8.8cm FlaK 18/36/37/41

The 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41 gun is a German 88 mm anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery piece, developed in the 1930s. It was widely used by the Nazi Germany during World War II and is one of the most recognizable German weapons of the conflict. The development of the original model gave rise to a wide variety of weapons. It could penetrate the armor (up to 153mm) of any tank at long ranges, making it effective against the Soviet KV-1 and KV-2 heavy main battle tanks. The Pak 43 model, for example, could penetrate 167mm of armor at 1,000m.

The name applies to a number of related weapons, the first officially called the 8.8cm Flak 18, the Flak 36 improved 8.8 cm and later Flak 37 8.8 cm. Flak is a contraction of German Flugabwehrkanone (also known as Fliegerabwehrkanone) meaning "air defense cannon", the original purpose of the weapon. In English, "flak" became a generic term for ground anti-aircraft fire. In informal use, the guns were universally known as Acht-acht ("eight-eight") by the Germans and "eighty-eight" by the Allies.

Air defense units were usually deployed with a Kommandogerät ("command device") fire control computer or Würzburg portable radar, which were responsible for their high level of accuracy against aircraft.

The versatile mount allowed the 8.8 cm Flak to be fired in a limited anti-tank mode while still on its wheels; it could be fully emplaced in just two and a half minutes. Its successful use as an improvised anti-tank gun led to the development of a tank gun based on it: the 8.8 cm KwK 36, with the abbreviation “KwK” for Kampfwagen-Kanone (literally “battle vehicle gun”, or “battle vehicle gun”). combat"), intended to be placed in a turret as the main armament of the tank. This gun served as the main armament of the Tiger I heavy tank.

In addition to these Krupp designs, Rheinmetall later created a more powerful anti-aircraft gun, the 8.8cm Flak 41, which was produced in relatively small numbers. Krupp responded with another prototype of the long-barreled 8.8 cm gun, which was further developed into the 8.8 cm Pak 43 anti-tank and tank destroyer gun used for Elefant and Jagdpanther, and the 8.8 heavy tank gun. cm KwK 43 mounted in the turret of the Tiger II.

History

Troops of the British Empire in the First World War with a German anti-aircraft cannon 8.8 cm Flak 16 captured, August 1918

A Cromwell and a jeep pass near a German heavy cannon PaK 43/41 abandoned during the operation 'Totalise't5, August 8, 1944.

The antecedent of this gun was the anti-aircraft (Flak, or Flugzeugabwehrkanone) 88 mm 8.8 cm Flak 16 developed in 1917 by Krupp and Erhardt. It was used at the end of World War I to protect German industrial centers on the Ruhr and Rhine from Allied air raids.

At the end of World War I, a series of arms restrictions were imposed on Germany (Treaty of Versailles), including a ban on developing or possessing anti-aircraft weapons. In this way, for the moment, the project was forgotten.

When the National Socialist German Workers Party came to power, Adolf Hitler denounced the Treaty of Versailles and began rearmament. Krupp, who had circumvented the restrictions by transferring some of his staff to Sweden, presented a prototype that went on to be manufactured in 1933.

Models

FlaK 18

A Flak 18/36 exhibited at the Imperial War Museum in London.

88 mm Flak with front armor.

This model, similar to its World War I predecessor, began to be mass-produced in 1933. It had a caliber of 88 mm, being able to fire 10.4 kg high-explosive projectiles, as well as armor-piercing ammunition of 9.2kg. The initial velocity was 820 m/s.

Its mount was in the shape of a cross (kreuzlafette), with the barrel located on a pedestal, allowing it to rotate 360° and elevation between -3 and +85 degrees, which enabled it to fire. attack both air and ground targets. The barrel was made up of two sections, which allowed a quick replacement of one of the parts if it wore out, without having to change the entire barrel.

The Flak 18 was tested in the Spanish Civil War with the Condor Legion, sent by Germany to support the rebel troops, where its potential as an anti-tank gun was discovered.

Flak 36

As a consequence of the experience in the Spanish Civil War, some modifications were carried out.

• The platform was improved to increase stability and facilitate production.

• The cannon became composed of three sections, which allowed a savings to the German industry, since only one of the sections had to be replaced instead of the entire cannon.

Other features remained the same as the Model 18.

Flak 36/43

This gun, which entered service in 1942, was a Flak 41 gun mounted on the platform of the Flak 36. This was because production of guns for the FlaK 41 model was higher than for platforms for this model.

Flak 37

The improvements of the Flak 37 model with respect to the 36 were the following:

• He turned to the cannon of two sections, instead of three.

