Air defense units. Anti-aircraft guns Naval anti-aircraft gun 20 mm flak with 38
At the firing position.
FlaK 38 in the museum.
Image of the FlaK 38 anti-aircraft gun
Characteristics
Year of issue1938
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 rds / 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 land version of the gun was put into service at the end of 1937 under the designation "105-mm anti-aircraft gun sample 38".During the Second World War, the gun was used for air defense cities, industrial enterprises and naval bases. because of heavy weight in stowed position(14,600 kg) in the air defense system of the troops, the gun was practically not used.
A significant part of the FlaK-38 guns was mounted on carriages with a cruciform arrangement of beds, the design of which provided circular firing with the highest elevation angle of 85 °. The hydraulic system of horizontal and vertical guidance 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 firing at a rate of 12-15 rounds per minute.
In 1939, the FlaK 38 was upgraded 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 did not operate 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. FlaK-39 cannon batteries also had improved fire control devices. The aircraft were fired with fragmentation projectiles weighing 15.1 kg with an initial speed of 880 m / s. An armor-piercing projectile weighing 15.6 kg with an initial velocity of 860 m/s was also developed for the gun.
In August 1944, in service anti-aircraft units the Luftwaffe, responsible for the country's air defense, had 2018 FlaK-38/39 guns. Of this number, 116 guns were mounted on railway platforms, 877 on stationary positions, and 1025 on conventional carriages.
20 mm built anti-aircraft gun"MG-151/20 Drilling", based on 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; starting 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 range firing - 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 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 total weight- 30 kg. She began to enter the troops in 1940. Total 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 mountain 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 superimposing 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 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 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; starting speed 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. 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 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 gun ammunition included tracer and high-explosive shells. In total, about 1.6 thousand guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber - 37 mm; height - 2.5 m; 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.
Maritime anti-aircraft gun"3.7-cm Flak-M42" was produced by "Rheinmetal-Borsig" since 1942 on the basis of "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 for firing 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 prototype, built by Rheinmetall in 1944, in which many technical solutions characteristic of post-war anti-aircraft guns. The carriage had a sprung wheel travel and pneumatic tires. Guidance was carried out automatically at the commands of POISOT by the gunner using electro-hydraulic drives or by the gunner using mechanical guidance drives and 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; weight high-explosive 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. Variants known 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 transmitted to the gunner by phone. 88 mm anti-aircraft gun "FlaK-18/36/37" served as a model for the creation anti-tank guns and tank guns for 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, 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. Tactical and technical characteristics of these modifications roughly 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, a charge explosive was 0.87 kg. Armor-piercing projectile "Pzgr-40" at a distance of 1500 m pierced armor with a thickness of 123 mm, 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 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 capital 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 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 by the carriage design and 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 fuze installer, 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 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 a height reach of 14.8 km, however remote fuse allowed to fire only up to 12.8 km. The gun could also fire armor-piercing shells, penetrating 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 density anti-aircraft fire. The gun was produced by the Ganomag company from 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: beds, Bottom part carriage, top part carriage and 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.
2 cm anti-aircraft gun FlaK 30/38
Flak-30 and Flak-38 anti-aircraft guns were a very widely used air defense weapon of the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and SS troops. A company of such guns (12 pieces) was part of the anti-tank division of all infantry divisions, the same company was integral part each motorized anti-aircraft division of the RGK, attached to tank and motorized divisions. (In addition to a company of 12 Flak-30/38 anti-aircraft guns, the division also had two four-gun batteries of 88-mm Flak-18/36/37 guns.)
Flak-30 in Norway
The scale of the use of Flak-30 / 38 guns is evidenced by the fact that in May 1944, the ground forces had 6,355 guns of this type, and the Luftwaffe units providing German air defense had more than 20,000 20-mm guns. Light automatic guns Flak-30 and Plak-38 were basically the same design. The Flak-38 gun was a modernized version of the Flak-30, with a slightly shorter barrel length (113 calibers instead of 115), had a 30 kg lower weight in firing position and a significantly higher rate of fire, which was 220-480 rounds per minute instead of 120-280 rounds per minute at Flak-30. Both guns were mounted on a light wheeled carriage, providing in a combat position a circular fire with a maximum elevation angle of 90 °. The automatic building sights of these guns produced vertical and lateral lead and made it possible to point the guns directly at the target. The input data to the sights were entered manually and determined by eye, except for the range, which was measured by a stereo rangefinder. In addition to the standard Flak-30/38 variants, there were also a Gebirgsflak-38 20mm mountain anti-aircraft gun with more than half the weight and quadruple 20mm guns with very high firepower - 800/1800 rounds per minute.
