German anti-aircraft gun 20 caliber flak 38. Air defense units. Field anti-aircraft gun

2 cm anti-aircraft gun FlaK 30/38

Flak-30 and Flak-38 anti-aircraft guns were a very widely used air defense weapon of the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and SS troops. A company of such guns (12 pieces) was part of the anti-tank division of all infantry divisions, the same company was integral part each motorized anti-aircraft division of the RGK, attached to tank and motorized divisions. (In addition to a company consisting of 12 Flak-30/38 anti-aircraft guns, the division also had two four-gun batteries of 88-mm Flak-18/36/37 cannons.)

Flak-30 in Norway

The scale of use of Flak-30/38 cannons is evidenced by the fact that in May 1944, the ground forces had 6,355 cannons of this type, and the Luftwaffe units providing German air defense had more than 20,000 20-mm cannons. Light automatic cannons Flak-30 and Plak-38 had basically the same design. The Flak-38 gun was a modernized version of the Flak-30, with a slightly shorter barrel length (113 calibers instead of 115), it had a 30 kg lighter weight in the firing position and a significantly higher rate of fire, amounting to 220-480 rounds per minute instead of 120-280 rounds per minute at Flak-30. Both guns were mounted on a light wheeled carriage, which in the firing position provided all-round fire with a maximum elevation angle of 90°. The automatic sightings of these guns generated vertical and lateral leads and made it possible to aim the guns directly at the target. Input data into the sights was entered manually and determined by eye, except for the range, which was measured by a stereo rangefinder. In addition to the standard Flak-30/38 options, there were also 20 mm mountain anti-aircraft gun Gebirgsflak-38 with more than half the weight and quad 20-mm installations, which had very high firepower - 800/1800 rounds per minute.

Quad installation of 2-cm Flak-Vierling on the deck of a destroyer

By September 1, 1939, the Luftwaffe had 6072 Flak-30/38 installations. In 1939-1945. About 14 thousand of these installations were built.

The monoblock barrel was easily separated from the receiver. The barrel was replaced in 11 seconds. A muzzle brake was screwed onto the barrel. Trigger allowed to fire single shots and bursts. Store fed, magazine - 20 rounds.

The advantages of the installation were the simplicity of the device, the possibility of quick assembly and disassembly, and low weight. Disadvantages are sensitivity to contamination and thickening of the lubricant, lack of continuous power supply, decreased reliability at a high barrel elevation angle.

There were 4 types of cartridges for anti-aircraft guns. The armor penetration of the sub-caliber armor-piercing tracer projectile model 40 was at a distance of 100 m at an impact angle of 60 degrees. - 39 mm, and at a distance of 500 - 20 mm.

	Flak-30	Flak-38
Caliber, cm	2	2
	145,1	145,1
	450 / 770	420 / 720
	from -19 to +90	from -20 to +90
	360	360
	100-120	220
	up to 60	up to 60
Calculation, pers.	5	5
Firing range, m	4800	4800
Height reach, m	3700	3700

Flak-30 in combat position

3.7 cm anti-aircraft automatic FlaK guns 18, 36, 43

3.7 cm automatic anti-aircraft gun Flak-18 was developed by Rheinmetall and entered service German army in 1935. The main disadvantage of the gun was its heavy and clumsy 4-wheeled cart. Therefore, to replace it, a 3.7-cm anti-aircraft gun was developed with a new two-wheeled carriage and a number of changes in the design of the machine gun. Already during the war, the Rheinmetall company modernized the Flak-36, introducing a new automation system, which increased the rate of fire. The new system was called Flak-43.

Flak-18/36/43 installations were in service with both the Luftwaffe and ground forces. By September 1, 1939, the troops had 1030 installations. In total, during the war years, about 12 thousand Fak-36 installations and about 5900 Flak-43 installations were manufactured. Performance characteristics The automation of the Flak-18 and Flak-36 assault rifles worked due to recoil with a short barrel stroke. With Flak-43, part of the operations was carried out by venting gases. Compared to the Flak-18, the Flak-36 added a hydraulic brake and recoil skid. The barrel of the machine guns was a monoblock with a flame arrester; it took 25-30 seconds to replace. The valve is piston, longitudinally sliding. The Flak-18 and Flak-36 assault rifles were powered by clips of 6 rounds, while the Flak-43 was fed by clips of 8 rounds. There were 3 for guns type of cartridges, armor penetration with an armor-piercing tracer projectile at a distance of 500 m was 35 mm at an impact angle of 90 degrees, and 25 mm at an impact angle of 60 degrees. << 3.7 cm Flak-36 in reflection of a night raid

	Flak-18	Flak-36	Flak-43
Caliber, cm	3,7
Barrel length with flash suppressor, cm	362,6	362,6	362,6
System weight in combat/stowed position, kg	1750 / 3560	1550 / 2400	1250 / 2000
Vertical aiming angle, degrees.	from -5 to +85	from -8 to +85	from -7.5 to +90
Horizontal aiming angle, degrees.	360
Practical rate of fire, rds/min	80	120	150
Highway speed, km/h	up to 50
Firing range, m	6500
Height reach, m	4800

3.7 cm Flak-36	3.7 cm Flak-18

8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun FlaK 18, 36, 37

In 1928, a group of designers from the Krupp company began designing an 8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun in Sweden. Then the developed documentation was delivered to Essen, where the first prototypes were manufactured. The system was called 8.8-cm Flak 18. In 1933, the guns began to enter service with the troops.