• The aiming system was improved, so that it received information sent by a central position from the plane position to a mechanical analogue computer to calculate the optimal firing position. This was shown with a pointer on one of the dials, and the operators had to move the cannon so that the second dial coincided with the pointer.

• Because of the improvements in the puncture system, the Flak37 could not operate as an anti-carry weapon.

Flak 37/41

This version came out when the FlaK 41 was still in development. It was basically a FlaK 37 model with a larger chamber to allow more powerful ammunition to be fired. Only 13 units of this variant were built.

Flak 41

German sergeant pointing at a PaK 43.

The Flak 41 model included a number of improvements, carried out by Rheinmetall-Borsig:

• The cannon became 88/L74, that is, with a length of 74 calibers (6.51 m)

• The cannon was initially composed of three sections, but problems arose and was finally changed to two.

• The output speed, thanks to the new cannon, increased to 1000 m/s.

• The feedback mechanism was improved to compensate for the lifting in the anti-aircraft paper.

• The elevation was increased to +90°. The elevation of -3° was maintained for land objectives.

• The cannon could shoot up to 15 000 m high, and 19 700 m away on the ground using indirect fire.

• The cannon was mounted on a rotating platform.

Pack 43

Soldiers recharging a PaK 43.

This model developed by Krupp, which entered service in 1943, was a variant of the 88 mm gun for the exclusive role of anti-tank weapon (PaK, Panzerabwehrkanone). Its characteristics were:

• Although still mounted on the legs of previous models, it could be used without removing the wheels from the platform. However, in this way it was limited to 30th transverse, compared to 360o when mounted on the kreuzlafette.

• The elevation was -8° to +40°.

• The perforating ammo had an output speed of 1200 m/s.

• Without wheels, the cannon only had a height of 1.5 m, facilitating its camouflage.

• The firing system was electric.

• The cannon was equipped with a mouth brake.

Pack 43/41

The Pak 43/41 of the Military Museum of the Borden Base.

Later view of the Pak 43/41.

Given the need for a more powerful weapon after the appearance of the Soviet heavy tanks, it was decided to use the FlaK 41's gun, with its higher muzzle velocity, as an anti-tank weapon. Likewise, the kreuzlafette is abandoned for a gualdera system. This reduced the transversus to 28° to the left or right.

Self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery

In 1942, Krupp started a project to provide the Wehrmacht with a mobile 88mm anti-aircraft gun to protect the advances. Some prototypes were built, but the priority given to tanks caused the project to stall.

He highlighted the 8.8 cm Flak auf Sonderfahrgestell, mounted on the chassis of a Panzerkampfwagen IV, with a FlaK 37/56 cannon and later with a Flak 41/75. Krupp built three prototypes, and although development continued until February 1945, it never went into mass production.

Self-propelled anti-tank artillery

• 8.8 cm Pak 43/1 (L/51) auf Geschützwagen III und IV. Developed from 1943 by Deutsche-Eisenwerke, it was a Pak 43 cannon mounted on the chassis Panzerkampfwagen III and Panzerkampfwagen IV. They were nicknamed Nashorn (Rinoceronte) and Hornisse (Revelation).

• Sturmgeschütz mit 8.8 cm Pak 43/2. The Porsche factory in Nibelungenwerke manufactured 90 units in 1943, using the chassis Panzerkampfwagen VI (P)which had been disused when the prototype of Henschel was finally adopted as Tiger I, with a PaK 43/2 L/71 cannon mounted on a fixed turret. It was nicknamed FerdinandFor Ferdinand Porsche, auto designer engineer and combat cars, and then Elefant (Elephant).

• Panzerjäger für 8.8 cm PaK 43 auf Fgst Panther Ior Jagdpanther it was manufactured by MIAG and MNH between 1944 and 1945, becoming manufactured almost 400 units on the Panther with a PaK 43/3 L/71 cannon.

Cadence

15 to 20 rounds per minute for the Flak 18, 36 and 37 models, and 20 to 25 for the Flak 41.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

• The 88 mm cannon was highly effective, penetrating the armor of enemy tanks. However, the Allies had similar anti-aircraft weapons that could have been used as anti-tanks. But it was the use that the German generals like Erwin Rommel gave to this cannon which allowed to achieve an optimal performance of this weapon.

Disadvantages

• The cannon was very heavy, making it difficult to deploy tactical and towable by an Sd.Kfz. 8 or Sd.Kfz. 12 (FAMO).
• The anti-aircraft artillery function did not highlight especially, with its mediocre performance.