Quad installation 2-cm Flak-Vierling on the deck of the destroyer
By September 1, 1939, the Luftwaffe had 6072 Flak-30/38 installations. In 1939-1945. about 14 thousand of these units were built.
The monoblock barrel was easily separated from the receiver. The barrel was replaced in 11 seconds. A muzzle brake was screwed onto the barrel. The trigger mechanism allowed firing single shots and bursts. Shop food, magazine - 20 rounds.
The advantages of the installation were the simplicity of the device, the possibility quick assembly and disassembly, light weight. Disadvantages - sensitivity to contamination and thickening of the lubricant, lack of continuous power, reduced reliability at a high elevation angle of the barrel.
There were 4 types of cartridges for anti-aircraft guns. Armor penetration by a sub-caliber armor-piercing tracer projectile sample 40 was at a distance of 100 m at a meeting angle of 60 degrees. - 39 mm, and at a distance of 500 - 20 mm.
| Flak-30 | Flak-38 | |
| Caliber, cm | 2 | 2 |
| 145,1 | 145,1 | |
| 450 / 770 | 420 / 720 | |
| from -19 to +90 | -20 to +90 | |
| 360 | 360 | |
| 100-120 | 220 | |
| up to 60 | up to 60 | |
| Calculation, pers. | 5 | 5 |
| Firing range, m | 4800 | 4800 |
| Height reach, m | 3700 | 3700 |
Flak-30 in firing position
3.7 cm anti-aircraft automatic guns FlaK 18, 36, 43
The 3.7 cm Flak-18 automatic anti-aircraft gun was developed by Rheinmetall and entered service. german army in 1935. The main drawback of the gun was a heavy and clumsy 4-wheeled cart. Therefore, it was replaced by a 3.7-cm anti-aircraft gun with a new two-wheeled carriage and a number of changes in the design of the machine. Already during the war, Rheinmetall upgraded the Flak-36 by introducing a new automation system, which increased the rate of fire. The new system was named Flak-43.
|
|
The Flak-18/36/43 installations were in service with both the Luftwaffe and ground forces. By September 1, 1939, there were 1030 installations in the troops. In total, during the war years, about 12 thousand Fak-36 installations and about 5900 Flak-43 installations were manufactured. Tactical and technical characteristics The automation of the Flak-18 and Flak-36 machine guns worked due to recoil with a short barrel stroke. At Flak-43, part of the operations was carried out due to the removal of gases. Compared to the Flak-18, a hydraulic brake and recoil sled were added to the Flak-36 design. The barrel of the machine guns is a monoblock with a flame arrester, it took 25-30 seconds to replace. The lock is piston, longitudinally sliding. The Flak-18 and Flak-36 assault rifles were powered by 6-round clips, while the Flak-43 had 8-round clips. For guns there were 3 type of cartridges, armor penetration by an armor-piercing tracer at a distance of 500 m was 35 mm at a meeting angle of 90 degrees, and 25 mm at a meeting angle of 60 degrees. << 3.7 cm Flak-36 in the reflection of a night raid
|
|
Flak-18 |
Flak-36 | Flak-43 | |
| Caliber, cm | 3,7 | ||
| Barrel length with flame arrester, cm | 362,6 | 362,6 | 362,6 |
| System weight in combat / stowed position, kg | 1750 / 3560 | 1550 / 2400 | 1250 / 2000 |
| Angle of vertical aiming, hail. | -5 to +85 | -8 to +85 | -7.5 to +90 |
| Angle of horizontal aiming, hail. | 360 | ||
| Practical rate of fire, rds/min | 80 | 120 | 150 |
| Highway speed, km/h | up to 50 | ||
| Firing range, m | 6500 | ||
| Height reach, m | 4800 | ||
|
|
|
|
3.7 cm Flak-36 |
3.7 cm Flak-18 |
8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun FlaK 18, 36, 37
In 1928, a group of designers from the Krupp firm began designing an 8.8-cm anti-aircraft gun in Sweden. Then the developed documentation was delivered to Essen, where the first prototypes were made. The system was named 8.8-cm Flak 18. In 1933, guns began to enter the troops.
