Self-development 

Small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery of Germany in the second world war. Anti-aircraft guns Gun flak 18

The 88 mm became the most famous German anti-aircraft gun in the history of World War II. Excellent in the fight against enemy aircraft, the 88-mm anti-aircraft gun could perfectly fight enemy armored vehicles, and until the very end of the war, its armor-piercing shells could penetrate the armor of almost all Allied and USSR tanks.

Work on the creation of the gun began in the mid-1920s and was completed in 1928. The new anti-aircraft gun was named "88-mm anti-aircraft gun model 18 - Flak-18". The new air defense system began to enter the motorized anti-aircraft batteries of the Wehrmacht in 1933, so the date 18 was mentioned in the official name to hide the fact that the development of anti-aircraft guns was prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles.

The 88-mm cannon, which has a semi-automatic type breech, which ensures the extraction of the spent cartridge case and the erection of the mainspring due to the recoil energy, had a rate of fire of 15-20 rounds per minute. The design of the carriage made it possible to point the gun vertically in the range from 5 to 85 degrees. The recoil of the barrel was limited by the limiter. To return the gun to its original position, a knurler was used. Under the gun barrel, spring compensators are mounted in two cylinders to facilitate vertical aiming of the gun.

The values ​​of the elevation angle, rotation and installation of the fuse required for firing at air targets were determined by the fire control device and transmitted to the gun to the tube transmission device through a 108-core cable. The same information could be transferred to the gunner by phone.

For firing, cartridge-loading shots with projectiles for various purposes were used. Fragmentation shells with a remote fuse were used against aircraft. The initial speed of such a projectile was 820 m / s, with a projectile weight of 9 kg, the explosive charge was 0.87 kg. The vertical firing range of this projectile reached 10600 m.

The cannon was transported using a two-axle trailer, the rear axle of which had dual wheels, and the front axle had single wheels.

Summarizing the experience of using anti-aircraft guns in Spain, it was decided to develop armor-piercing and cumulative shells for the gun. 88-mm anti-aircraft guns showed themselves well in the fight against ground targets, so it was decided to equip the guns with shield cover.

Flak-36 and 37 became modifications of Flak-18. Flak-36 had a simplified carriage, an improved barrel, which led to a decrease in the cost of manufacturing the gun. This modification appeared in 1935. All brass parts have been replaced with steel. The transportation of the gun was carried out using two identical single-axle carts, since the front and rear beds became interchangeable. Flak-37 had an advanced fire control system. This modification appeared a year later. Flak-18 was produced in large batches. In the summer of 1944, the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and Navy were armed with about 10,000 of these guns.

In 1942, the Rheinmetall-Borsig company presented for testing a new modification of the 88-mm anti-aircraft gun - Flak-41. The new gun had a rate of fire of 22-25 rounds per minute, and the initial velocity of the fragmentation projectile was up to 1000 m/s. After a series of tests, the gun was put into service under the designation "88-mm anti-aircraft gun model 41".

The gun had an articulated carriage with four cross-shaped beds. The carriage design ensured firing at an elevation angle of up to +90 degrees. In the horizontal plane, circular shelling was possible. The Model 41 gun had an armored shield to protect it from shrapnel and bullets.

The barrel of the gun, 6.54 m long, consists of a casing, a pipe and a breech. The semi-automatic shutter is equipped with a hydropneumatic rammer, which made it possible to increase the rate of fire of the gun and facilitate the work of the calculation.

To combat air targets, each battery was given an anti-aircraft artillery fire control device, which instantly developed the necessary settings for firing. When firing at air targets, fragmentation shells were used, and armor-piercing and sub-caliber shells were used to fight tanks. An armor-piercing projectile weighing 10 kg with an initial speed of 980 m/s at a distance of 100 m pierced armor up to 194 mm thick, and at a distance of 1000 m - 159 mm armor, at a distance of 2000 m - about 127 mm. A sub-caliber projectile weighing 7.5 kg with an initial speed of 1125 m / s from a distance of 100 pierced armor 237 mm thick, from a distance of 1000 m pierced armor 192 mm thick, from 2000 m -152 mm.

Transportation of the gun on a mechanical traction using two single-axle carts did not provide sufficient maneuverability as it was with the Flak-36, so work was underway to install the gun on the chassis of the Panther tank, but such a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun was never created.

Flak-41s were produced in small batches - by 1945, only 279 Flak-41s were in service with the German army.

88-mm anti-aircraft guns proved to be good not only in the fight against air targets, but also against ground ones, so these guns were actively introduced into the production of tanks and tank destroyers: "Tiger", "Nashorn", "Hornisse", "Jagdpanther", " Elefant". Options for installing Flak-18 on a railway platform and on an extended chassis of the Bussing NAG 900 car were also developed.

