The Hummel (Sd.Kfz.165) was a German self-propelled howitzer from the Second World War. The first prototypes of the vehicle were created in 1942, and serial production continued in the period 1943-1945, ending with the production of about 700 vehicles. The Hummel was powered by a single engine Maybach HL 120 TRM with a power of 300 hp . It was armed with a 150 mm sFH 18 howitzer and 1 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun.
The Hummel was created as a self-propelled howitzer to cooperate with tanks and mechanized infantry in German armored divisions and armored grenadiers. Its chassis was based on elements taken from the tanks: PzKpfw III Ausf J and PzKpfw IV Ausf F. The fighting compartment was located at the rear of the fuselage, the engine was placed in the middle, and the driver and radio operator in the front. Only one version of the Hummel howitzer was created, but in later production series the hull was slightly lengthened, which gave more space for the crew in the front of the vehicle. The Hummel is considered one of the best German self-propelled howitzers of the Second World War. Their serial production took place at the Deutsche Eisenwerke plants in Duisburg. The vehicle was used in combat for the first time on the Eastern Front in 1943, and it entered operation on a large scale during the Battle of the Kursk (July 1943), but it quickly found its way to both the Italian front and - from 1944 - western front.
Wespe (Sd.Kfz.124) was a German self-propelled howitzer from the Second World War. The first prototypes of the vehicle were built in 1942, and serial production continued in the period 1943-1944, ending with the production of about 680 vehicles. The Wespe was powered by a single engine Maybach HL 62 TRM with 140 hp . It was armed with a 105 mm leFH 18/2 howitzer and one 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun.
The Wespe was created as a result of the Wehrmacht's search for use in the decommissioned PzKpfw II tanks, as well as in order to provide the German armed forces with a self-propelled howitzer with high maneuverability. The Wespe relied heavily on the chassis and hull of the PzKpfw II Ausf tank. F that was adapted to accommodate the 105mm howitzer, primarily by moving the engine to the middle of the hull. The production of these vehicles was carried out at the FAMO plant in Warsaw - the pre-war Ursus factory. The serial Wespe had good maneuverability, high mobility and low failure rate. The downside was the very thin armor that made it impossible to fire at enemy positions directly. Wespe was used in combat for the first time on the Eastern Front in 1943, but it quickly found its way to both the Italian and - from 1944 - the Western Front.