German motorcycles played a vital role in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War, serving as fast and versatile vehicles for reconnaissance, dispatch riding, military police duties, and communications between frontline units. Among the most famous models were the BMW R75 and the Zündapp KS 750, both specially designed for military service and often equipped with sidecars that could carry additional soldiers, equipment, ammunition, or mounted machine guns. These rugged machines featured shaft drive, heavy-duty suspension, and excellent cross-country mobility, allowing them to operate in the challenging terrain of the Eastern Front, North Africa, and Western Europe. Motorcycle troops, known as Kradschützen, were organized into specialized units that provided rapid movement and scouting capabilities during the early years of the war, particularly during the Blitzkrieg campaigns in Poland, France, and the Balkans. Although motorcycles offered speed and flexibility, they also exposed riders to enemy fire and harsh weather conditions, leading to heavy casualties in prolonged combat. As the war progressed and battlefield conditions became increasingly demanding, many motorcycle units were gradually replaced by armored reconnaissance vehicles and half-tracks. Nevertheless, German military motorcycles remain among the most recognizable vehicles of World War II, symbolizing the mobility, innovation, and operational doctrine that characterized the early successes of the German armed forces.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BMW R12
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DKW NZ 350
The DKW NZ 350 was a mid-size motorcycle produced by Auto Union AG at the DKW works in Zschopau from late 1938 until 1943, forming part of the NZ series that also included 250 cc and 500 cc models and representing one of the last civilian designs to leave the factory before wartime restrictions fully took hold. Announced in dealer bulletins at the end of 1937 and first delivered in November 1938, it featured a revolutionary pressed-steel central box-section frame fabricated from two electrically welded steel sheets, a rigid rear end, parallelogram front forks with coil springing, a four-speed gearbox operated by combined hand and foot controls, and chain final drive. Its air-cooled single-cylinder two-stroke engine displaced 346 cc with a bore and stroke of 72 by 85 mm, delivered 11.5 bhp at around 4000 rpm on a compression ratio of approximately 5.7:1, and was fed by 24 mm carburettors of Amal, Bing or Graetzin manufacture, giving a top speed of about 105 km/h, a dry weight near 145 kg with the aluminium crankcase, fuel capacity of 14 litres and consumption of roughly 3.3 litres per 100 km. Tyres were 3.25-19 front and rear, brakes were expanding drums at both ends, and overall dimensions ran to roughly 209 cm in length with a 1355 mm wheelbase. Initially sold to civilians and authorities, production shifted almost exclusively to military use from early 1941 onward, the machine becoming known as the standard medium motorcycle of the Wehrmacht for reconnaissance and dispatch-rider duties under the nickname “Das Motorrad der Kradmelder.” Minor updates in 1943 produced the NZ 350/1943 with revised mudguards, a cyclone air filter and smaller headlamp, while the final NZ 350-1 of 1944–1945 substituted a cast-iron engine block to conserve aluminium, strengthened the gearbox for convoy work, altered gearing for a lower top speed near 90 km/h and added military fittings; some 45 300 standard NZ 350 and about 12 000 NZ 350-1 units were completed before the war ended. After 1945 the production tooling was transferred to the Soviet Union as reparations, where the design continued almost unchanged as the IZh-350 until 1951, with more than 127 000 examples built.
Tankers of the 35th Panzer Regiment of the 4th Panzer Division (Panzer-Regiment 35 / 4.Panzer-Division) near Baranovichi, Belarus, 1941. Sitting on a DKW NZ 350 motorcycle in the center foreground is Oberleutnant Hans-Detloff von Cossel (Chef 1.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 35 / 4.Panzer-Division). In the background is a PzKpfw III tank and its crew.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VICTORIA KR 50 S
The
Victoria KR 50 S and KR 50 SV were advanced sporting variants of the
German KR 50 lightweight motorcycle, produced during the post-war era
when small-displacement machines were highly popular among young riders
and amateur racers. Powered by a 50 cc single-cylinder two-stroke
engine, both models were designed to deliver lively performance within
the legal and economic constraints of the period, making them attractive
alternatives to larger and more expensive motorcycles. The KR 50 S was
intended as a sporty road machine, featuring improved engine tuning,
lightweight construction, and streamlined styling that emphasized speed
and agility. The more specialized KR 50 SV represented an even
higher-performance development, incorporating racing-inspired
modifications such as enhanced carburetion, optimized exhaust systems,
and chassis refinements intended for competitive use in club racing and
reliability events. Despite their modest engine capacity, these
motorcycles were capable of impressive performance for their class,
benefiting from low weight and efficient engineering. Their handling
characteristics, fuel economy, and mechanical simplicity made them
popular among enthusiasts, while their sporting appearance reflected the
growing fascination with motorcycle racing in Europe during the 1950s.
Today, surviving examples of the KR 50 S and KR 50 SV are regarded as
desirable collector's machines, valued for their historical
significance, engineering ingenuity, and representation of the golden
age of European small-capacity sport motorcycles.
Source :
"Brandenburger: Wartime Photographs of Wilhelm Walther" by Anthony Rogers
https://waralbum.ru/230636/
No comments:
Post a Comment