Parade with Flak-18 guns

The gun had a semi-automatic shutter, which was in itself an achievement for that time. The shooting was carried out from a pedestal carriage, which had four frames arranged crosswise. The beds rested on the ground with their jacks. In the stowed position, the gun was mounted on a “special trailer 201”, which was a four-wheeled, sprung cart with two wheel travels; the middle of the cart was formed by the base of the gun carriage and frame.

The 8.8 cm Flak 18 gun received its baptism of fire in Spain as part of the Condor Legion. Based on the results of combat use, some of the Flak 18 guns were equipped with an armor shield to cover the crew. In turn, the units dismantled the charging tray and the unsatisfactorily functioning mechanical rammer.

8.8 cm Flak-18/36 anti-aircraft gun in North Africa

In 1936, the modernized 8.8 cm Flak 36 gun was put into service. The internal structure of the barrels of both guns and the ballistics were the same. The “special trailer 202” was used as a vehicle. The design of the carriage was simplified. Brass parts have been replaced with steel, resulting in lower installation costs. In 1939, the cost of the 8.8 cm Flak 36 was 33,600 Reichsmarks.

Loader of 8.8 cm cannon	8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun in a firing position

Some changes were made in 1939, and the new model was called 8.8-cm Flak 37. Most of the components of the guns mod. 18, 36 and 37 were interchangeable, for example you could often see a Flak 18 barrel on a Flak 37 carriage.

Production of Flak-18 to Flak-36 during the war

	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945
Number of installations	183	1130	1872	2876	4416	5933	715

By September 1, 1939, the ground units of the Luftwaffe consisted of 2,459 8.8 cm Flak 18 and Flak 36 cannons. The ground forces first received 8.8 cm cannons in 1941 (126 guns). In 1942, another 176 guns were received, in 1943 - 296, in 1944 - 549 and in 1945 - 23 installations. In August 1944, the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe had 10,930 Flak 18, 36 and 37 guns, which were used on all fronts and in the Reich air defense. The Italians had a certain number of these guns under the name 88/56 S.A.

Flak 18/36 anti-aircraft guns were used unusually and very effectively in the Afrika Korps and on the Eastern Front. During the attacks, tractors with guns moved behind the advancing tanks, ready to fire at any moment. Thus, heavy losses were inflicted on the enemy, who had tanks with better armor.

Several Flak 18 guns were mounted on the 12-ton Sd.Kfz.8 half-track partially armored vehicle in 1940.

8.8 cm Flak-18/36 anti-aircraft gun on the Sd.Kfz.8 vehicle

In 1943, 14 Flak 37 guns were mounted on the Sd.Kfz.9 half-track vehicle. System weight 25 tons. Crew 9 - 10 people. The cabin and engine are armored.

After the surrender of Germany, Flak-18, 36, 37 guns were in service with a number of countries for some time. In particular, they were used in North Korean air defense during the Korean War.

Performance characteristics

The barrel of the Flak 18, 36, 37 guns consisted of a casing, a pipe and a breech. Semi-automatic horizontal wedge shutter. The system was transported using 2 moves, which were separated when the system was transferred from the traveling position to the combat position. The system had a tube installer and a pneumatic rammer.

In total, for the Flak-18, 36, 37 guns there were 4 types of shells - 2 high-explosive fragmentation and 2 armor-piercing. Reach of guns in height: ballistic ceiling 10600 m, height of actual fire - 7675 m. Armor penetration by an armor-piercing projectile at a distance of 1500 m was about 120 mm. Loading is unitary.

Type projectile	Initial speed, m/s	Range firing, km	Projectile weight, kg	Explosive weight, kg
High explosive	820	14800	9	0,698
Armor-piercing	720	ok 35	7,1	250

8.8 cm Flak-18/36 anti-aircraft gun with crew

8.8 cm FlaK 41 anti-aircraft gun

During the bombing of German cities, Allied planes tried to fly as high as possible. In May 1944, the command of the 1st Air Defense Division of Berlin reported to the leadership: “At the current height of raids of 7 - 8 km, 8.8 cm anti-aircraft guns mod. 36 and 37 have reached the limits of their reach.” Therefore, anti-aircraft guns with a large firing range were urgently needed.

In 1939, the Rheinmetall company received a contract to create a new gun with improved ballistic characteristics. The gun was originally called the Gerat 37. This name was replaced in 1941 by the 8.8-cm Flak 41, when the first prototype of the gun was produced. The first production samples (44 pieces) were sent to the Afrika Korps in August 1942, and half of them were sunk in the Mediterranean Sea along with German transport. Tests of the remaining samples revealed a number of design flaws that were difficult to eliminate.

Since 1943, these guns began to arrive in the Reich's air defense. In February 1944, the Reich's air defense had 279 Flak-41 guns.

Performance characteristics

The barrel of the Flak 41 guns originally consisted of three parts - chamber, middle and muzzle. At the end of 1944 they switched to a monoblock pipe. Semi-automatic horizontal wedge shutter. The cartridge was refueled using a hydropneumatic rammer. The gun had electro-hydraulic drives for horizontal and vertical guidance. The gun carriage had 4 cross-shaped frames, resting on the ground in the firing position.

Ballistics and projectile data

In total, 5 types of projectiles were developed for Flak 41 guns - 2 high-explosive fragmentation shells with different types of fuses and 3 armor-piercing ones. The gun's height reach: ballistic ceiling 15,000 m, actual fire height - 10,500 m. Armor penetration with an armor-piercing tracer projectile at a distance of 1,000 m was 159 mm, and armor-piercing sub-caliber - 192 mm.

