Land-Wasser-Schlepper
The German LWS was built to carry up to 20 men and a crew of 3, and it could also tow a floating trailer carrying a vehicle or some form of weapon.
In 1935 the German army general staff called upon Rheinmetall Borsig AG to develop a special tractor that could be used in amphibious operations. The idea was that the tractor could tow behind it a special trailer that could also float, capable of carrying vehicles or other cargo up to a weight of about 18000 kg (39,683 lb). Afloat the tractor would act as a tug for the floating trailer, but once ashore the tractor would have to pull the trailer to a point where it could be safely unloaded.
Rheinmetall undertook the project and produced the Land-Wasser-Schlepper (land-water tractor) or LWS. The LWS was very basically a motor tug fitted with tracks and was a large and awkward-looking machine that nevertheless turned out to be a remarkably workmanlike vehicle. The LWS had a flat bottom on each side of which were two long sets of tracks. On each side four sets of road wheels were suspended in pairs from leafspring suspensions. The LWS had a pronounced bow and on top was a cabin for the crew of three men and space for a further 20. What appeared to be a small funnel was in fact an air intake for the engine. At the rear, or stern, two large propellers were placed for water propulsion. To round off the nautical flavour of the LWS the sides of the crew cabin had portholes.
In contrast the floating trailer was a large slab-sided affair that, on land, moved on wheels located on one axle forward and two at the rear, At the rear a ramp could be folded down for loading, a typical load being an SdKfz 9 18-tonne halftrack whose crew transferred to the LWS for the water journey.
The LWS and trailer concept was conducted through a series of trials with no great sense of urgency until the aftermath of May and June 1940 brought the prospect of ‘Seelöwe’ (Operation ‘Sea Lion’, the invasion of the UK) to the forefront. The LWS and trailer could no doubt have been used for such an operation but it was really intended for the calmer waters of inland water obstacles, Even so the LWS was pushed with a greater sense of urgency for a while, but the project never really got off the ground and by 1941 it had been abandoned.
One point that counted against the LWS was that it was unarmoured, and it was felt that armour would be needed for any operations likely to be undertaken. It was also felt that the floating trailer was a bit cumbersome so a new idea was taken up. The overall layout of the LWS was retained, but this time the trackwork and suspension of a PzKpfw IV tank was used to carry a lightly armoured floating chassis. Two of these vehicles, known as Panzerfähre or PzF, were supposed to carry a large pontoon between them with the tank or other load on it. Thus the PzF would have been a ferry rather than a tractor, but the whole project was abandoned during 1942 after two prototypes had been built and tested.
After 1945 the LWS was captured in Germany and brought to the UK for a thorough technical evaluation by the British.
Production and Operation al Use
In May 1935, the WaPruf5 asked the WaPruf6 to develop a Landwasserschlepper (LWS), for transport/towing of heavy loads across rivers, and during landings. Since the design was so complex, a number of firms were contracted to help out with the design. On December 11, 1940, it had been reported that the WaPruf.5 ordered a 1st series of 4 LWS and a 2nd series of 8 LWS. By this date, LWS Nr.1.,2.,and 3. were finished and Nr.4 was to be completed by the end of the month. The 2nd Series was to be completed at a rate of 2 per month from March 1941 to June 1941. On July 1942, it was reported that only 7 LWS were completed. A further contract of 14 LWS was awarded, and set to begin production July/August 1942 through September 1943, but it appears that none of these were finished?
One LWS was sent to North Afrika, to support Operation Venezia, where Rommel planned a landing behind British lines, with Kampfgruppe Hecker. The LWS was issued to Pionier-Landungs-Kompanie 778, and other units in the operation were:
Marine Battalion San Marco (Italian)
13.Kp./Lehr-Regt.Brandenburg
2 landing craft and 4 motor ferries towing 3 British Cruiser Mark VI tanks, (Beutepanzer).
The Kampfgruppe was attacked on the night of May 25/26 1942, and the operation was called off by May 29 1942.
There was a number of Pi.Landungs Einheiten, but since there was so few LWS finished it is unknown which units received them:
Pi-Landungs Lehr und Ersatz Regt.
Pi-Landungs Regt.Stab 767,769,770
Pi-Landungs Btl. 85(Bau),86,128,214,771,772, and Afrika
Pi-Landungs Kp. 777,778,779
Markings
All of the LWS, I have seen with one exception were painted Dunkelgrau, and the exception was painted Dunkelgelb. There is a marking for the Pi-Landungs-Kp.778, which is a white diamond, with and anchor, 2 semaphore flags, and a steering wheel.
Sources:
Jentz,Thomas , Rommel’s Funnies, Darlington Productions
Jentz, Thomas , Panzer Tracts Nr.14 Gruppen Pionier Fahrzeuge, Darlington Productions
Tessin, Georg, Verbande und Truppen der Deutchen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939-1945 Biblio Verlag
Specification
LWS
Crew: 3+20
Weight: 13000 kg (28,660 lb)
Powerplant: one Maybach HL 120 TRM V-12 engine developing 197.6kW(265 hp)
Dimensions: length 8,60 m (28 ft 2.6 in); widths. 16 m(10 ft 4.4 in); height 3.13 m (10 ft 3.3 in)
Performance: maximum road speed 40 km/h (24.85 mph); maximum water speed unloaded 12,5 km/h (7.8 mph); road range 240 km (149 miles)
Armament: none
