Design of an anti-aircraft gun flak 30 38. Anti-aircraft guns. Field anti-aircraft gun

The Wehrmacht perfectly understood the importance of effective air defense. By the start of the war, Germany's armed forces were better protected from air attacks than any of their opponents.

Field anti-aircraft gun

From the very beginning of the war the Germans anti-aircraft units Air defense (Flugzeug Abwehr Kanone - Flak - anti-aircraft guns) greatly contributed to the formation of the "Axis". This German shortened name entered Allied dictionaries; US Air Force bomber crews called their heavy body armor "flak vests", and in the second half of the 20th century the word "flac" found general use to refer to anti-aircraft fire.

Light Flak guns were installed on a variety of platforms. The declining effectiveness of the Luftwaffe meant that air defense artillery had to become more mobile.

In function small-caliber guns“Flac” included countering low-flying aircraft at close range. If a significant number of small-caliber guns were attacked by bombers or fighter-bombers, they could fire along with the weapons large caliber, such as .

Machine guns

The 7.92 mm MG-34 machine gun, and later the MG-42 main universal machine gun, were the lightest weapons that could be effectively used in an anti-aircraft role. The MG-34, erroneously known among the Western Allies as the "Schrandau", was the standard German general-arms machine gun in 1939. With a muzzle velocity of 755 m/s and an effective range on the ground of 2000 m, in the anti-aircraft version it was reduced to approximately 1000 m. The rate of fire of the machine gun was 900 rounds/min, the cartridges were supplied from a 75-round round magazine or a 50-round separate belt.

The machine gun was replaced during the war. It was cheaper to produce by using stamped parts and spot welding to speed up production. The machine gun had the same bullet speed and firing range, but the rate of fire was increased to 1550 rounds/min.

Rate of fire is very important when shooting at air targets, but the MG-34 turned out to be more effective, installed in twin form on the Zvi-linglafet mod. 36 (Zwillingslaffete 36). The MG Doppelwagen 36 installation with twin MG-34 machine guns on horse or mechanical traction, adapted for operation by one person, was part of the equipment of the German army in 1939-1940, but was often installed on cars or railway cars.

The most common means of defense against low-flying enemy aircraft is machine guns. Machine gun general purpose The MG-34 is the standard secondary weapon on most German aircraft.

The Wehrmacht did not use heavy machine guns, but to enhance air defense they adopted the 15-mm Maschinengewehr 151/15 machine gun. The machine gun was originally created for the Luftwaffe and installed on Me-109 or Fw-190 fighters; it turned out to be useful as heavy weapons fighters. The production of these machine guns was aimed at strengthening air defense in the summer of 1944. The machine gun was mounted on a half-track armored personnel carrier SdKfz-251/21, which is significant, since the Mauser installation was powered by electric shock and demanded DC voltage 22-29 V Ammunition for each installation is 3000 rounds of ammunition, ready for use.

Small bore Flac

20-mm weapons were more effective in air defense. Its cartridges were still small enough to allow high-rate firing, but the shells already contained a significant explosive charge.

Flac 38 commanded great respect from its opponents. Allied units used it themselves whenever possible: at the end of 1944, the US Army even issued its own manual for handling the gun.

The weapons that the Wehrmacht had at the beginning of the war included the Flak 30, Flak 38, light Gebirgsflak 38 (Geb Flak 38) and the four-barreled Flakvierling 38. All guns used recoil and could fire single-shot or automatic with a 12-round drum-type magazine. The light armor shield protected the crew during operations in the field, but it was usually removed from the guns used in the Reich's air defense.

The guns were equipped with Linealvisier 21, Fkakvisier 38 or Schwebekreisvisier 30/38 magnifying optical sights. German optical sights gave anti-aircraft gunners a significant advantage over the simplest sights in the form of metal circles, which were on Allied guns.

The Wirbelwind installation (Wirbelwind - tornado) consisted of a quadruple Flak 38 cannon mounted in a multi-faceted turret located on a chassis tank T-IV. Tanks specially adapted for air defense began to enter service in 1943.

The Flakvierling 38 gun, placed on an armored train in Eastern Europe in March 1944, was equally effective against both ground and air targets, firing a variety of shells, including high-explosive and armor-piercing.

20-mm Flac in the Western Desert in 1942. The Flac 30 gun, developed by Mauser, has a slow rate of fire and a tendency to jam.