Parade with Flak-18 cannons
The gun had a semi-automatic shutter, which was in itself an achievement for that time. Shooting was carried out from a pedestal carriage, which had four beds arranged crosswise. The beds with their jacks rested on the ground. In the stowed position, the gun was mounted on a "special trailer 201", which was a four-wheeled sprung wagon and had two wheel travel, the middle of the wagon was formed by the base of the gun carriage and bed.
The 8.8 cm Flak 18 gun received its baptism of fire in Spain as part of the Condor Legion. According to the results of combat use, part of the Flak 18 guns was equipped with an armor shield to cover the calculation. In turn, the charging tray and the unsatisfactory functioning mechanical rammer were dismantled in parts.
8.8 cm Flak-18/36 anti-aircraft gun in North Africa
In 1936, a modernized 8.8 cm Flak 36 gun was adopted. The internal structure of the barrels of both guns and the ballistics were the same. The "special trailer 202" was used as a wagon. The carriage design has been simplified. Brass parts have been replaced with steel, resulting in lower installation costs. In 1939, the cost of an 8.8 cm Flak 36 was 33,600 Reichsmarks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some changes were made in 1939, and the new model was named 8.8-cm Flak 37. Most gun assemblies mod. 18, 36 and 37 were interchangeable, for example, one could often see the Flak 18 barrel on the Flak 37 carriage.
Production of Flak-18 to Flak-36 during the war
| 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | |
|
Number of installations |
183 | 1130 | 1872 | 2876 | 4416 | 5933 | 715 |
By September 1, 1939, the ground units of the Luftwaffe consisted of 2459 guns of 8.8 cm Flak 18 and Flak 36. Ground forces first received 8.8 cm guns in 1941 (126 guns). In 1942, another 176 guns were received, in 1943 - 296, in 1944 - 549 and in 1945 - 23 installations. In August 1944, the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe had 10,930 Flak 18, 36 and 37 guns, which were used on all fronts and in the air defense of the Reich. The Italians had a number of these guns under the name 88/56 S.A.
Flak 18/36 anti-aircraft guns were used unusually and very effectively in the Afrika Korps and on the Eastern Front. During the attacks, tractors with guns moved behind the advancing tanks, ready at any moment to get ready to fire. Thus, heavy losses were inflicted on the enemy, who had tanks with better armor.
Several Flak 18 guns in 1940 were installed on a 12-ton half-tracked partially armored vehicle Sd.Kfz.8.
8.8 cm Flak-18/36 anti-aircraft gun on a Sd.Kfz.8 vehicle
In 1943, 14 Flak 37 guns were mounted on a Sd.Kfz.9 half-track vehicle. The weight of the system is 25 tons. The crew is 9 - 10 people. The cab and engine are armored.
After the surrender of Germany, the Flak-18, 36, 37 guns were in service with a number of countries for some time. In particular, they were used in North Korean air defense during the Korean War.
Tactical and technical characteristics
The barrel of the Flak 18, 36, 37 guns consisted of a casing, a pipe and a breech. The shutter is semi-automatic horizontal wedge. The system was transported with the help of 2 moves, which, when the system was transferred from the marching position to the combat position, were separated. The system had a tube installer and a pneumatic rammer.