Type projectile	Initial speed, m/s	Range firing, km	Projectile weight, kg	Explosive weight, kg
High explosive	1000	19800	9,4	1
Armor-piercing tracer	980	4000	10,2	0,64

8.8 cm Flak-41 anti-aircraft gun

In 1933, the Krupp and Rheinmetall companies were asked to produce two prototypes of a 10.5 cm anti-aircraft gun. Comparative tests took place in 1935, and in 1936 the 10.5 cm gun from Rheinmetall (product 38) was recognized as the best and put into mass production under the name 10.5 cm Flak 38. 10.5 cm gun The Flak 38 initially had electro-hydraulic guidance drives (DC), the same as the 8.8 cm Flak 18 and 36, but in 1936 the UTG 37 system (power frequency AC) was introduced, used on the 8. 8-cm Flak 37. At the same time, a barrel with a free pipe was introduced. The system modernized in this way was named 10.5 cm Flak 39. To increase the effective firing ceiling of 10.5-cm anti-aircraft guns, a 10.5-cm fragmentation active-rocket projectile was created. Its muzzle velocity was 800 m/s, and then the jet engine accelerated it to 1150 m/s. However, the end of the war did not allow the launch of active-missile projectiles into mass production. Similar active-missile projectiles were created for the 12.8 cm Flak 40 cannon. But even here things did not go beyond the release of a pilot batch. Speaking about technical innovations in the design of anti-aircraft shells, it should be noted the creation of high-frequency radio fuses, the action of which is based on the Doppler effect. For example, radio fuses were produced by the companies Donaulandische Apparatebau in Vienna (Kakadu fuse) and Blauppunkt-Werke in Berlin (Trichter fuse). At the moment of flying past the target, such fuses were triggered when the distance between the projectile and the target became minimal. Radio fuses were used both in anti-aircraft artillery shells and in prototype anti-aircraft guided missiles. The defeat of Germany did not make it possible to launch shells with radio fuses into mass production. The 10.5 cm Flak 38 and 39 remained in production throughout the war, despite the fact that the ballistic characteristics of the 8.8 cm Flak 41 gun were almost equal to them.

The 10.5 cm Flak 38 and 39 anti-aircraft guns were only in service with the Luftwaffe. By the beginning of the war, the troops had 64 guns.

Production of Flak 38 and 39 during the war

1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945
38	290	509	701	1220	1131	92

In August 1944, the Luftwaffe consisted of: 116 Flak 38 and 39 on railway installations; 877 - on stationary installations; 1025 - on carts of type 201.

Performance characteristics

The 10.5 cm Flak 39 barrel had a free tube consisting of three parts: chamber, middle and muzzle. The chamber and middle parts were connected at the front end of the chamber, and the joint between them was blocked by a sleeve. The middle and muzzle parts of the pipe were connected in the rifled part of the channel, and the joint between them did not overlap. The parts of the free pipe were collected in a shell or prefabricated pipe and tightened with nuts. The advantage of the composite pipe was the ability to replace only the middle part, which was most susceptible to fire. The gun had a semi-automatic wedge shutter. Semi-automatic mechanical type, cocked when rolling up. Hydraulic recoil brake of spindle type with constant recoil length and hydropneumatic knurler. The balancing mechanism is spring-type, pulling type. 10.5 cm gun mod. 38 and 39 were fully automatic. The guidance, feeding and fuse installation mechanisms were driven by electric motors.

The four-gun battery of 10.5 cm guns had a special gasoline engine that drove a DC generator with a voltage of 220 V and a power of 24 kW. The generator supplied power to the electric motors mounted on the guns. Each gun had 4 electric motors: vertical guidance, horizontal guidance, rammer and automatic fuse installer. In the Flak 39 guns, the electric motors were converted to alternating current in order to be able to connect to the city network. The normal crew consisted of a squad leader and 9 servants, plus 2 people for manual loading.

Guns arr. 38 and 39 were the first German anti-aircraft guns to have SCR-584 radars connected to their fire control devices. Like all 8.8 cm guns, the 10.5 cm guns fired from the ground from a cross-shaped carriage, and when moving to the stowed position they were mounted on two wheel travels.

Ballistics and projectile data

In total, 3 types of shells were developed for the Flak 38, 39 guns - 1 high-explosive fragmentation shell with different types of fuses and 2 armor-piercing shells. The gun's height reach: ballistic ceiling 12,800 m, effective fire height - 9,300 m at an initial speed of 880 m/s. The armor penetration of an armor-piercing projectile at a distance of 1500 m was 138 mm at an initial speed of 860 m/s.

10.5 cm anti-aircraft gun FlaK 38, 39

An order for the development of a 12.8 cm anti-aircraft gun was issued to Rheinmetall in 1936. The company submitted prototypes of Product 40 for testing in 1938. In December 1938, the first order was given for 100 installations. At the end of 1941, the first batteries with 12.8 cm Flak 40 anti-aircraft guns entered the troops.

Initially, it was assumed that mobile 12.8-cm units would be transported on two vehicles, but later it was decided to limit ourselves to one four-axle vehicle (“special trailer 220”). But during the war, only one mobile battery (6 guns) entered service. In August 1944, Germany had in service: 6 mobile units; 242 permanent installations; 201 railway installations (on four platforms). By February 1945, the number of stationary installations increased to 362, the number of mobile and railway installations did not change.

The 12.8 cm Flak 40 was a fully automated unit. Guidance, supply and reloading of ammunition, as well as installation of the fuse, were carried out using 4 asynchronous three-phase generators with a voltage of 115 V. The four-gun battery of 12.8 cm Flak 40 was served by one generator with a power of 60 kW. In 1942, the development of a new 12.8 cm cannon (product 45) began, but it was never put into service until the end of the war. The 12.8 cm gun 45 had a longer barrel, a larger volume of the charging chamber and, accordingly, a higher initial speed and ballistic ceiling.