Mobility of Flak installations

"Flac 30" weighed 483 kg in combat position. It could fire high-explosive or armor-piercing shells. The maximum vertical range is 2100 m, and the horizontal range is 2700 m. The practical rate of fire was 120 rounds/min. “Flac 38” is an improved modification, lighter by 80 kg and with a doubled rate of fire.

Light Flak cannons were installed on various wheeled and half-tracked vehicles, including the SdKfz-251 and SdKfz-10.
Leichte Flakpanzer 38(t) 1943 - the first fully tracked vehicle used for anti-aircraft guns, and consisted of a Flak 38 cannon on a modified Pz 38(t) tank chassis.

The Flakvierling 38 was developed by Mauser for , it included four Flak 38 cannons on one carriage. The installation had three seats: one for the shooter, who fired using two pedal triggers, and two for the loaders. The installation had a triangular base, which was leveled with jacks. It was widely used on self-propelled and ground-based installations in the army and aviation.

Self-propelled guns Flak

The SdKfz 7 half-track vehicle was used as a chassis for the 20-mm Flak installations Mittler Zugkrafwagen 8(t) mit 2 sm Flakvierling 38 or Selbstfahrlafette 2 sm Flakvierling 38. Later modifications had enhanced armor protection for the driver and crew.

The Pz IV chassis was used for two very effective self-propelled units for Flakfirling 38. Installation “Flak Panzer IV” (2 cm Flakvierling 38) auf Fgst PzKpfw IV Mobelwagen, nicknamed “Wagon Inventory” for its hinged side shields in the form of 10-mm armor plates, which fold down when the installation is transferred to the firing position.

Not just air

Straight path and high speed The shells of the Flac light cannons made them an ideal weapon for close-in support, and in the early years of the war they were used more against ground targets. Fighters and anti-aircraft guns made the front line deadly dangerous place for slow French and British light bombers attacking armored columns and transport hubs during the German invasion of France in 1940.

Beginning in 1943, when the Luftwaffe no longer had superiority over German skies, huge quantities of tracer shells were fired by Flack gun units to deter fighter-bombers from "looting." Light Flacs placed on building roofs and turrets posed a deadly threat to low-flying fighters and light bombers, as the cannons could fire almost horizontally at approaching aircraft.

After defeat in the First World War, Treaty of Versailles Germany was prohibited from having anti-aircraft artillery at all, and existing anti-aircraft guns were subject to destruction. Therefore, from the late 20s until 1933, German designers worked on anti-aircraft guns secretly both in Germany and in Sweden, Holland and other countries. In the early 1930s, anti-aircraft units were also created in Germany, which, for the purpose of secrecy, until 1935 were called “railway battalions.” For the same reason, all new field and anti-aircraft guns designed in Germany in 1928-1933 were called “mod. 18". Thus, in case of requests from the governments of England and France, the Germans could answer that these were not new guns, but old ones, created back in 1918 during the First World War.

In the early 30s, due to the rapid development of aviation, an increase in flight speed and range, the creation of all-metal aircraft and the use of aircraft armor, the issue of protecting troops from attack aircraft became acute.
The existing anti-aircraft guns created during the First World War were little suitable modern requirements in terms of rate of fire and aiming speed, and anti-aircraft machine guns rifle caliber were not satisfactory in terms of range and power.

Under these conditions, small-caliber anti-aircraft guns (MZA) of 20-50 mm caliber turned out to be in demand. Having good rates of fire, effective fire range and projectile lethality.

Anti-aircraft gun 2.0 cm FlaK 30(German 2.0 cm Flugzeugabwehrkanone 30 - 20 mm anti-aircraft gun of the 1930 model). Developed by Rheinmetall in 1930. Guns began to arrive in the Wehrmacht in 1934. In addition, Rheinmetall exported 20-mm Flak 30 to Holland and China.

The advantages of the 2 cm Flak 30 machine gun were the simplicity of the device, the ability to quickly disassemble and reassemble, and its relatively low weight.