Flak-16/36/37

Flak-41

Flak 37 gun (88 mm) in Flak 37 Sfl.Auf 18ton Zgkw self-propelled guns

Description

8.8 cm FlaK 37 (German 8.8-cm - Flugabwehrkanone 37, literally 8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun model 37), also known as "eight-eight" (German Acht-acht) - German 88- millimeter anti-aircraft gun, which was in service from 1928 to 1945. One of the best anti-aircraft guns of World War II. It also served as a model for the creation of tank guns for the Tiger and Royal Tiger tanks. These guns were widely used as anti-tank and even field guns. Often these guns are called the most famous guns of the Second World War. Mounted on half-track armored personnel carriers s.Zgkw.18t.

The semi-automatic horizontal-wedge type shutter provided the extraction of the spent cartridge case and the erection of the mainspring due to the recoil energy, had a rate of fire of 15-20 rounds per minute. To return the gun to its original position, a pneumatic knurled over the barrel was used. A spring balancing mechanism is mounted under the gun barrel in two cylinders, which facilitates the vertical aiming of the gun.

The Flak-37 modification compared to its predecessors (Flak 18.36) had an improved fire control system. The performance characteristics roughly correspond to those of the Flak-18. An important improvement in the design of the gun was the manufacture of the barrel from several elements, which made it possible to replace its worn-out fragments directly in the field.

Vehicles equipped with these weapons

Main characteristics

Available projectiles

History reference

Armor-piercing and high-explosive shells (88 mm)

The main purpose of this weapon on the fields of Warthunder will be the destruction of tanks. The gun copes with this task perfectly well. She can easily pierce and destroy opponents not only of her own rank, but also of a much higher rank. The gun is anti-aircraft and has excellent upward aiming angles - that is, it is capable of shooting down aircraft, especially slow heavy bombers. The gun turns slowly. There are no high-explosive shells in the game yet that exploded in the air (with a remote fuse) - hitting the plane with fragments and a shock wave, so you will have to hit the planes with ordinary land mines and armor-piercing direct hits. There are no sub-caliber ones - but in principle they are not needed. High-explosive ones can also resist non-armored vehicles (such as ZSU), they are better at destroying them. Penetration of a 13 mm HE (which even penetrates some lightly armored vehicles). The fuse of a chamber projectile is designed to penetrate at least 28 mm armor - this is bad, because it means that the projectile will not explode if the armor is less than 28 mm upon penetration (as you know, not all vehicles have such armor). The fighting qualities of the gun as a whole are excellent - excellent "frantic" rate of fire, excellent penetration, powerful projectiles, excellent accuracy.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

  • Powerful chamber projectile
  • Excellent rate of fire.
  • Excellent projectile flight ballistics and muzzle velocity.
  • Excellent penetration.

Disadvantages:

  • There is no high-explosive projectile with a remote fuse.
  • The fuse is designed to penetrate at least 28 mm of armor.

Media

see also

German anti-aircraft 88 mm gun 8.8 cm FlaK 18/36/37

The famous German anti-aircraft gun FlaK 18 (Flugabwehrkanone, from German “anti-aircraft gun”) was rightfully one of the most famous artillery systems of Nazi Germany in World War II. At the beginning of the war, the Germans appreciated all the advantages of this universal gun, using it to combat air targets, enemy armored vehicles and to destroy enemy fortifications. In addition to the Germans, the FlaK 18 gun and all its modifications (36/37/41) were appreciated by the British, Americans and Russians, since at the initial stage of the war, this gun was an effective means of destroying the Matilda and T-34 tanks. .

The history of the creation of the German anti-aircraft gun FlaK18

The first representatives of German anti-aircraft semi-automatic guns were created in Germany back in the First World War. These medium-caliber guns were built by the two largest firms, Rheinmetall (then called Erchardt) and Krupp in 1917. With the defeat of Germany in the First World War, all of its artillery systems were withdrawn from the army and, basically, all were destroyed. Recall that the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles forbade defeated Germany to have anti-aircraft artillery, as well as to create devices for controlling fire from these guns. However, German artillery designers secretly continued to create their artillery systems in the 1920s in Sweden, Germany, Holland and other countries. In those years, the created guns were almost all designated by the number "18", which meant "model 1918". This was partly done in order to cover up (or hide, so that there would be no doubt among the allies) and show that Germany still complied with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, and did not violate it. However, the new FlaK18 gun was very different from the previous gun of the 17th year.

The need for such a gun appeared among the Germans in connection with the appearance of the Haley Page heavy bombers in the Royal Air Force of England, which could rise to a height of more than 10 thousand meters. In 1928, in secret in Sweden, the German designers of the Krupp company began redesigning a new anti-aircraft gun. All work was carried out at the Swedish company Swedish Bofors, controlled by Krupa. The first samples of guns were made in the city of Essen. Secret field tests of new anti-aircraft guns soon followed, as a result of which the designers made a number of changes to the design of the units. A huge role in the creation of new weapons was played by Krup himself, who selflessly participated in the creation of guns.


Sketch drawing of the 88 mm FlaK18 gun. Right view.


Sketch drawing of the 88 mm FlaK18 gun. Left side view


Sketch drawing of the 88 mm FlaK18 gun. View from above.