12.8 cm FlaK 40 anti-aircraft gun

When creating a 12.8 cm two-gun stationary installation, the base from the 15 cm installation 50 was used. The prototypes of the two-gun installation were called “product 44”. The serial installations were named 12.8 cm Flakzwilling 40. The first four-gun battery was installed in Berlin in the spring of 1942 (according to other sources, in August 1942). In August 1944 there were 27 installations in service, and in February 1945 there were 34 installations. (The installations were manufactured at the Hanomag plant in Hannover. At the beginning of 1944, they made one installation per month, at the end of the same year - 12 installations per month. The installations were part of the air defense of large cities, including Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna .

Performance characteristics

	12.8 cm Flak 40	12.8-cm Flakzwilling 40
Caliber, cm	12,8
Barrel length, cm	783,5
Weight of the system in combat (stationary installation) / stowed position, t	18 (13) / 27	(27)
Vertical aiming angle, degrees.	from -3 to +87	from 0 to +87
Horizontal aiming angle, degrees.	360
Rate of fire, rds/min	10-12	20-24

Ballistics and projectile data

Two types of projectiles were developed for the Flak 40 guns - high-explosive fragmentation and armor-piercing. The height of actual fire from a high-explosive fragmentation projectile with a remote fuse was 12,800 m. The armor penetration of an armor-piercing projectile at a distance of 1,500 m was about 150 mm. Loading, like all anti-aircraft guns, is unitary.

Projectile	Initial speed, m/s	Ballistic ceiling, m	Table range, m	Projectile weight, kg
High explosive (12.8 cm Sprgr.L/5.5m)	880	14800	20950	26,0
Armor-piercing (12.8 cm Pzgr.Flak 40)	860	-	4000	28,35

12.8 cm FlaK 40 anti-aircraft gun as a museum exhibit

20 mm anti-aircraft guns were widely used by German troops and were an effective weapon for combating low-flying air targets. Although before the outbreak of World War II the main forces of anti-aircraft artillery were part of the Luftwaffe, nevertheless, each Wehrmacht division had at its disposal 12 20-mm Flak.30/38 machine guns.

20-mm anti-aircraft automatic cannon Flak.30 was developed by the company Rheinmetall"in the early 20s and consisted of a monoblock barrel equipped with a muzzle brake/flame suppressor, a sled, a cradle, recoil devices, a carriage and sighting devices. The automatic operation was based on the use of recoil of the barrel and bolt with a short recoil of the barrel. The trigger mechanism allowed for single and automatic fire. The descent was carried out by pressing a pedal, and box magazines with a capacity of 20 shells were used to power the machine gun. In the stowed position, the anti-aircraft gun was transported on a two-wheeled, sprung cart.

The Flak.30 gun was light in weight and had a simple design. The monoblock barrel was easily separated from the receiver, making it quick to replace during continuous shooting. The disadvantages of the machine gun were high sensitivity to changes in the elevation angle of the barrel, contamination and thickening of the lubricant, and most importantly, insufficient rate of fire due to the lack of continuous power.

The first anti-aircraft guns of this type began to arrive in German troops in 1935, and three years later a new version of this weapon, Flak.38, was adopted, which had the same ballistics and ammunition, but was distinguished by a higher rate of fire due to reduced weight of moving parts and increasing their speed of movement. Flak.38 assault rifles appeared at the front in 1940, and in the same year a quadruple installation based on them was created.

In addition to the two-wheeled carriage, Flak.30/38 anti-aircraft guns were also mounted on various types of self-propelled chassis, for example in the bodies of Opel Blitz and Ford Maultier trucks, and on half-track transporters SdKfz 10/5. In mid-1944, the German troops had over 26 thousand anti-aircraft guns of this type.

20-mm triple anti-aircraft gun "MG-151/20 Drilling", created on the basis of the aircraft gun "MG-151/20" by combining single-barreled guns into one installation. The total ammunition capacity of the installation was 3000 rounds. The installations were equipped with armored vehicles, armored boats, railway armored platforms, etc. A total of 5,114 units were produced. In addition, the units produced semi-makeshift installations with MG-151 guns. In total, about 15 thousand performance characteristics of the installation were redone: caliber - 20 mm; length – 1.7 m; trunk length – 1.1 m; single-barreled gun weight – 42 kg; rate of fire - 750 rounds per minute; projectile weight - 115 kg; initial speed – 725 m/s; ammunition - 20x82 mm: ammunition - belt in boxes (450 rounds per central barrel, 240 per side); effective firing range – 600 m.

The 20-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun of the 1934 model was produced by order of Germany by the Swiss company Oerlikon under the designation “2-cm Flak 28/29” in various versions - from towed guns to twin installations on ships and self-propelled guns. Approximately about 3 thousand guns were supplied. Performance characteristics of the most common version: caliber - 20 mm; length – 2.2 m; weight – 68 kg; rate of fire - from 300 to 650 shots depending on the gun version; maximum firing range – 4.4 km, effective – 1.1 km; ammunition - 20x110mm; ammunition - magazine for 30 rounds of ammunition; initial speed – 830 m/s; projectile weight - 120 g.