In total, there were 4 types of shells for Flak-18, 36, 37 guns - 2 high-explosive and 2 armor-piercing. The reach of the guns in height: the ballistic ceiling is 10600 m, the height of the actual fire is 7675 m. The armor penetration of an armor-piercing projectile at a distance of 1500 m was about 120 mm. Charging is unitary.
| Type of projectile |
Initial speed, m/s |
Range shooting, km |
projectile weight, kg |
BB weight, kg |
|
high-explosive fragmentation |
820 | 14800 | 9 | 0,698 |
|
armor-piercing |
720 | ok 35 | 7,1 | 250 |
8.8 cm Flak-18/36 anti-aircraft gun with crew
8.8 cm FlaK 41 anti-aircraft gun
During the bombing of German cities, allied planes tried to fly as high as possible. In May 1944, the command of the 1st Air Defense Division of Berlin reported to the leadership: “With a modern raid height of 7 - 8 km, 8.8-cm anti-aircraft guns mod. 36 and 37 have exhausted the boundaries of their reach. Therefore, anti-aircraft guns with a large firing ceiling were urgently needed.
In 1939, Rheinmetall received a contract to create a new weapon with improved ballistic characteristics. The original name of the gun was Gerat 37. This name was changed in 1941 to 8.8 cm Flak 41 when the first prototype of the gun was made. The first serial samples (44 pieces) were sent to the African Corps in August 1942, and half of them were sunk in the Mediterranean along with German transport. Tests of the remaining samples revealed a number of intractable design flaws.
Since 1943, these guns began to enter the air defense of the Reich. In February 1944, there were 279 Flak-41 guns in the air defense of the Reich.
Tactical and technical characteristics
The barrel of Flak 41 guns originally consisted of three parts - chamber, middle and muzzle. At the end of 1944 they switched to a monoblock pipe. The shutter is semi-automatic horizontal wedge. The delivery of the cartridge was carried out by a hydropneumatic rammer. The gun had electro-hydraulic drives for horizontal and vertical guidance. The gun carriage had 4 cruciform beds, resting in a combat position on the ground.
Ballistics and projectile data
In total, 5 types of shells were developed for Flak 41 guns - 2 high-explosive fragmentation with different types of fuses and 3 armor-piercing. The reach of the gun in height: the ballistic ceiling is 15,000 m, the height of the actual fire is 10,500 m. The armor penetration of an armor-piercing tracer at a distance of 1,000 m was 159 mm, and armor-piercing sub-caliber - 192 mm.
| Type of projectile |
Initial speed, m/s |
Range shooting, km |
projectile weight, kg |
BB weight, kg |
|
high-explosive fragmentation |
1000 | 19800 | 9,4 | 1 |
|
Armor-piercing tracer |
980 | 4000 | 10,2 | 0,64 |
|
|
| 8.8 cm Flak-41 anti-aircraft gun |
In 1933, the Krupp and Rheinmetall firms were asked to produce two prototypes of a 10.5-cm anti-aircraft gun each. Comparative tests were held in 1935, and in 1936 the 10.5 cm Rheinmetall gun (product 38) was recognized as the best and put into mass production under the name 10.5 cm Flak 38. 10.5 cm gun The Flak 38 originally had electro-hydraulic guidance actuators (DC) the same as the 8.8-cm Flak 18 and 36, but in 1936 the UTG 37 (power frequency AC) system was introduced, used on the 8, 8-cm Flak 37. A free-tube barrel was introduced at the same time. The system upgraded in this way was named 10.5 cm Flak 39. To increase the effective firing ceiling of 10.5 cm anti-aircraft guns, a 10.5 cm fragmentation active-rocket projectile was created. Its muzzle velocity was 800 m/s, and then the jet engine accelerated it to 1150 m/s. However, the end of the war prevented the launch of active rockets into mass production. Similar active-rockets were created for the 12.8-cm Flak 40 gun. But here, too, things did not go beyond the release of an experimental batch. Speaking about technical innovations in the design of anti-aircraft shells, it should be noted the creation of high-frequency radio fuses, the operation of which is based on the Doppler effect. So, for example, the Donaulandische Apparatebau in Vienna (the Kakadu fuse) and Blaupunkt-Werke in Berlin (the Trichter fuse) were engaged in radio fuses. At the time of flight past the target, such fuses worked when the distance between the projectile and the target became minimal. Radio fuses were used both in artillery anti-aircraft shells and in prototypes of anti-aircraft guided missiles. The defeat of Germany did not make it possible to launch shells with radio fuses into mass production. The 10.5 cm Flak 38 and 39 remained in production throughout the war, despite the fact that the 8.8 cm Flak 41 guns almost equaled them in ballistic performance.