On August 28, 1930, an agreement was signed with the German company BUTAST (a front office of the Rheinmetall company) to supply to the USSR, among other guns, a 20-mm anti-aircraft automatic gun. The Rheinmetall company supplied all the documentation for the 20-mm anti-aircraft gun, two samples guns and one spare swinging part.
After testing, the 20-mm gun of the Rheinmetall company was put into service under the name 20-mm automatic anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun model 1930. Production of the 20-mm gun model 1930 was transferred to plant No. 8 (Podlipki, Moscow region ), where it was assigned the index 2K. Serial production of guns was started by plant No. 8 in 1932. However, the quality of the produced machine guns turned out to be extremely low. Military acceptance refused to accept anti-aircraft guns. As a result, defectors from the Kalinin plant (No. 8) were unable to cope with gun production.

According to the results combat use The 20-mm Flak 30 was modernized by the Mauser company in Spain. The modernized model was named 2.0 cm Flak 38. New installation had the same ballistics and ammunition.

All changes in the device were aimed at increasing the rate of fire, which increased from 245 rounds/min to 420-480 rounds/min. It had a height reach: 2200-3700 m, firing range: up to 4800 m. Weight in firing position: 450 kg, weight in stowed position: 770 kg.
Light automatic cannons Flak-30 and Flak-38 had basically the same design. 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 principle of operation of the mechanisms of the model 38 assault rifle remains the same - the use of recoil force with a short barrel stroke. An increase in the rate of fire was achieved by reducing the weight of the moving parts and increasing their movement speeds, and therefore special shock absorber buffers were introduced. In addition, the introduction of a carbon spatial accelerator made it possible to combine the unlocking of the shutter with the transfer of kinetic energy to it.
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.

Changes to the carriages were minimal; in particular, a second speed was introduced in manual guidance drives.
There was a special dismountable “pack” version for mountain army units. In this version, the Flak 38 gun remained the same, but a small and, accordingly, lighter carriage was used. The gun was called the 2-cm mountain anti-aircraft gun Gebirgeflak 38 and was a weapon designed to destroy both air and ground targets.
The 20-mm Flak 38 began to reach the troops in the second half of 1940.

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 towed ones, it was created a large number of self-propelled guns. Trucks, tanks, various tractors and armored personnel carriers were used as chassis.
In addition to their direct purpose, by the end of the war they were increasingly used to combat enemy personnel and light armored vehicles.

The scale of use of Flak-30/38 cannons is evidenced by the fact that in May 1944. ground troops had 6,355 guns of this type, and the Luftwaffe units providing German air defense had more than 20,000 20-mm guns.

To increase the density of fire, a quadruple installation was developed based on Flak-38 2-cm Flakvierling 38. The effectiveness of the anti-aircraft installation turned out to be very high.

Although the Germans throughout the war constantly experienced a shortage of these anti-aircraft installations. Flakvirling 38 was used in the German army, in the anti-aircraft units of the Luftwaffe and in the German Navy.

To increase mobility, many different anti-aircraft self-propelled guns were created on their basis.

There was a version intended for installation on armored trains. An installation was being developed, the fire of which was supposed to be controlled using radar.

In addition to the Flak-30 and Flak-38, the 20-mm machine gun was used in smaller quantities in German air defense 2 cm Flak 28.
This anti-aircraft gun traces its ancestry to the German “Becker gun,” which was developed back in the First World War. The Oerlikon company, named after its location - a suburb of Zurich, acquired all rights to develop the gun.
By 1927, Oerlikon had developed and put into production a model called Oerlikon S (three years later it became simply 1S). Compared to the original model, it was created for a more powerful 20x110 mm cartridge and was characterized by a higher initial projectile speed of 830 m/s.

In Germany, the weapon was widely used as a means air defense ships, however, there were also field versions of the gun, widely used in the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe anti-aircraft forces, under the designation - 2 cm Flak 28 And 2 cm VKPL vz. 36.

In the period from 1940 to 1944, the volume of transactions of the parent company Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon (WO) with only the Axis powers - Germany, Italy and Romania - amounted to 543.4 million Swiss francs. francs, and included the supply of 7013 20-mm guns, 14.76 million pieces of ammunition for them, 12,520 spare barrels and 40 thousand. cartridge boxes(such is the Swiss “neutrality”!).
Several hundred of these anti-aircraft guns were captured in Czechoslovakia, Belgium and Norway.

In the USSR, the word “Oerlikon” became a household name for all small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery during the Second World War.