The Flak-30 gun was developed by Rheinmetall and began entering service with the Air Force in 1934. The anti-aircraft gun was equipped with a mechanical computational sight of high quality and accuracy. The gun was exported to Holland and China. TTX guns: caliber 20 mm; length – 2.3 m; width – 1.8 m; height – 1.6 m; trunk length – 1.3 m; weight in combat position - 450 kg, in stowed position - 770 kg; projectile weight – 120 g; ammunition supply – magazine for 20 ammunition (20×138B); initial speed – 900 m/s; rate of fire - 480 rounds per minute; effective range - 4.8 km, armor penetration - 9 mm at a distance of 1,000 m; calculation – 7 people.

The quadruple installation "Flak-36 Vierling" was created on the basis of the "Flak-30". It was installed in truck bodies, on armored vehicles and also had a towed version. TTX: caliber – 20 mm; length – 2.2 m; width - 2.4 m; height – 2.2 m; weight – 1.5 t; rate of fire - 800 rounds per minute; initial speed – 900 m/s; firing range - 4.8 km.

The gun is the result of modernization of the FlaK-30 gun - the barrel length was reduced by 2 calibers, and the total weight was reduced by 30 kg. The troops began to receive them in 1940. The total number of guns of all modifications produced is about 130 thousand. The gun supplied to Romania was designated “Tunul antiaerian Gustloff, cal. 20 mm, md. 1938". TTX guns: caliber – 20 mm; length – 4 m; width – 1.8 m; height – 1.6 m; weight – 405 kg; projectile weight – 120 g; barrel length - 115 calibers; ammunition supply - 20 (20x138V) ammunition in the magazine; initial speed – 900 m/s; rate of fire - 480 rounds per minute; effective range - 2.2 km, armor penetration - 9 mm at a distance of 1000 m.

"FlaKvierling" is a quad version of the "20-mm FlaK-38" anti-aircraft gun. The installation was used both stationary and towed, and was also installed on self-propelled guns, ships, etc. A total of 2,140 units were produced. TTX guns: caliber – 20 mm; length – 4 m; width – 1.8 m; height - 1.6 m; weight – 1.5 t; trunk length – 1.3 m; projectile weight – 120 g; ammunition supply - magazine for 20 ammunition (20x138V); initial speed – 900 m/s; rate of fire - 1,800 rounds per minute; effective range - 2.2 km, armor penetration - 9 mm at a distance of 1,000 m.

The 20-mm Gebirgsflak 38 cannon is a lightweight copy of the 2-cm Flak-38 cannon, intended for use in mountain conditions and was put into service in 1942. The cannon had a small shield and a two-wheel pneumatic drive. It could be transported either by tow or disassembled into several parts for separate transportation. The gun had a dual purpose, i.e. It was used against both air and ground targets. TTX guns: caliber – 20 mm; weight in transport position 374 kg; weight in combat position - 276 kg; length in transport position – 3.6 m; trunk length - 1.4 m; width – 1.2 m; ammunition - 20x138 mm; ammunition - magazine for 20 rounds; calculation – 4 people.

Anti-aircraft gun 3 cm Flak-103/38

Quadruple installation - Flakvierling-103/38

The Flak-103 gun was created by superimposing a 30 mm MK-103 aircraft cannon onto the carriage of a 20 mm Flak-38 automatic anti-aircraft gun. The design uses components and mechanisms of Flak-30/38 anti-aircraft installations. In addition to single guns, a quadruple installation “Flakvierling-103/38” was developed. The chassis of the Pz-IV tank was equipped with a turret with a twin system of 30 mm guns, which was called the Kugelblitz. A total of 189 guns were manufactured. In addition to the Flak-103/38, the MK-303 Br anti-aircraft gun was also created on the basis of the MK-103, which was distinguished by an even higher initial projectile speed (1,080 m/s). 222 such guns were produced. TTX guns: caliber – 30 mm; length – 2.4 m; trunk length – 1.3 m; weight in combat position - 619 kg, in stowed position - 879 kg; the initial speed of a fragmentation projectile is 900 m/s, an armor-piercing projectile is 800 m/s; rate of fire - 250 rounds per minute; firing range - 5.7 km; projectile weight - 815 g; ammunition supply - magazine for 30 - 40 ammunition; ground clearance - 430 mm; calculation – 5 people; transportation speed – up to 60 km/h.

Anti-aircraft gun 3.7-cm FlaK-18

Anti-aircraft gun 3.7 cm FlaK-37

3.7 cm FlaK-37 cannon mounted on a tractor platform

3.7 cm FlaK-37 cannon mounted on a tank chassis

The gun was developed by Rheinmetall on the basis of the ST-10 cannon and put into service in 1935. Firing was carried out from a pedestal carriage that had a cruciform base resting on the ground. In the stowed position, the gun was mounted on a four-axle cart, and later on a four-frame carriage with a detachable two-wheeled cart. The guns were equipped with a shield cover to protect them from bullets and shrapnel. The “Flak-36” modification differed from the basic “Flak-18” model by reducing its weight to 1,550 kg. weighing in combat position and up to 2,400 kg. in marching mode. After equipping the gun with the “Flakvisier-37” sight, it received the designation “3.7-cm Flak-37”. The gun was widely used by the troops, both on standard frames and on railway platforms and vehicles - armored and unarmored under the designation “37-mm Flak-36/37”. 123 of these guns were installed on the ZSU of an 8-ton half-track tractor. Guns were also installed on the chassis of decommissioned tanks. A total of 12 thousand guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber – 37 mm; length – 5.5 m; width – 2.4 m; height – 2.1 m; barrel length - 98 klb; weight in stowed position - 3.5 tons, in stowed position - 1.7 kg; projectile weight – 635 g; ammunition supply - magazine for 6 or 8 ammunition; initial speed – 820 m/s; rate of fire - 160 rounds per minute; maximum firing range – 13.7 km; effective range – 4.8 km; armor penetration - 25 mm at a distance of 1,000 m.