Exiz of the balancing spring of the recoil device


Sketch of the FlaK 18 cannon breech


Sketch of the FlaK 18 gun barrel


Sketch of the FlaK 36 gun barrel


This is how the 88 mm FlaK18 cannon looks from above


Sketch drawing of the gun carriage FlaK18 (16-hooks on the langerons for lifting on a winch, 17- stake for driving into the ground 18-shovel, 22-eye, 37- device for positioning relative to the horizontal plane


Sketch drawing of the gun carriage FlaK18, top view


Sketch drawing of the gun carriage FlaK36, top view

During the design process, German designers made a lot of innovations, one of which was the ease of manufacture of the 88 mm FlaK18 gun. In addition, the gun could be mass-produced at tractor and automobile factories without the use of specialized assembly lines. The first demonstration to the military Wehrmacht took place in 1932, where Krupp personally demonstrated the capabilities of the new weapon. The military was delighted with the new anti-aircraft gun. A contract was immediately signed for the supply of FlaK18 guns to the Reichswehr. Soon the German army formed 7 motorized anti-aircraft batteries, which were armed with 8.8 FlaK18 guns. In 1933, batteries with new guns took up combat duty.

The design of the FlaK18 anti-aircraft gun

The barrel of the FlaK18 gun consisted of a breech, a free tube and a casing. The rate of fire of the gun up to 15-20 rounds per minute was allowed by the original breech, which was a horizontal, semi-automatic wedge breech, which ensures the withdrawal of the spent cartridge case, and the erection of the mainspring due to the recoil energy. It is worth noting that the rammer together with the charging tray worked poorly in some cases, therefore, the future calculation of the gun removed it already in the field with the help of field workshops.

The recoil devices included a hydropneumatic knurler and a hydraulic recoil brake (spindle type). With the help of the knurler, after the shot, the barrel returned to its original position. The recoil of the barrel after the shot was limited by the limiter. To facilitate the vertical aiming of the gun, two spring compensators were mounted in two cylinders under the FlaK18 gun barrel. The gun recoil brakes were equipped with a compensator. FlaK18 rollback length was variable. As already mentioned, the rate of fire of the gun reached 20 rounds per minute, this was the undoubted advantage of this gun, it was also provided by the presence of a mechanism for automatically ejecting spent cartridges. The prepared crew of the FlaK18 gun can easily fire at such intensity. However, this required some physical preparation, since the cartridge assembly weighed 15 kilograms, the anti-aircraft fragmentation projectile weighed 10.5 kilograms.

The gun had a carriage, which was connected to the 8-sided base with a hinge. The base itself was supported by a cross. The crosspiece had side frames, which, in the transition from a combat position to a marching one, rose up. A longitudinal beam ran along the cannon, which served as a wagon in the stowed position. At the base of the carriage there was a pedestal on which the upper machine (aka swivel) was mounted. The lower end of the swivel pin was inserted into the slide of the leveling mechanism. The rotary and lifting devices had 2 pointing speeds. There was also a balancing mechanism of a spring-pull type. In the horizontal plane of the FlaK18 cannon, circular fire was provided, in the vertical plane, shelling was provided in the range from +5 degrees. up to +85 degrees.

The composition of the units of anti-aircraft guns FlaK18.

Each FlaK18 cannon was part of the light anti-aircraft unit. At the discretion of the leadership, absolutely any number of FlaK18 guns could be combined into a battery, which was attached to the command post. Each unit was armed with a trailer with guidance devices and a searchlight, which were powered by an autonomous diesel generator.

How did the searchlight and the FlaK18 anti-aircraft gun unit interact.

Attached to the object being protected from night enemy air raids by a searchlight, a search and “capture” (illumination in the night sky) of the target was carried out. After that, the aiming installation operator had to provide visual tracking of the target. At the same time, the devices that were built into the target tracking (tracking) installation automatically sent data on the angle above the horizon and the height of the target to the targeting devices of each FlaK18 anti-aircraft gun. The angle of rotation, elevation and setting of the fuse needed to fire at enemy aircraft were determined by a special device that transmitted them to the FlaK18 cannon unit via a 108-wire cable through an Ubertransunger 37 transmission lamp device. In the event of a device failure, this information was transmitted by the operator by phone. Prior to the modernization of the gun, the fuse was installed next to the gun at a distance of 10 meters, then devices appeared for installing the fuse, which was mounted on the gun carriage. All fire control devices on the 8.8 mm FlaK 36/37/41 gun were duplicated. From the command center, data was displayed on the small dials of the gun. The gunner set exactly these values ​​on his large dials and fired. Thanks to this decision, the entire firepower of the battery of 8.8mm FlaK 36/37/41 guns was tightly concentrated on one target, which had little effect on getting out alive.

The 8.8 FlaK 36/37/41 cannon was transported with the help of 2 trailers (the Russians called rolling single-axle carts - “moves”) Sonderanhaenger 201. In a combat position, they detached, joined in a campaign.

For all crews of 8.8 mm FlaK 36/37/41 guns, there was a standard according to which the crew should “uncover” (remove the gun from the carts and assume a combat position) in just 20 seconds, and the gun should be installed in no more than 1 minute. This was especially true when changing positions after firing shots, since in response the calculation was covered by enemy artillery.

