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Development of the kleiner geländegängiger Kettenschlepper – small cross-country tracked tractor - was started by Hansa Lloyd in Bremen in 1933 what lead to the trial vehicles HL kl 2 (1934) and HL kl 3 (1935). Until 1936, the vehicle got its final design with the type HL kl 5. After a trial series of five vehicles in 1936, 35 serial vehicles were manufactured in 1937. This production model was propelled by a 70 HP Hansa-Lloyd engine. Most of these vehicles of this type had an artillery superstructure with closed driver’s cab and a larger ammunition box (most probably, also the first 140 serial vehicles based on the H kl 6 chassis had this superstructure). With the H.V.Bl. 1937, No. 35 from 20th November 1937, ser. No. 1377 (OKH, 16th November 1937, AHA/In 6 (III c), the vehicle was officially introduced under the designation leichter Zugkraftwagen 3t (Sd. Kfz. 11), which had significance until the end of production. The conclusion model HL kl 6, which entered serial production late in 1937, was propelled by a 90 HP Maybach NL 38 TUKR engine. In 1938, Hanomag took over the leadership of the development. The chassis was now designated H kl 6. Commencing in October 1938, the Maybach NL 38 TUKRM engine was used which was adapted to the changed octane rating of the fuel. From this chassis, the H kl 6p chassis was derived which was used as chassis for the Sd. Kfz. 251. It entered serial production in 1939. Late in 1939, the engine was again replaced by the now 100 HP strong Maybach HL 42 TUKRM. To simplify production, some of the le. Zgkw. 3t received a normal lorry platform made of wood in late 1943. Serial production of the conclusion model was started in May 1944. It had a simplified engine bonnet, the Holzfahrerhaus – wood driver's cab – and a simple platform made of wood. However, to unify serial production, the conclusion model was based on the H kl 6p chassis.
The le. Zgkw. 3t was developed as towing vehicle for the 10.5 cm le. FH 18 and the mittlerer Munitionsanhänger – medium ammunition trailer - (Sd. Ah. 5 ?). Later, the 15 cm s. IG 33 and the 7.5 cm Pak 40 were also towed by the le. Zgkw. 3t. For the usage as towing vehicle for guns, the Artillerieaufbau - artillery superstructure- was developed. Initially, it had a closed driver’s cab and a raised ammunition compartment. After troop trials, the artillery superstructure was redesigned. Now, the driver’s cab had a folding top and the raised ammunition compartment was dropped. This new superstructure was designated normal Artillerieaufbau (normal artillery superstructure). The engineer force was interested in the le. Zgkw. 3t, too. Therefore, the Pionieraufbau – engineer superstructure - was developed. No further information is available about this superstructure. If testing models of the Pionieraufbau were made is not known until now. The superstructure with three additional rows of seats, which is often identified as the Pionieraufbau, is in fact the Metallaufbau als offener Mannschaftsaufbau (metal superstructure as open superstructure for crew transport).
The Nebelkraftwagen (Sd. Kfz. 11/1) – which was developed in 1937 - was used as towing resp. transportation vehicle of the 10 cm Nebelwerfer 35 & 40. Further models of the Nebeltruppe were the mittlerer Entgiftungskraftwagen (Sd. Kfz. 11/2) – a medium decontamination vehicle - and the mittlerer Sprühkraftwagen (Sd. Kfz. 11/3) – a medium spraying vehicle for liquid poison gas – which were also developed in 1937. Serial production of all three variants started first in 1938. In 1940, the Nebelkraftwagen (Sd. Kfz. 11/4) replaced the discontinued Nebelkraftwagen (Sd. Kfz. 11/1). It was used as towing vehicle for different Nebelwerfer. Beginning in mid 1943, the schwerer Nebelkraftwagen (Sd. Kfz. 11/5) – a heavy towing vehicle for rocket launchers - replaced the older models. This model had a simplified platform mainly made of wood which made transport of rockets of different calibres easier. It was also used as towing vehicle for different Nebelwerfer. Production of all these variants was stopped during war. Beginning in March 1944, a partly armoured self propelled 2 cm Flak 38 was manufactured on the H kl 6p chassis. 644 exemplars were made until March 1945. This variant was officially characterised as Sd. Kfz. 11/1, too. Also worth mentioning is a partly armoured self propelled gun armed with the 10.5 cm le. FH 18/40. Six exemplars were made around the turn of the years 1944/45. There were several further variants – partly with closed driver’s cabs and superstructures - which were manufactured or converted in single exemplars.
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