The Flak-43 cannon was created on the basis of the FlaK-18, from which it had a higher rate of fire. It was put into service in 1943. A modification of the gun was the two-gun mount “3.7-cm Flakzwilling 43”, which had two machine guns located one above the other. A total of 5918 units were produced. Under the designation "Tunul antiaerian Rheinmetall, cal. 37 mm, md. 1939" gun was used by Romanian troops. TTX guns: caliber 37 mm; weight in stowed position - 2 tons, in combat position - 1.2 tons, 2-barrel installation - 2.5 tons; length – 3.4 m; width – 2.4 m; height – 2.4 m; trunk length – 2.1 m; projectile weight – 635 g; rate of fire - 150-230 rounds per minute; rate of fire of a dual installation - 300-360 rounds per minute; initial speed – 770-1150 m/s; maximum firing range - 6.5 km; effective range – 4.7 km; ammunition supply – magazine for 8 rounds of ammunition; armor penetration - 24 mm at a distance of 1000 m.

The 37-mm twin automatic cannon "SK C/30" was produced by Rheinmetall and entered service in 1935. The gun was used on almost all warships until 1944. A modification is known under the designation "3.7-cm SK C/30U" for submarines. The gun was often equipped with a cover shield 8 mm thick. The gun's ammunition included tracer and high-explosive shells. In total, about 1.6 thousand guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber – 37 mm; height – 2.5 m; trunk length – 2.9 m; installation weight – 3.6 t; barrel weight with bolt - 243 kg; ammunition weight - 2.1 kg; projectile weight - 742 g; projectile length – 162 mm; initial speed – 1,000 m/s; rate of fire - 30 rounds per minute; maximum firing range – 8 km; calculation – 6 people.

The 3.7-cm Flak-M42 naval anti-aircraft gun has been produced by Rheinmetal-Borsig since 1942 on the basis of the 3.7-cm/83 SK C/30. Unlike its predecessor, it had a higher rate of fire and a lighter shield. The gun was produced in single and double-barreled versions with separate ammunition supply. The guns were installed on small ships and submarines. In total, about 1.4 thousand guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber – 37 mm; trunk length – 2.6 m; installation weight – 1.3 t; barrel weight with bolt - 240 kg; ammunition weight - 3 kg; projectile weight - 1.4 kg; projectile length – 162 mm; initial speed – 865 m/s; rate of fire - 250 rounds per minute; maximum firing range – 7 km; ammunition 2 thousand rounds; calculation – 6 people.

The 50-mm Flak-41 anti-aircraft gun was put into service in 1941 and entered service with the light anti-aircraft divisions of the Luftwaffe. "Flak-41" was produced in two versions. The stationary gun was intended for the defense of strategically important objects. The mobile anti-aircraft gun moved on a biaxial carriage. In the stowed position, the installation was transported on a four-wheeled cart. In a combat position, both moves were rolled back. If necessary, the gun was also used to fire at light tanks and armored vehicles.

Despite the relatively large caliber, the 50 mm shells lacked power. In addition, the flashes of the shots blinded the gunner, even on a clear sunny day. The carriage turned out to be too bulky and inconvenient in real combat conditions. The horizontal aiming mechanism was too weak and worked slowly. A total of 94 guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber – 50 mm; length – 8.5 m; width – 4.6 m; height – 2.36 m; weight in traveling position - 5.5 tons, in combat position - 3.1 tons; projectile weight - 2.3 kg; initial speed – 840 m/s; rate of fire - 130 rounds per minute; firing range – 12 km; ammunition supply - magazine for 5-10 shots; calculation – 5 people; the time it takes to transfer the gun from traveling to firing position is 1 minute.

Anti-aircraft gun 5.5-cm Flak - 58

Flak-58 is a prototype built by Rheinmetall in 1944, which implemented many technical solutions typical for post-war anti-aircraft guns. The carriage had sprung wheel travel and pneumatic tires. Guidance was carried out automatically according to PUAZO commands by the gunner using electro-hydraulic drives or by the gunner using mechanical guidance drives and an optical sight (when firing at ground targets). Hydraulic jacks were used to transfer the gun to the firing position from the traveling position. A total of 2 guns were built. TTX guns: caliber – 55 mm; installation length – 8.5 m; width – 3.4 m; trunk length – 5.8 m; weight in traveling position - 5.5 tons, in combat position - 2.9 tons; ammunition weight - 5 kg; mass of high-explosive fragmentation projectile - 2 kg; initial speed – 1,070 m/s; rate of fire - 140 rounds per minute; firing range - 12 km; calculation – 5 people.

The 75 mm L/60 gun was developed in 1930 on the basis of the 7.5 cm Flak-L/59 gun, which was not put into production. In 1938, Krupp began production of the L/60 for naval and export applications. The gun was produced both on wheels and in the form of stationary installations. Variants of self-propelled units are known. In Norway the gun was designated “7.5 cm Flak-L/45 MK32”, in France – “7.5 cm Flak- M17/34”. About 50 guns were used in Germany. TTX guns: caliber – 75 mm; trunk length – 4.4 m; weight in combat position - 2.9 tons; initial speed – 800 m/s; rate of fire - 15 rounds per minute; firing range – 9 km; projectile weight - 6.6 kg.