The 8.8 mm FlaK 36/37/41 gun was armed with cartridge-loading rounds with projectiles of various purposes (anti-aircraft, anti-tank (several armor-piercing variants), anti-personnel). For flying targets, a fragmentation projectile was used, which had a remote fuse. With a projectile weight of 9 kg (explosive weight 0.87 kg), the initial velocity of the projectile was 820 m / s. The vertical range of the fragmentation projectile was 10.6 km.


German anti-aircraft 88 mm Flak37 gun installed in Rendsburg


The progenitor of the 8,8 cm FlaK 18/36/37 cannon - Krupp's Flak L/45



Anti-aircraft gun 8,8 cm FlaK 18


Anti-aircraft gun 8,8 cm FlaK 36 in the stowed position


8.8 cm FlaK 18 anti-aircraft gun in position for firing at high-flying targets (max. 85 degrees)


88 mm FlaK cannon with crew


Camouflaged 88 mm FlaK gun on the Eastern Front


88 mm FlaK gun on the Eastern Front. Conducting fire.


Left: on alarm, the crew runs to their gun. Right: Luftwaffe soldier eavesdropping with acoustic early warning devices (sound pickups).

In July 1944, a new heavy self-propelled gun based on the Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf. B "Tiger II" ("Royal Tiger"). The first series of "jagdtigers" (as the new self-propelled guns were called) included self-propelled guns with a chassis designed by Dr. Erwin Aders (Chief Engineer of Henschel & Son), and with a chassis designed by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche

In 1941, the fighting on the Eastern Front revealed one fact that became very unpleasant for the Wehrmacht. It turned out that the level of development of Soviet technology was much higher than expected - this was especially evident in the collision of German troops with the latest KV and T-34 tanks, the armor of which most of the standard anti-tank weapons pierced with difficulty. The real salvation in the fight against these giants turned out to be 8.8-centimeter (in Germany, the caliber of artillery systems is traditionally measured in centimeters) FlaK 36 anti-aircraft guns and their other modifications - FlaK 37 and FlaK 18. Only the armor-piercing shells of these anti-aircraft guns, accelerated by powerful powder charges to initial speed of 820 m / s, could penetrate 75-mm armor of the KV or flash the 45-mm forehead of the "thirty-four". In the German units, these guns were called "eight-eight" and they tried to transfer them to the most tank-dangerous sectors of the front.

The designers of the Krupp corporation developed the FlaK 18 back in 1928, and the first prototypes were assembled outside of Germany - at the factory of the Swedish company Bofors. This was due to the arms production restrictions placed on Germany after the end of World War I. The Krupp factories in Essen began to independently assemble these artillery systems only in 1932.

Artillerymen of the Wehrmacht African Corps prepare an 88 mm FlaK 36 anti-aircraft gun for firing, 1940-41
A source - waralbum.ru

In 1940, the designers created the 88-mm FlaK 36 gun, which was equipped with wheeled carts for quick movement, as well as an electric trigger and an armored shield to protect the crew from bullets and shrapnel when firing at ground targets. In fact, this weapon was created as a universal means of combating enemy aircraft and tanks.

A serious drawback of the 88 mm anti-aircraft guns was their high striking silhouette and significant cost - the price for versatility. The Wehrmacht's weapons department (hereinafter referred to as USV) demanded that the designers create a cheaper anti-tank gun based on the FlaK 36, which was carried out at the end of 1942 by the Krupp corporation.

The new 88mm Pak 43 gun turned out to be one of the best anti-tank artillery systems of the Second World War (hereinafter referred to as WWII). Its 71-caliber barrel made it possible to accelerate armor-piercing shells to a speed of 1000 m / s, and sub-caliber - up to 1130 m / s. Thanks to this, the Pak 43 could hit almost any Soviet tank from a distance of two kilometers.


German gunners deploy an 88mm Pak 43 anti-tank gun
A source - waralbum.ru

The main disadvantage of this anti-tank gun was its high weight - 4.4 tons. Therefore, if the calculation of the gun entered the battle, then a change of position or retreat became a serious problem. The low mobility of such a successful artillery system could not but lead the designers to the idea of ​​installing it on armored chassis.

The installation of the Pak 43 gun on the first German serial heavy tank Pz.Kpfw.VI "Tiger" turned out to be impossible due to the considerable dimensions of the latter. Therefore, the armored "predator" in 1942 was armed with a KwK 36 tank gun of the same caliber (88 mm), but shorter - only 4.9 meters versus 6.2. Naturally, the ballistics of this gun was worse than those of the KwK 43 and StuK 43 (cannons based on the Pak 43 for installation on tanks and self-propelled guns, respectively), but it was quite enough to knock out the Soviet KV-1 and T-34.

