hinckley Jr

1984 US ends participation in multinational Lebanon peace force
1987 Vincent van Gogh's "Sunflowers" sells for record £22.5M ($39.7 million)
1990 Jack Nicklaus made his debut in the "Seniors" golf tournament
1991 William Kennedy Smith allegedly rapes a woman (found not guilty)

Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Alaska : Seward Day (1867) (Monday)
US Virgin Island : Transfer Day (1917) (Monday)
US : Starry Night
National Feminine Empowerment Month

Religious Observances
Roman Catholic : Commemoration of St Leonard Murialdo, Italian priest/educator

Religious History
1135 Birth of Moses Maimonides, medieval Jewish scholar. Considered the foremost Talmudist of the Middle Ages, his most important writing was "Guide to the Perplexed" (1190), in which he tried to harmonize Rabbinic Judaism with the increasingly popular Aristotelianism of his day.
1492 The Jews were expelled from Spain by Inquisitor_General Tom's Torquemada (Spanish Inquisition).
1771 English founder of Methodism John Wesley wrote in a letter: 'Suffer all, and conquer all.'
1863 Ownership of Wilberforce University in Ohio was transferred to the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The school had been founded seven years earlier by the Methodist Episcopal Church.
1917 All imperial lands, as well as lands belonging to monasteries, were confiscated by the Russian provisional government.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

Thought for the day :
"Consciousness: That annoying time between naps"

Newspaper Headlines in the Year 2035...
Authentic year 2000 "chad" sells at Sotheby's for $4.6 million.

New State Slogans...
Wisconsin: Come Cut The Cheese

Female Language Patterns...
I heard a noise REALLY MEANS,
I noticed you were almost asleep.

Male Language Patterns...
"I do help around the house," REALLY MEANS,
"I once threw a dirty towel near the laundry basket."