For all their advantages, 20-mm anti-aircraft guns were unable to guarantee 100% penetration of the armor of Il-2 attack aircraft.
To correct this situation in 1943, by Mauser, by applying a 3-cm aircraft gun MK-103 onto the carriage of the 2-cm Flak 38 automatic anti-aircraft gun, the Flak 103/38 anti-aircraft gun was created. The gun had a double-sided belt feed. The operation of the machine's mechanisms was based on a mixed principle: unlocking the barrel bore and cocking the bolt was carried out using the energy of the powder gases discharged through the side channel in the barrel, and the operation of the feed mechanisms was carried out using the energy of the recoil barrel.

IN mass production Flak 103/ 38 launched in 1944. A total of 371 guns were produced.
In addition to single-barreled ones, a small number of twin and quad 30-mm mounts were produced.

In 1942–1943 The Waffen-Werke enterprise in Brune created an anti-aircraft automatic cannon based on the 3-cm MK 103 aircraft cannon MK 303 BR. It was distinguished from the Flak 103/38 cannon by better ballistics. For a projectile weighing 320 g starting speed its MK 303 Br was 1080 m/s versus 900 m/s for the Flak 103/38. For a projectile weighing 440 g, these values ​​were 1000 m/s and 800 m/s, respectively.

The automation worked both due to the energy of gases removed from the barrel bore, and due to the recoil of the barrel during its short stroke. The shutter is wedge. The loading of cartridges was carried out by a rammer along the entire path of movement of the cartridge into the chamber. Muzzle brake had an efficiency of 30%.
Production of the MK 303 Br guns began in October 1944. A total of 32 guns were delivered by the end of the year, and another 190 in 1945.

30-mm installations were much more effective than 20-mm, but the Germans did not have time to launch large-scale production of these anti-aircraft guns.

In violation of the Versailles agreements, the Rheinmetall company began work on the creation of a 3.7 cm automatic anti-aircraft gun in the late 20s.
The gun's automatic operation was powered by recoil energy with a short barrel stroke. The shooting was carried out from a pedestal carriage, supported by a cross-shaped base on the ground. In the traveling position, the gun was mounted on a four-wheeled cart.

The 37-mm anti-aircraft gun was intended to combat aircraft flying at low altitudes (1500-3000 meters) and to combat ground armored targets.

A 3.7 cm cannon from Rheinmetall, together with a 2 cm automatic cannon, was sold by the BYUTAST office in 1930 Soviet Union. In fact, only complete technological documentation and a set of semi-finished products were supplied; the guns themselves were not supplied.
In the USSR, the gun received the name “37-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun mod. 1930." It was sometimes called the 37 mm "N" (German) gun. Production of the gun began in 1931 at Factory No. 8, where the gun received the 4K index. In 1931, 3 guns were presented. For 1932, the plan was 25 guns, the plant presented 3, but military acceptance did not accept any. At the end of 1932, the system had to be discontinued. Not a single 37-mm cannon model hit the Red Army. 1930

The Rheinmetall 3.7 cm automatic cannon entered service in 1935 under the name 3.7 cm Flak 18. One of the significant drawbacks was the four-wheeled carriage. It turned out to be heavy and clumsy, so a new four-frame carriage with a separable two-wheel drive was developed to replace it.
The 3.7 cm anti-aircraft automatic gun with a new two-wheeled carriage and a number of changes in the design of the machine gun was named 3.7 cm Flak 36.

There was another option, 3.7cm Flak 37, differing only in a complex, controlled sight with a counting device and a predictive system.

In addition to standard carriages mod. 1936, 3.7 cm Flak 18 and Flak 36 machine guns were installed on railway platforms and various trucks and armored personnel carriers, as well as on tank chassis.

Production of Flak 36 and 37 was carried out until the very end of the war at three factories (one of them was in Czechoslovakia). By the end of the war, the Luftwaffe and Wehrmacht had about 4,000 37-mm anti-aircraft guns.

Already during the war, based on the 3.7 cm Flak 36, Rheinmetall developed a new 3.7 cm assault rifle Flak 43.

Automatic rev. 43 had fundamentally new scheme automation, when part of the operations were carried out using the energy of exhaust gases, and part - due to rolling parts. The Flak 43 magazine held 8 rounds, while the Flak 36 was designed to hold 6 rounds.

3.7 cm machine gun mod. 43 were mounted on both single and twin gun mounts.

During the Second World War, there was a “difficult” level of altitude for anti-aircraft guns from 1500 m to 3000. Here the planes were out of reach for light anti-aircraft guns, and for the guns of heavy anti-aircraft artillery this altitude was too low. In order to solve the problem, it seemed natural to create anti-aircraft guns of some intermediate caliber.