StuK 43 was installed on heavy anti-tank self-propelled guns (or, as they were called in the Wehrmacht, "Jagdpanzers") "Ferdinand". They redesigned the chassis of the Tiger (P) tank designed by Ferdinand Porsche, which the industry hurried to manufacture on Hitler’s personal order even before the USV adopted the Tiger, designed by the engineers of the Henschel and Son company. At the Nibelungenwerke plant in the Austrian city of Sankt Valentin, armored cabins were built over the chassis with a frontal armor of 200 mm, which was monstrous for that time. StuK 43 was placed in the wheelhouse, having received a self-propelled gun, which became one of the most terrible opponents of the Soviet troops in the Battle of Kursk. Fortunately for Soviet tankers, the German industry produced few "Ferdinands" - only about 90 pieces. In addition, the undercarriage of these self-propelled guns turned out to be rather unreliable, in addition, the vehicles were let down by the lack of machine-gun armament, as a result of which self-propelled guns became defenseless in the event of close combat against infantry. Therefore, despite powerful armor and armament, a significant number of these vehicles were lost in the battles of the summer of 1943.


Self-propelled guns "Ferdinand" with 88-mm gun StuK 43 in the armored museum in Kubinka
A source - tankmuseum.ru

German designers took into account the experience of using heavy Jagdpanzers, and in July 1944, at the same Nibelungenwerke enterprise, a new heavy self-propelled guns created on the basis of the Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf. B "Tiger II" ("Royal Tiger"). It is curious that this time the story of the prematurely manufactured chassis for Porsche-designed tanks was repeated, only now they were assembled not 100 pieces, but only 7. The first series of “jagdtigers” (as the new self-propelled guns were called) included self-propelled guns with a chassis designed by Dr. Erwin Aders (chief engineer and head of new development at Henschel & Son), and with a chassis designed by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche. Subsequent cars were produced only on the chassis of the Aders design, but they, like the Ferdinands, were assembled very little. The total number of Jagdtigers produced is estimated at approximately 70-88 units, each of which weighed 75.2 tons - the Jagdtigers became the heaviest of all mass-produced German armored vehicles. For comparison, the mass of the "Royal Tiger" reached 68 tons, and the modern German tank "Leopard-II" A5 weighs 62 tons.


High-ranking representatives of the Wehrmacht and the company "Henschel and Son" (Erwin Aders - in a dark suit on the right), September 5, 1942
A source - pokazuha.ru

The Jagdtiger had a standard German layout - in front was the control compartment with a transmission installed in it, behind it was the fighting compartment, located in the wheelhouse and the middle part of the hull. The engine compartment was placed in the stern with a V-shaped 12-cylinder four-stroke liquid-cooled carburetor engine manufactured by Maybach, model HL 230 P30. The working volume of the power plant reached 23,095 cm³, and it developed a maximum power of 700 hp. from. at 3000 rpm. However, the mass of the self-propelled guns for such an engine was too large, so the self-propelled gun developed a speed of no more than 38 km / h on the highway, and 17 km / h on rough terrain.


The assembly shop of the Nibelungenwerke plant with the hulls of the Jagdtigers being assembled
A source - weaponscollection.com

The thickness of the upper frontal plate at the cabin of the Jagdtigr reached 250 mm, the hull - 150 mm, the lower armor plate - 120 mm. Both body armor parts were located at an angle of 50 °. The German designers protected the sides and stern of the self-propelled gun with an 80 mm layer of steel, the bottom and roof of the hull - 40 mm, and the roof of the wheelhouse - 45 mm. It is interesting that the front armor plates of the felling were made from pre-war armor, which was taken from the stocks of the Kriegsmarine.

In 1944, they planned to collect 150 Jagdtigers, but these plans were not destined to come true. On October 16, 1944, the allied aviation subjected the factory in St. Valentin to a massive bombardment, dropping about 143 tons of bombs on it. Production at the enterprise was partially restored, but it could no longer fulfill the state order in full. They tried to get out of the situation by transferring part of the order to the Am Jung Lokomotivfabrik company located in Yungenthal, but even there the actions of enemy aircraft frustrated all plans.


View of the workshop of the Nibelungenwerke tank building plant after the bombardment by Allied aircraft on October 16, 1944. In the foreground are the damaged hulls of the Jagdtigers.
A source - waralbum.ru

Initially, all Jagdtigers were armed with a powerful 128-mm Pak 80 gun. This gun was very heavy, so it was mounted not in the front deck of the cabin (it simply could not withstand excessive load), but on a specially designed pedestal installed on the floor of the fighting compartment. The gun had a lot of shortcomings - in particular, its recoil was so significant that the self-propelled guns could only fire from a place, otherwise its undercarriage risked failure. If, on the march, the gun was not fixed on a special rack, then from the swaying of the barrel, the guidance mechanism could at least deregulate, and at the maximum - fail. But the biggest drawback of the Pak 80 guns at the beginning of 1945 was their shortage - there was simply nothing to install on the new tank chassis.


