88mm Flak (Flugabwehrkanone) Series "Acht komma Acht" by George Parada
"After the battle at Halfaya Pass a member of Rommel's staff overheard a captured British tank driver under interrogation expressing his indignation:
In my opinion said the Englishman, with an unfriendly glance at a near-by 88, it is unfair to use 'flak' against our tanks.
A German artilleryman who was sitting on his haunches near by, listening to the interpretation, interjected excitedly, Ja, and I think it most unfair of you to attack with tanks whose armour nothing but an 88 will penetrate."
German 88mm gun is probably the best known artillery piece of World War II. First time 88mm saw combat was in Spain during the Civil War in 1936, where it proved itself to be not only excellent anti-aircraft gun but also ideal tank killer due to its high muzzle velocity and efficient heavy projectile. It again proved to be an excellent anti-tank gun in France in 1940, especially against heavily armored French Char B1-bis heavy tanks and British Mk.II Matilda infantry tanks. By the time when it arrived in North Africa it was a feared tank killer, which could knock any Allied tank at distances well over 1000 meters. It again proved its reputation in Russia, where it was the only gun capable of dealing with Soviet T-34/76 medium tanks and KW-1 heavy tanks, before the arrival of heavier German tanks. 88mm Flak guns were also used as field artillery - e.g. during the Battle of the Bulge.
The only problem with 88mm Flak series was its height and weight, which forced it in action to rely on its power and range rather than concealment. During the war 88mm Flak series guns were used aside of the German Army by Italy and captured examples were often used by the Allies including US Army in late 1944 in Western Europe. After the war many 88mm Flak series guns were used by many countries including former Yugoslavia and Denmark.
Prototype of Flak 18 was developed as early as 1928 by Krupp of Essen in cooperation with Swedish Bofors, but entered production after Hitler's rise to power in 1933/34. It was mounted on pivoted cruciform carriage, which was carried by two single axle trailers, which allowed it to be quickly dismounted. Flak 18 had single piece barrel. Next model Flak 36 was basically Flak 18 with multi-section barrel and new type of transport trailers. Flak 36 was followed by Flak 37, which was an improved Flak 36 with revised fire control data transmission system, which made the gun more suited for static rather than mobile use.
Flak 36 and Flak 37 differ from each other by the carriages. Flak 18 was transported using lighter trailer (Sonderanhaenger 201) and was lighter in transport than later models, which used Sonderanhaenger 202 by 1200kg. All three models were interchangeable and often Flak 18 barrels were mounted on Flak 37 carriages. Also during production various changes were introduced including new trailers, various mounting (e.g. railway flatcars and coastal defenses). In August of 1944, there were some 10704 Flak 18, 36 and 37 guns in service.
Early 88mm Flak 18 and late 88mm Flak 18 guns at Aberdeen, USA.
Photo provided by Alec Corapinski.
In 1942, Flak 41 (Geraet 37) gun was introduced but small number was produced by Rheinmetall due to early technical probelms.
It was a complicated weapon and development continued until 1943. It was prone to problems with ammunition, since cases often jammed on extraction after firing. Two types of gun barrels were used - three and four section. First examples were used in Tunisia but due to technical problems following their debut Flak 41 guns were used exclusively within Germany, where they could be properly maintained and serviced if needed. Only 157 Flak 41 guns were in use as of August of 1944 and 318 in January of 1945. When it worked without problems it was an excellent artillery piece and from a technical point of view it is regarded as the best German anti-aircraft gun of the war.
Last model Flak 37/41 was a combination of Flak 41 gun barrel with Flak 37 carriage, but because of technical problems only 13 were produced.
88mm Flak 36 in the Imperial War Museum in England.
Photo provided by Dmitry Pyatakhin.
Model:
Lenght of Barrel in Calibres:
Barrel Length:
Combat Weight (kg):
Transport Weight (kg):
Max Barrel Elevation (degrees):
Flak 18
L/56
4.93m
5000
8200
85
Flak 36
L/56
4.93m
5000
8200
85
Flak 37
L/56
4.93m
5000
8200
85
Flak 41
L/74
6.54m
7840
11240
90
Flak 37/41
L/88
7.74m
5250
8450
85
Model:
Initial Projectile Speed:
Projectile Weight:
Max Horizontal/Vertical Range:
Rate of Fire:
Armor Penetration:
Flak 18 Flak 36 Flak 37
HE - 820m/s
AP - 795m/s
HE - 9kg
AP - 9.5kg
14815-14860m 8000-10600m
15-20rpm
Pzgr - 98mm@100m 78mm@1500m
Pzgr 39 - 128mm@100m 97mm@1500m
Pzgr 40 - 185mm@100m 123mm@1500m
HL Gr 39 - 90mm up to 3000m
Flak 41
HE - 1000m/s
AP - 980m/s
Subcaliber - 1125m/s
HE - 9.4kg
AP - 10kg
Subcaliber - 7.5kg
19735-20000m 10675-15000m
20-25rpm
AP - 194mm@100m 159mm@1000m 127mm@2000m
Subcaliber - 237mm@100m 192mm@1000m 152mm@2000m
Flak 37/41
HE - 1000m/s
AP - 980m/s
Subcaliber - 1125m/s
HE - 9.4kg
AP - 10kg
Subcaliber - 7.5kg
20000m 12350-14700m
15-20rpm
AP - 194mm@100m 159mm@1000m 127mm@2000m
Subcaliber - 237mm@100m 192mm@1000m 152mm@2000m
88mm Flak (Flugabwehrkanone) 18 by Mike Koenig
This gun was part of a search light AA unit. You will notice the many
heavy, multi-circuit plugs wired into the gun.
Any number of guns could be connected and wired back to the gunnery
command center. This center consisted of a generator trailer, a search
light trailer and a targeting device. All guns in the battery were
wired into this central guidance unit.
In defending a location against allied night bombing raids the search
light would first "acquire" a target. The operator of the targeting
device would then visually track the target as seen with the search
light. The targeting device itself would automatically transmit angle
and elevation readings directly to the indicators on each gun.
You will notice that all the attitude indicator dials on the gun have
both a small and a large indicator. The smaller indicator would display
the targeting instructions transmitted down from the central targeting
device. The gunners had only to track their indicators (move their
individual guns) to follow and match those sent down from the central
spotter to follow a moving target.
In this manor the firepower of all weapons in a battery could be brought
to bare on one target with devastating results.
Above: Dials for Folgezeigeempfaenger (for anti-aircraft fire from a central director).
The two halves of the trailer were almost totally identical. The only
difference being the seat for the brake operator. This wheel set with
the seat might be used as the rear pair but there was no structural
reason why it could not be used as the front set in a pinch. Both wheel
sets had a lever operated brake.
The towing tongue was pinned to the guide bar of the wheel set intended
to be used as the front unit but this tongue was totally
interchangeable. Both wheel sets had steerable wheels. On the set
being used in the rear, the steering guide bar would be locked and this
unit's wheels would become fixed. On the front, set the guide bar
remained unlocked and the swing of the tongue, side to side, would steer
the front wheels of the trailer.
To pick up the gun, the wheel sets were backed over the main attachment
points on the gun base and rocked back to allow large hooks on the wheel
sets to engage the lifting points on the gun base. Lift chains were
attached and each unit had it's own hand crank winch to raise the gun
base up into the receiver mounted underneath the wheel set.
I am told that a well practiced crew could dismount a gun and be ready
to fire in 20 seconds and remount the gun for traveling in less than a
minute.
All photographs were provided and are property of Mike Koenig. From the collection of 2nd Armored Productions.