The dual-purpose weapon was adopted in 1933 and was installed on hunters, submarines and auxiliary ships. The anti-aircraft modification of 1941 is known - “KM-41”. A total of 670 guns were used. Performance characteristics of the gun: caliber – 88 mm; trunk length - 3.9 m; barrel weight - 5.6 tons; weight – 1.2 t; projectile weight – 10 kg; projectile length – 385 mm; initial speed – 790 m/s; rate of fire - 15 shots; firing range - 14 km.

The ship's gun was put into service in 1933 and was installed on Lutzow-class ships in turret mounts. Performance characteristics of the gun: caliber – 88 mm; length – 6.9 m; trunk length – 6.3 m; installation weight – 27 tons; gun weight – 4.2 tons; ammunition weight - 18.5 kg; projectile weight - 9.4 kg; charge weight – 4.5 kg; initial speed – 950 m/s; rate of fire - 20 rounds per minute; firing range - 17.8 km.

The ship's gun was put into service in 1934 and was installed on light cruisers. Performance characteristics of the gun: caliber – 88 mm; height – 3.4 m; trunk length – 6.3 m; installation weight – 23 t; weight – barrel 3.6 t; ammunition weight - 15.2 kg; projectile weight - 9.3 kg; charge weight – 2.9 kg; projectile length – 397 mm; initial speed – 950 m/s; rate of fire - 20 rounds per minute; ammunition - 400 rounds; firing range - 18.8 km.

The naval gun was put into service in 1938 to equip submarines, minesweepers and merchant ships. Performance characteristics of the gun: caliber – 88 mm; length – 4 m; height – 3.2 m; trunk length – 3.7 m; installation weight – 5.3 t; gun weight – 776 kg; ammunition weight - 15 kg; projectile weight - 10.2 kg; charge weight – 2.1 kg; projectile length – 385 mm; initial speed – 700 m/s; rate of fire - 15 rounds per minute; firing range - 12 km.

The gun was put into service in 1906 and was installed on destroyers and torpedo boats. Performance characteristics of the gun: caliber – 88 mm; trunk length – 4 m; weight – 2.5 t; ammunition weight - 15 kg; projectile weight – 10 kg; projectile length – 385 mm; initial speed – 790 m/s; rate of fire - 15 rounds per minute; firing range - 14 km.

Mass production of the 88-mm caliber gun began in 1932 at Krupp factories under the designation “Flak-18”. The gun was transported using a two-axle trailer, the rear axle of which had double wheels, and the front axle had single wheels. The first use of the gun occurred in Spain, where it was also used to fight tanks. The values ​​of elevation angle, rotation and fuse installation necessary for firing at air targets were determined by the fire control device and transmitted to the gun to a tube transmitting device through a 108-core cable. The same information could be transmitted to the gunner by telephone. The 88 mm FlaK-18/36/37 anti-aircraft gun served as a model for the creation of anti-tank guns and tank guns for Tiger tanks.

The Flak-36 cannon was produced since 1935 and differed from the prototype in its simplified carriage design and improved barrel. Created a year later, the next modification, Flak-37, had an improved fire control system. In 1940, guns of all modifications were equipped with armored shields. The Flak-36 gun was a combined gun that could be used to combat air and ground targets, while the Flak-37 was manufactured as an anti-aircraft gun, permanently installed in batteries of four guns in fortified positions and was not equipped with trolleys for transportation.

Most gun assemblies mod. 18, 36 and 37 were interchangeable. A total of 20.7 thousand guns were produced. The tactical and technical characteristics of these modifications approximately correspond to the characteristics of the Flak-18. Unitary ammunition was used for shooting. Fragmentation shells with a remote fuse were used against aircraft. The initial speed of such a projectile was 820 m/sec, with a projectile weight of 9 kg, the explosive charge was 0.87 kg. The Pzgr-40 armor-piercing projectile penetrated 123 mm thick armor at a distance of 1500 m, and the cumulative “HL-Gr 39” - 90 mm at a distance of 3000 m. Under the designation “Tunul antiaerian Krupp, cal. 88 mm, md. 1936" gun was delivered to Romania. TTX guns: caliber – 88 mm; barrel length - 56 klb; length – 4.9 m; width – 2.3 m; height – 2.3 m; weight in stowed position - 8.2 tons, in combat position - 4.9 tons; rate of fire - 20 rounds per minute; effective range – 9 km; calculation – 11 people.

The 88-mm Flak-41 cannon was developed in 1939 by the Rheinmetal-Borsig company and only began to enter service with the troops in 1943. The gun was transported by mechanical traction using two single-axle bogies similar to the Flak-36. A total of 279 guns were produced. For Flak-41, 5 types of projectiles were developed: 2 high-explosive fragmentation shells with various types of fuses and 3 armor-piercing ones. Initial projectile speed: fragmentation projectile with a mass of 9.4 kg - 1,000 m/s; armor-piercing with a mass of 10 kg - 980 m/s.

Armor penetration at a distance of 1000 m: armor-piercing projectile - 159 mm, sub-caliber projectile - 192 mm. TTX guns: caliber - 88 mm; length – 6.5 m; width – 2.4 m; height – 2.6 m; trunk length – 6.5 m; weight in combat position - 7.8 tons, in stowed position - 11.2 tons; rate of fire - 25 rounds per minute; maximum firing range - 20 km, effective range - 12.3 km.