The 10.5 cm Flak 38 and 39 anti-aircraft guns were only in service with the Luftwaffe. By the beginning of the war, the troops had 64 guns.
Flak 38 and 39 production during the war
| 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 |
| 38 | 290 | 509 | 701 | 1220 | 1131 | 92 |
In August 1944, the Luftwaffe consisted of: 116 Flak 38 and 39 on railway installations; 877 - on stationary installations; 1025 - on wagons type 201.
Tactical and technical characteristics
The 10.5 cm Flak 39 barrel had a free tube, which consisted of three parts: chamber, middle and muzzle. The chamber and middle parts were connected at the front end of the chamber, and the joint between them was blocked by a sleeve. The middle and muzzle parts of the pipe were connected in the threaded part of the channel, and the joint between them did not overlap. Parts of the free pipe were assembled in a shell or a collection pipe and tightened with nuts. The advantage of the composite pipe was the ability to replace only one of the middle part, the most prone to heat, the gun had a semi-automatic wedge gate. Semi-automatic mechanical type, cocked when rolling. Hydraulic recoil brake of spindle type with constant recoil length and hydropneumatic knurler. The balancing mechanism is spring, pulling type. 10.5 cm gun mod. 38 and 39 were fully automatic. The guidance, feed and fuse installation mechanisms were driven by electric motors.
The four-gun battery of 10.5 cm guns had a special gasoline engine that drove a 220 V DC generator with a power of 24 kW. The generator supplied power to the electric motors mounted on the guns. Each gun had 4 electric motors: vertical guidance, horizontal guidance, rammer and automatic fuse installer. In the Flak 39 guns, the electric motors were switched to alternating current in order to be able to connect to the city network. The normal calculation consisted of the squad leader and 9 servants plus 2 people when loading manually.
Cannons arr. 38 and 39 were the first German anti-aircraft guns to have SCR-584 radars connected to their fire control devices. Like all 8.8 cm guns, 10.5 cm guns fired from the ground from a cruciform carriage, and when moving to the stowed position, they were mounted on two wheel travels.
Ballistics and projectile data
In total, 3 types of shells were developed for Flak 38, 39 guns - 1 high-explosive fragmentation with different types of fuses and 2 armor-piercing. The reach of the gun in height: ballistic ceiling 12800 m, effective fire height - 9300 m at an initial speed of 880 m/s. Armor penetration by an armor-piercing projectile at a distance of 1500 m was 138 mm at an initial speed of 860 m/s.
|
|
|
10.5 cm anti-aircraft gun FlaK 38, 39 |
|
An order for the development of a 12.8-cm anti-aircraft gun was issued to Rheinmetall in 1936. The company submitted prototypes of product 40 for testing in 1938. In December 1938, the first order for 100 installations was given. At the end of 1941, the troops received the first batteries with 12.8 cm Flak 40 anti-aircraft guns.
Initially, it was assumed that mobile 12.8-cm installations would be transported on two wagons, but later it was decided to limit themselves to one four-axle wagon ("special trailer 220"). But during the war, only one mobile battery (6 guns) entered service. In August 1944, Germany was in service with: b mobile installations; 242 fixed installations; 201 railway installations (on four platforms). By February 1945, the number of stationary installations increased to 362, the number of mobile and railway installations did not change.
The 12.8 cm Flak 40 was a fully automated installation. Guidance, supply and delivery of ammunition, as well as the installation of a fuse, were carried out using 4 asynchronous three-phase current generators with a voltage of 115 V. Four 12.8 cm Flak 40 gun batteries were served by one 60 kW generator. Since 1942, the development of a new 12.8-cm gun (product 45) was started, but until the end of the war it was never put into service. The 12.8 cm gun 45 had a longer barrel, a larger volume of the charging chamber and, accordingly, a higher initial speed and a ballistic ceiling.