The engine compartment of the Jagdtigra
A source - scalemodels.ru

On February 26, 1945, Hitler issued an order according to which the production of the Jagdtiger self-propelled guns received the highest priority. By the next order, he demanded that all stocks of 128-mm barrels be transferred to the Nibelungenwerke plant. It was also ordered to send 128-mm Pak 44 towed guns on carriages there. In the event of a shortage of 128-mm artillery systems, enterprises should have used 88-mm tank KwK 43/3 and StuK 43/3, installed on the "royal tigers" and self-propelled guns "Jagdpanther", or even anti-tank guns Pak 43/3 L / 71.

In March 1945, only three Jagdtigers were assembled in St. Valentine, which was primarily due to a lack of trunks. In April, out of seven self-propelled guns produced, four vehicles with chassis numbers 305078, 305079, 305080 and 305081 were armed with 88-mm guns. By May 4, the factory produced the last three vehicles with chassis numbers 305082, 305083 and 305084, for which 128-mm guns were found.


"Jagdtigr" with a 128-mm Pak 80 gun in the stowed position
A source - russkiytankist.3dn.ru

By this time, tankers from two divisions arrived at the plant to receive new vehicles - the 1st company of the 653rd battalion of heavy tank destroyers (commander - Lieutenant Hans Knippenberg) and the 501st SS heavy tank battalion, led by Untersturmführer Waldemar Warneke. Self-propelled gunners lost their vehicles in the spring battles in Germany and the Benelux countries (where the forces of the 653rd battalion were scattered into groups of several vehicles each to support infantry units), and the 501st battalion lost almost all of its materiel (only four vehicles) during the unsuccessful March offensive in the Lake Balaton area.

There is no reliable information about what kind of guns the Jagdtigers that fell into one or another unit were armed with. Researcher Andrew Devey in his book "Jagdtiger Der stärkste König" claims that the SS got the last four vehicles produced at the factory and equipped with 128-mm guns, and the rest of the vehicles, including the 88-mm KwK43 / 3 "Jagdtigr", received self-propelled gunners of the 653rd battalion. However, after the surrender of Berlin on May 1, the command of the army battalion disbanded it, so the crews, in accordance with the order, blew up their cars and went home.

Such an outcome of the war did not suit the SS tankers, and Soviet troops were already approaching St. Valentine, from whom nothing good could be expected, since the Red Army tried not to take prisoners of the SS soldiers. Therefore, the crews of the remaining Jagdtigers refueled their vehicles on their own, loaded ammunition into them and moved west to break through to the Allied positions and surrender there. Tankers abandoned two cars on the road due to the failure of their running gear. With another “jagdtiger”, they blocked the bridge in order to make it difficult for the Soviet units that were on the heels of the passage, and the only car with all the armored SS crews drove out to the Americans. Thus, not a single 88-mm self-propelled gun "Jagdtigr" took part in the hostilities.


Jagdtiger pattern 8.8 cm Pak 43/3
A source - world-of-tanks.eu

In 1996, the archaeological society Simonides Military Archaelogy Group announced that its members had discovered the remains of the Jagdtiger with chassis number 305081 in Poland. The search engines did not find traces of the cannon, but they found a special a steel liner used to install a smaller diameter barrel. Amateur archaeologists have not yet provided any photographs to confirm their words.

20-mm built-in 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 of the installation was 3000 rounds. Armored vehicles, armored boats, railway armored platforms, etc. were equipped with installations. A total of 5114 installations were released. In addition, semi-handicraft installations with MG-151 guns were made in parts. In total, about 15 thousand performance characteristics of the installation were redone: caliber - 20 mm; length - 1.7 m; barrel length - 1.1 m; weight of a single-barrel gun - 42 kg; rate of fire - 750 rounds per minute; projectile weight - 115 kg; initial speed - 725 m / s; ammunition - 20x82 mm: ammunition - tape in boxes (450 rounds for the central barrel, 240 for the side ones); effective firing range - 600 m.

The 20-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun of the 1934 model was produced by the 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 3 thousand guns were delivered. TTX of the most common option: caliber - 20 mm; length - 2.2 m; weight - 68 kg; rate of fire - from 300 to 650 shots, depending on the version of the gun; maximum firing range - 4.4 km, effective - 1.1 km; ammunition - 20x110mm; ammunition supply - magazine for 30 ammunition; initial speed - 830 m / s; projectile weight - 120 g.

The Flak-30 gun was developed by Rheinmetall and began to enter service with the Air Force in 1934. The anti-aircraft gun was equipped with a mechanical computer 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; barrel length - 1.3 m; weight in combat position - 450 kg, in marching 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.

Quad installation "Flak-36 Vierling" was created on the basis of "Flak-30". It was installed in the back of trucks, 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 tons; rate of fire - 800 rounds per minute; initial speed - 900 m / s; firing range - 4.8 km.

The gun is the result of the modernization of the FlaK-30 gun - the barrel length has been reduced by 2 calibers, and the total weight has been reduced by 30 kg. It began to enter the troops in 1940. The total number of issued guns of all modifications is about 130 thousand. The gun delivered to Romania had the designation “Tunul antiaerian Gustloff, cal. 20mm, 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 store; 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.