Shipborne anti-aircraft gun 10.5-cm SK C/33

The 105-mm gun was developed as a naval anti-aircraft gun under the designation “10.5-cm SK C/33” and was put into service in 1935. It was installed on cruisers and large ships. At the end of 1937, its land version was adopted to protect cities, enterprises and bases from air raids under the designation “Flak-38”. The gun was mounted on railway platforms, stationary positions and on ordinary carriages. The carriage had a cross-shaped frame arrangement - this made it possible to conduct all-round fire with an elevation angle of up to 85°. DC electric motors were used to aim the gun at the target. In 1940, the troops began to receive Flak-39 cannons, which differed from the Flak-38 in the design of the carriage and the fact that AC motors were installed rather than DC. A total of 4,045 guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber – 105 mm; length – 8.4 m; width – 2.4 m; height – 2.9 m, trunk length – 6.8 m; weight of a two-gun ship installation - 27.8 tons, weight of a land gun in firing position - 10.2 tons, in stowed position - 14.6 tons; gun barrel weight - 4.5 tons; ammunition weight - 26.5 kg; projectile weight – 15 kg; charge weight – 5.2 kg; explosive mass – 1.5 kg; projectile length - 438 mm; initial speed – 880-900 m/s; rate of fire - 15-18 rounds per minute; firing range - 17.7 km; armor penetration - 138 mm at a distance of 1,500 m.

The 128-mm Flak-40 anti-aircraft gun was put into service at the end of 1941. It served to protect the most important objects on the territory of the Third Reich and was installed on stationary positions and railway platforms, sometimes on wheeled carriages. The Flak-40 is an electrified weapon with power motors for the fuze setter, rammer and each guidance mechanism. To provide the guns with electricity, each battery had an autonomous electric generator with a capacity of 48 kW. Fire control was carried out using a control device. The design of the carriage and the guidance mechanisms made it possible to give the barrel a maximum elevation angle of 87°, and circular fire was ensured in the horizontal plane. The gun was fired using unitary shots with fragmentation shells. Technically, the cannon provided an altitude reach of 14.8 km, but the remote fuse allowed firing only up to 12.8 km. The gun could also fire armor-piercing shells that penetrated armor up to 157 mm thick at a distance of 1500 m. However, these shells were mainly used in Jagdtiger tank destroyers armed with modified Flak-40 anti-aircraft guns. A total of 1,129 guns were manufactured. TTX guns: caliber – 128 mm; length – 7.8 m; width – 2.5 m; height – 3.5 m; weight in combat position - 17 tons, in stowed position - 26 tons; rate of fire - 14 rounds per minute; fragmentation projectile weight - 26 kg, armor-piercing projectile 28.3 kg; initial speed – 875 m/s; calculation of 5 people.

The "128-mm Flak-40 Zwilling" (twin) was developed to increase the density of anti-aircraft fire. The gun was produced by Hanomag since 1942 and entered service with Luftwaffe units. In total, at least 33 guns were fired. Structurally, it consisted of two barrels of a 128-mm Flak-40 cannon, mounted on the same carriage with common guidance mechanisms. However, each barrel had its own device for installing a fuse and an independent loading system. TTX guns: caliber – 128 mm; length – 7.8 m; width – 5 m; height 2.9 m; barrel length - 61 klb; weight – 27 t; initial speed – 880 m/s; firing range - 20 km; projectile weight - 26 kg; rate of fire - 28 rounds per minute.

The 150-mm Flak-50 anti-aircraft gun created by Krupp was a fully electrified gun with an electro-hydraulic guidance system and an automatic loading system with a rammer and ammunition lifter. For transportation it had to be disassembled into 4 parts: the frame, the lower part of the carriage, the upper part of the carriage and the barrel. For this reason, it was intended to be used in stationary firing positions. Performance characteristics of the gun: caliber - 149.1 mm; weight – 22.2 t; rate of fire - 10 rounds per minute; mass of fragmentation projectile - 40 kg; initial speed - 890 m/s; vertical firing range - 15.2 km.

At the firing position.

FlaK 38 in the museum.

Image of the FlaK 38 anti-aircraft gun

Characteristics

Year of issue
1938

Total produced
?

Weight
14600 kg
Calculation
? Human
Shooting characteristics
Caliber
105 mm
Initial projectile speed
880 m/s
Maximum firing range
17700 m
Height reach
11800 m
Rate of fire
up to 15 shots/min.

Description

The gun was developed by Rheinmetall Borsig as a naval anti-aircraft gun, but it was decided to adapt it for use on land. The ground version of the gun was put into service at the end of 1937 under the designation “105-mm anti-aircraft gun model 38”.
During World War II, the cannon was used for air defense of cities, industrial enterprises and naval bases. Due to its heavy weight in the stowed position (14,600 kg), the gun was practically not used in the air defense system of the troops.
A significant portion of the FlaK-38 guns were mounted on carriages with cross-shaped frames, the design of which ensured all-round firing with a maximum elevation angle of 85°. The hydraulic horizontal and vertical guidance system was driven by DC electric motors powered by an autonomous generator. The gun had a semi-automatic wedge bolt with an electric trigger, which allowed it to fire at a rate of fire of 12-15 rounds per minute.
In 1939, the FlaK 38 was modernized and received the designation FlaK-39, which differed from the original model in the design of the carriage, as well as in the fact that the electric motors of this gun operated not on direct current, but on alternating current, which made it possible to connect the power supply system of the gun to a conventional electrical network without using autonomous current generators. The batteries of FlaK-39 guns also had improved fire control devices. The aircraft were fired with fragmentation shells weighing 15.1 kg with an initial speed of 880 m/sec. An armor-piercing projectile weighing 15.6 kg with an initial speed of 860 m/sec was also developed for the gun.
In August 1944, the Luftwaffe anti-aircraft units responsible for the country's air defense were armed with 2018 FlaK-38/39 cannons. Of this number, 116 guns were mounted on railway platforms, 877 on stationary positions, and 1025 on conventional carriages.