Why was the 88mm gun so feared and good?
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Why was the 88mm gun so feared and good?
The 88 earned its reputation as the best overall gun of the war. It was justifiably feared by Allied airmen, tankers, and foot soldiers because of its accuracy, lethality, and versatility. The weapon was deployed on German tanks, as an antitank gun, an assault gun, and for antiaircraft purposes.
How were 88 flak guns used in ww2?
The versatile 88mm cannon was Nazi Germany’s main heavy anti-aircraft gun, also known as the Flugabwehrkanone (meaning “aircraft defense cannon”), which was soon shortened to “flak.” During the Second World War, instead of aiming directly at the aircraft, the German cannon was used to fire an 88mm projectile that …
What was the German 88 gun?
German 88, versatile 88-millimetre (3.46-inch) multirole artillery piece, developed from 1917 by Germany. It was tested in the Spanish Civil War and was used extensively by the Germans in World War II as a field-artillery piece and as an antiaircraft and antitank gun.
What type of gun is an 88?
Assault rifle
| Country of origin | North Korea |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 1988 (?) |
| Caliber | 5.45×39 mm |
| Weight (unloaded) | ~ 3.1 kg |
| Length | ~ 1 090 mm |
How much did a German 88 shell weigh?
The 8.8 cm KwK 43 (Kampfwagenkanone —”fighting vehicle cannon”) was an 88 mm 71 calibre length tank gun designed by Krupp and used by the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War….8.8 cm KwK 43.
| 8,8 cm KwK 43 | |
|---|---|
| Shell weight | 7.3 kg (16 lb) Armor-piercing composite rigid (APCR) Pzgr 40/43 |
| Calibre | 88 mm (3.46 in) |
| Elevation | -8° to +15° |
What is a toad 88?
The German 88mm Flugabwehrkanone (Flak) anti-aircraft gun went into production in 1932 and was first used in combat in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. One of the most feared weapons on the battlefields of World War II, it was usually referred to simply as an “88.” …
Why did Germany use 88mm guns in WW1?
The German Kriegsmarine had adopted the gun largely because a round of 88mm ammunition was considered the largest and heaviest (about 34 pounds) that a single man could handle. The World War I model could fire a 9.6 kilogram high-explosive to a height of 6,850 meters, with a maximum range of 10,800 meters.
What is an 88mm flak gun?
A German artillery crew relaxes next to their 88 mm gun. The famous flak gun became one of the most feared anti-tank weapons of the Second World War, serving everywhere from the sands of North Africa to the snowy wastelands of the Russian front.
What was the impact of an 88mm round on a British tank?
In fact, none of the Matildas destroyed in June 1941 troubled the gunners of the German 88s. Cyril Joly in his excellent book Take These Men described the impact of an 88mm round on a British tank: “As I spoke I saw the flame and smoke from the German’s gun. In the next instant, all was chaos.
What was the most feared anti-tank weapon of WW2?
A German artillery crew relaxes next to their 88 mm gun. The famous flak gun became one of the most feared anti-tank weapons of the Second World War, serving everywhere from the sands of North Africa to the snowy wastelands of the Russian front. Image courtesy the German Federal Archive.