The FlaKvierling is a quadruple variant of the 20mm 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 tons; barrel 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, designed for use in mountainous conditions and was put into service in 1942. The gun had a small shield, a two-wheeled pneumatic move. She could be transported both in tow and disassembled into several parts for separate transportation. The gun had a dual purpose, i.e. used for 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; barrel 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

Quad installation - Flakvierling-103/38

The Flak-103 gun was created by imposing a 30 mm MK-103 aircraft gun on the carriage of a 20 mm Flak-38 automatic anti-aircraft gun. The design used components and mechanisms of anti-aircraft installations "Flak-30/38". In addition to single guns, the Flakvierling-103 / 38 quadruple installation was developed. On the chassis of the tank "Pz-IV" was installed a tower with a twin system of 30-mm guns, which was called "Kugelblitz". A total of 189 guns were made. In addition to 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 muzzle velocity (1,080 m / s). Such guns were produced 222 units. TTX guns: caliber - 30 mm; length - 2.4 m; barrel length - 1.3 m; weight in combat position - 619 kg, in marching position - 879 kg; the initial speed of a fragmentation projectile - 900 m / s, armor-piercing - 800 m / s; rate of fire - 250 rounds per minute; firing range - 5.7 km; projectile weight - 815 g; ammunition - store for 30 - 40 ammunition; 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 gun mounted on a tractor platform

3.7 cm FlaK-37 gun mounted on a tank chassis

The gun was developed by Rheinmetall on the basis of the ST-10 gun and put into service in 1935. The gun was fired from a pedestal gun carriage that had a cruciform base resting on the ground. In the stowed position, the gun was mounted on a four-axle wagon, later on a four-beam carriage with a detachable two-wheeled wagon. The guns were equipped with a shield cover to protect against bullets and shrapnel. Modification "Flak-36" differed from the base model "Flak-18" reduced to 1,550 kg. weighing in combat position and up to 2,400 kg. on a hike. 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 such guns were supplied to the ZSU of an 8-ton half-track tractor. Guns were also installed on the chassis of decommissioned tanks. In total, 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 the stowed position - 3.5 tons, in the stowed position - 1.7 kg; projectile weight - 635 g; ammunition - store 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, which differed in a higher rate of fire. It was put into service in 1943. A modification of the gun was the two-gun installation "3.7-cm Flakzwilling 43", which has two machine guns located one above the other. A total of 5918 units were produced. Under the designation "Tunul antiaerian Rheinmetall, cal. 37mm, md. 1939" the cannon was used by the Romanian troops. TTX guns: caliber 37 mm; weight in the stowed position - 2 tons, in combat - 1.2 tons, 2-barrel installation - 2.5 tons; length - 3.4 m; width - 2.4 m; height - 2.4 m; barrel length - 2.1 m; projectile weight - 635 g; rate of fire - 150-230 rounds per minute; dual installation rate of fire - 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 ammunition; armor penetration - 24 mm at a distance of 1000 m.

The 37-mm twin automatic gun "SK C / 30" was manufactured 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. Often the gun was equipped with a cover shield 8 mm thick. The ammunition of the gun included tracer and high-explosive shells. In total, about 1.6 thousand guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber - 37 mm; height - 2.5 m; barrel length - 2.9 m; installation weight - 3.6 tons; 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 manufactured 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. Guns were installed on small ships and submarines. In total, about 1.4 thousand guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber - 37 mm; barrel length - 2.6 m; installation weight - 1.3 tons; 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 shots; calculation - 6 people.

The 50-mm anti-aircraft gun "Flak-41" 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 combat position, both moves rolled back. If necessary, the gun was also used to fire at light tanks and armored vehicles.

Despite the relatively large caliber, the 50mm rounds lacked power. In addition, the flashes of shots blinded the gunner, even on a clear sunny day. The carriage turned out to be too bulky and uncomfortable 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 the stowed position - 5.5 tons, in combat - 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 - store for 5-10 shots; calculation - 5 people; the time of transferring the gun from marching to combat position is 1 minute.

Anti-aircraft gun 5.5-cm Flak - 58

"Flak-58" is a prototype built by "Rheinmetall" in 1944, in which many of the technical solutions typical of post-war anti-aircraft guns were implemented. The carriage had a sprung wheel travel and pneumatic tires. Guidance was carried out automatically by POISOT commands by the gunner using electro-hydraulic actuators or by the gunner using mechanical guidance actuators and an optical sight (when firing at ground targets). Hydraulic jacks were used to transfer the gun to the firing position from the marching position. A total of 2 guns were built. TTX guns: caliber - 55 mm; installation length - 8.5 m; width - 3.4 m; barrel length - 5.8 m; weight in the stowed position - 5.5 tons, in combat - 2.9 tons; ammunition weight - 5 kg; mass of a 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 the Navy and for export. The gun was produced both on wheels and in the form of stationary installations. Known variants of self-propelled units. In Norway, the gun had the designation "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; barrel 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 gun was put into service in 1933 and was installed on hunters, submarines and auxiliary ships. Known anti-aircraft modification in 1941 - "KM-41". A total of 670 guns were used. TTX guns: caliber - 88 mm; barrel 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. TTX guns: caliber - 88 mm; length - 6.9 m; barrel length - 6.3 m; installation weight - 27 tons; gun weight - 4.2 tons; ammunition weight - 18.5 kg; projectile weight - 9.4 kg; charge mass - 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. TTX guns: caliber - 88 mm; height - 3.4 m; barrel length - 6.3 m; installation weight - 23 tons; weight - barrel 3.6 t; ammunition weight - 15.2 kg; projectile weight - 9.3 kg; charge mass - 2.9 kg; projectile length - 397 mm; initial speed - 950 m / s; rate of fire - 20 rounds per minute; ammunition - 400 shots; firing range - 18.8 km.

