The official designation of the vehicle was 105 mm leichte Feldhaubitze 18/1 L/28 auf Waffenträger Geschützwagen IVb (Pz.

The Heuschrecke featured a removable turret which could be deployed as a pillbox or towed behind the vehicle as an artillery piece.

Towards the end of September 1939, Krupp designed the "first real self-propelled artillery piece", the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 165/1 (Special Purpose Vehicle 165/1, abbreviated Sd.Kfz.

In 1941, Krupp built prototype vehicles armed with the 105 mm leichte Feldhaubitze 18/1 L/28 (light field howitzer 18/1 L/28, abbreviated leFH 18/1 L/28) cannon based on a modified Panzer IV chassis.

The prototypes were fitted with a smaller six-cylinder Maybach HL66P engine, which had a power capacity of 188 hp (140 kW).

[4] The quantity of materials required for the construction of weapon-carriers were so great that companies like Krupp were told to halt production.

A lifting gantry attached to the chassis could remove the turret for use on concrete fortifications or the ground.

The Heuschrecke consisted of a welded steel hull, with thickness ranging from 10 to 25 millimeters,[2] and sloped armour to deflect incoming fire more effectively.