German designers from the Rheinmetall company offered the military a gun known under the symbol 5cm Flak 41.

The operation of automation is based on a mixed principle. Unlocking the barrel bore, extracting the cartridge case, throwing the bolt back and compressing the bolt knurled spring occurred due to the energy of the powder gases removed through the side channel in the barrel. And the supply of cartridges was carried out due to the energy of the rolling barrel. In addition, the automation used a partial fixed rollout of the barrel.
The barrel bore was locked with a longitudinally sliding wedge bolt. The machine is fed with cartridges from the side, along a horizontal feed table using a 5-round clip.
In the stowed position, the installation was transported on a four-wheeled cart. In a combat position, both moves were rolled back.

The first copy appeared in 1936. The development process was very slow, as a result, the gun was put into mass production only in 1940.
A total of 60 anti-aircraft guns of this brand were produced. As soon as the first of them entered the active army in 1941, major shortcomings emerged (as if they had not been at the training ground).
The main problem was the ammunition, which was poorly suited for use in an anti-aircraft gun.

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.

Flak 41 was produced in two versions. The mobile anti-aircraft gun moved on a biaxial carriage. The stationary gun was intended for the defense of strategically important objects, such as the Ruhr dams. Despite the fact that the gun was, to put it mildly, unsuccessful, it continued to serve until the end of the war. True, by that time there were only 24 units left.

To be fair, it should be said that guns of this caliber were never created in any of the warring countries.
The anti-aircraft 57-mm S-60 was created in the USSR by V.G. Grabin after the war.

Assessing the actions of German small-caliber artillery, it is worth noting its exceptional effectiveness. The anti-aircraft cover of the German troops was significantly better than the Soviet one, this especially applies to initial period war.

It was anti-aircraft fire that destroyed most IL-2 lost due to combat reasons.
The high losses of the Il-2 themselves should be explained, first of all, by the specifics of the combat use of these attack aircraft. Unlike bombers and fighters, they operated exclusively from low altitudes - which means that they were in the range of actual fire from small-caliber German anti-aircraft artillery more often and longer than other aircraft.
The extreme danger that the Germans posed to our aviation small-caliber anti-aircraft guns, was due, firstly, to the perfection of the material part of it. The design of the anti-aircraft installations made it possible to very quickly maneuver trajectories in the vertical and horizontal planes; each gun was equipped with an anti-aircraft artillery fire control device, which provided corrections for the speed and heading of the aircraft; tracer shells made it easier to adjust fire. Finally, German anti-aircraft guns had a high rate of fire; Thus, the 37-mm Flak 36 installation fired 188 rounds per minute, and the 20-mm Flak 38 - 480.
Secondly, the saturation of the German troops and air defense of rear facilities with these means was very high. The number of barrels covering the targets of the Il-2’s strikes continuously increased, and at the beginning of 1945, up to 200-250 20- and 37-mm shells could be fired per second (!) at an attack aircraft operating in the zone of a German fortified area.
The reaction time was very short, from the moment of detection to the opening of fire. First aimed shot small-caliber anti-aircraft battery was ready to give within 20 seconds after the detection of Soviet aircraft; The Germans introduced corrections for changes in the course of the IL-2, their dive angle, speed, and range to the target within 2-3 seconds. The concentration of fire from several guns on one target they used also increased the likelihood of defeat

Based on materials:
http://www.xliby.ru/transport_i_aviacija/tehnika_i_vooruzhenie_1998_08/p3.php
http://zonawar.ru/artileru/leg_zenit_2mw.html
http://www.plam.ru/hist/_sokoly_umytye_krovyu_pochemu_sovetskie_vvs_voevali_huzhe_lyuftvaffe/p3.php
A.B. Shirokohdrad "God of War of the Third Reich"

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. Because of 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.

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. Trigger allowed 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 receiver, thanks to which it was quickly replaced 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 range 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 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 total weight- 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; mass 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 tracers 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 prototype, built by Rheinmetall in 1944, in which many were implemented technical solutions, characteristic of 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; weight 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. Performance characteristics These modifications roughly correspond to the characteristics of 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 charge explosive 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 gun provided an altitude reach of 14.8 km, however 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 mechanisms guidance However, each barrel had its own device for installing a fuse and independent system loading. 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, top part carriage and 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.