The ship's gun was put into service in 1938 to equip submarines, minesweepers and merchant ships. TTX guns: caliber - 88 mm; length - 4 m; height - 3.2 m; barrel length - 3.7 m; installation weight - 5.3 tons; gun weight - 776 kg; ammunition weight - 15 kg; projectile weight - 10.2 kg; charge mass - 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. TTX guns: caliber - 88 mm; barrel length - 4 m; weight - 2.5 tons; 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 was started in 1932 at the Krupp factories under the designation "Flak-18". The cannon was transported using a two-axle trailer, the rear axle of which had dual wheels, and the front axle had single wheels. The first use of the cannon occurred in Spain, where it was also used to fight tanks. The values ​​of the elevation angle, rotation and installation of the fuse required for firing at air targets were determined by the fire control device and transmitted to the gun to the tube transmission device through a 108-core cable. The same information could be transferred to the gunner by phone. 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 the Tiger tanks.

The Flak-36 gun was produced since 1935 and differed from the prototype in a simplified carriage design and an improved barrel. The next modification, the Flak-37, created a year later, 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 no carts for transportation were completed.

Most of the nodes of the guns arr. 18, 36 and 37 were interchangeable. A total of 20.7 thousand guns were fired. The performance characteristics of these modifications approximately correspond to the characteristics of the Flak-18. Unitary ammunition was used for firing. Fragmentation shells with a remote fuse were used against aircraft. The initial speed of such a projectile was 820 m / s, with a projectile weight of 9 kg, the explosive charge was 0.87 kg. The armor-piercing projectile "Pzgr-40" at a distance of 1500 m pierced armor 123 mm thick, and the cumulative "HL-Gr 39" - 90 mm at a distance of 3000 m. Under the designation "Tunul antiaerian Krupp, cal. 88mm, 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 the stowed position - 8.2 tons, in combat - 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 Rheinmetal-Borsig and only from 1943 began to enter the army. 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 with various types of fuses and 3 armor-piercing. The initial speed of the projectile: fragmentation 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 - 192 mm. TTX guns: caliber - 88 mm; length - 6.5 m; width - 2.4 m; height - 2.6 m; barrel length - 6.5 m; weight in combat position - 7.8 tons, in marching 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 С/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 conventional carriages. The carriage had a cruciform arrangement of the beds - this made it possible to conduct circular fire with an elevation angle of up to 85 °. To aim the gun at the target, DC electric motors were used. In 1940, the Flak-39 guns began to enter the troops, which differed from the Flak-38 in the design of the carriage and in the fact that AC motors were installed, not DC. A total of 4045 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; the mass of a two-gun ship installation is 27.8 tons, the mass of a land gun in a combat position is 10.2 tons, in a stowed position - 14.6 tons; gun barrel weight - 4.5 tons; ammunition weight - 26.5 kg; projectile weight - 15 kg; charge mass - 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. "Flak-40" is an electrified gun with power motors to the fuse installer, rammer and to 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 guidance mechanisms made it possible to give the barrel a maximum elevation angle of 87 °, in the horizontal plane circular fire was provided. Shooting from the gun was carried out with unitary shots with fragmentation shells. Technically, the gun provided an altitude reach of 14.8 km, but the remote fuse only allowed firing up to 12.8 km. The gun could also fire armor-piercing shells that pierced armor up to 157 mm thick at a distance of 1500 m. However, these shells were mainly used in Jagdtigr 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 marching position - 26 tons; rate of fire - 14 rounds per minute; fragmentation projectile weight - 26 kg, armor-piercing 28.3 kg; initial speed - 875 m / s; calculation 5 people.

"128-mm Flak-40 Zwilling" (twin) was designed to increase the density of anti-aircraft fire. The gun was produced by the Ganomag company since 1942 and entered service with the Luftwaffe units. In total, at least 33 guns were fired. Structurally, it consisted of two barrels of a 128-mm Flak-40 gun 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 tons; 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 an ammunition lift. For transportation, it had to be disassembled into 4 parts: the bed, the lower part of the gun carriage, the upper part of the gun carriage and the barrel. For this reason, it was intended to be used on stationary firing positions. TTX guns: caliber - 149.1 mm; weight - 22.2 tons; rate of fire - 10 rounds per minute; fragmentation projectile weight - 40 kg; initial speed - 890 m / s; vertical firing range - 15.2 km.