12.8 cm FlaK 40 anti-aircraft gun
When creating a 12.8-cm two-gun stationary installation, the base from a 15-cm installation 50 was used. Prototypes of a two-gun installation were called "product 44". Serial installations were named 12.8 cm Flakzwilling 40. The first four-gun battery was installed in Berlin in the spring of 1942 (according to other sources, in August 1942). In August 1944, 27 installations were in service, and in February 1945, 34 installations. (Installations were made at the Hanomag plant in Hannover. At the beginning of 1944, they made one installation per month, at the end of the same year - 12 installations per month. The installations were part of the air defense of large cities, including Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna .
Tactical and technical characteristics
| 12.8 cm Flak 40 | 12.8cm Flakzwilling 40 | |
| Caliber, cm | 12,8 | |
| Barrel length, cm | 783,5 | |
| System weight in combat (stationary installation) / stowed position, t | 18 (13) / 27 | (27) |
| Angle of vertical aiming, hail. | -3 to +87 | from 0 to +87 |
| Angle of horizontal aiming, hail. | 360 | |
| Rate of fire, rds / min | 10-12 | 20-24 |
Ballistics and projectile data
For Flak 40 guns, 2 types of shells were developed - high-explosive fragmentation and armor-piercing. The height of the actual fire with a high-explosive fragmentation projectile with a remote fuse was 12800 m. The armor penetration of an armor-piercing projectile at a distance of 1500 m was about 150 mm. Loading, like all anti-aircraft guns, is unitary.
| projectile | Initial speed, m/s | Ballistic ceiling, m | Table range, m | Projectile weight, kg |
|
high-explosive fragmentation |
880 | 14800 | 20950 | 26,0 |
|
armor-piercing |
860 | - | 4000 | 28,35 |
12.8 cm FlaK 40 anti-aircraft gun as a museum piece
Shots / min
Story
2 cm FlaK 30
Before the start of World War II, at the beginning of 1939, each infantry division of the Wehrmacht was supposed to have 12 20-mm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft guns or FlaK 38.
The guns were used until the end of World War II.
2 cm FlaK 38
In 1938, based on the results of combat use in Spain, Mauser upgraded the 2 cm FlaK 30 - the upgraded sample received the designation 2 cm FlaK 38 and was adopted by the German army.
The new installation had the same ballistics and ammunition, both guns were mounted on the same type of light wheeled carriages, providing in a combat position circular fire with a maximum elevation angle of 90 °. Changes in carriages were minimal - in particular for 2 cm FlaK 38 a second speed was introduced in manual guidance drives. Basically, all the changes in the upgraded gun were aimed at increasing the rate of fire, which increased from 240-280 rds / min. up to 420-480 rds / min. The principle of operation of the mechanisms of the FlaK 38 assault rifle remained the same - the use of recoil force with a short barrel stroke. The increase in the rate of fire was achieved by reducing the weight of the moving parts and increasing their speed of movement, in connection with which special shock absorber buffers were introduced. In addition, the introduction of a copier spatial accelerator made it possible to combine the release of the shutter with the transfer of kinetic energy to it.
Description
The anti-aircraft gun was equipped with a mechanical computer sight.
Notes
- Artillery in Spain (translated from English) // Military Foreigner, No. 2, 1938. - P. 74-79.
- Lehren des spanischen Krieges // "Deutsche Wehr", 16.VI.1938. - s. 398-399
The Wehrmacht was well aware of the importance of effective air defense. By the start of the war, the German 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 German anti-aircraft defense units (Flugzeug Abwehr Kanone - Flak - anti-aircraft guns) greatly contributed to the formation of the "Axis". This German abbreviated name entered the Allied dictionaries; USAF bomber crews referred to their heavy body armor as “flac vests,” and in the second half of the 20th century, the word “flac” came into general use for anti-aircraft fire.
Light guns "Flak" were installed on a variety of platforms. The decline in the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe meant that air defense artillery had to become more mobile.
The functions of the Flak small-caliber guns 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 together with large-caliber weapons such as .
machine guns
The 7.92 mm MG-34 machine gun, and later the main MG-42 machine gun, is the lightest weapon that could be effectively used as an anti-aircraft gun. The MG-34, erroneously known as the "Shrandau" among the Western Allies, was the standard German combined-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 about 1000 m. The rate of fire of the machine gun was 900 rds / min, the supply of cartridges was carried out from a 75-round round magazine or a 50-round separate tape.
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 increased to 1550 rds / min.
The rate of fire is very important when firing at air targets, but the MG-34 proved to be more effective, installed in paired form on the Zvi-linglafet mod. 36 (Zwillingslaffete 36). The MG Doppelwagen 36 installation with twin MG-34 machine guns on horseback or mechanical traction, adapted for service 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. The MG-34 General Purpose Machine Gun is the standard secondary weapon on most German aircraft.
The Wehrmacht did not use heavy machine guns, but they adopted the 15 mm Maschinengewehr 151/15 machine gun to strengthen the air defense. Initially created for the Luftwaffe and mounted on the Me-109 or Fw-190 fighters, it proved useful as a heavy fighter armament. The production of these machine guns was focused on 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 driven by electric current and required a constant voltage of 22-29 V. The ammunition load of each installation was 3000 ammo ready to use.
Small-caliber Flac
The 20 mm caliber weapon was more effective in air defense. Its cartridges were still small enough to fire at a high rate, but the shells already contained a significant explosive charge.
Flak 38 commanded great respect from its opponents. Allied units used it themselves whenever possible: in late 1944, the US Army even issued its own gun handling manual.
The weapons that the Wehrmacht had at the beginning of the war included the Flak 30, Flak 38 guns, the Gebirgsflak 38 light gun (Gebirgsflak 38 - Geb Flak 38) and the Flakfirling 38 four-barrel gun. All guns used recoil and could fire single or automatic fire with a 12-round drum-type magazine. A light armor shield protected the crew during operations in the field, but it was usually removed on 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 in comparison with the simplest sights in the form of metal circles, which were on the Allied guns.
The installation "Wirbelwind" (Wirbelwind - tornado) consisted of a quad gun "Flak 38", installed in a multifaceted tower, placed on the chassis of the T-IV tank. Tanks specially adapted for air defense began to enter service in 1943.
Cannon "Flakfirling 38" (Flakvierling 38), placed in an armored train in Eastern Europe in March 1944, was equally effective against both ground and air targets, fired various projectiles, including high-explosive and armor-piercing.
20 mm Flak in the Western Desert in 1942. The Flak 30 gun developed by Mauser has a slow rate of fire and a tendency to jam.
Mobility of Flac installations
"Flak 30" weighed 483 kg in combat position. She could fire high-explosive or armor-piercing projectiles. The maximum vertical range is 2100 m, and the horizontal range is 2700 m. The practical rate of fire was 120 rds / min. "Flak 38" - an improved modification, lighter by 80 kg and with a doubled rate of fire.
Flak light guns were installed on various wheeled and half-tracked vehicles, including the SdKfz-251 and SdKfz-10.
The Leichte Flakpanzer 38(t) 1943 was 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.
Flakfirling 38 was developed by Mauser for, it included four Flak 38 guns on one carriage. The installation had three seats: one for the shooter, who fired using two pedal descents, and two for loaders. The installation had a triangular base, which was leveled by jacks. It was widely used on self-propelled and ground installations in the army and aviation.
Flak self-propelled guns
The SdKfz 7 half-track vehicle was used as a chassis for the Mittler Zugkrafwagen 8(t) mit 2 sm Flakvierling 38 or Selbstfahrlafette 2 sm Flakvierling 38 20 mm Flak mounts. Later modifications had enhanced armor protection for the driver and combat crew.
The Pz IV chassis was used for two very efficient self-propelled guns for the Flakfirling 38. Installation "Flak panzer IV" (2 cm Flakvierling 38) auf Fgst PzKpfw IV Mobelwagen, nicknamed "Inventory of cars" for hinged side shields in the form of 10-mm armor plates, leaning down when the installation is transferred to a combat position.
Not only air
The straight-line trajectory and high velocity of the Flak light guns made them an ideal weapon for close support, and in the early years of the war they were used more against ground targets. Fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft guns made the front line a deadly 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 in the skies of Germany, huge amounts of tracer rounds were fired by the Flack gun units to keep the fighter-bombers from "looting". Light Flacs placed on rooftops and turrets posed a deadly threat to low-flying fighters and light bombers, as the cannons could fire almost horizontally at incoming aircraft.