What were flak guns used for?
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What were flak guns used for?
Flak is a contraction of German Flugabwehrkanone (also referred to as Fliegerabwehrkanone) meaning “aircraft-defense cannon”, the original purpose of the weapon. In English, “flak” became a generic term for ground anti-aircraft fire….8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41.
| 8.8 cm Flak 18-36 | |
|---|---|
| Rate of fire | 15–20 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 840 m/s (2,690 ft/s) |
What do AA guns shoot?
Anti-aircraft guns are weapons designed to attack aircraft. Such weapons commonly have a high rate of fire and are able to fire shells designed to damage aircraft. They also are capable of firing at high angles, but are also usually able to hit ground targets as well in a direct fire role.
What caliber are AA guns?
The 1.1″/75 caliber gun was an American anti-aircraft weapon of World War II, used by the United States Navy….1.1-inch/75-caliber gun.
| 1.1″ / 75 Caliber Gun | |
|---|---|
| Rate of fire | 150 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,700 ft/s (820 m/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 7,000 yd (6,400 m) |
How did flak guns work in WW2?
When the flak batteries pinpointed an aircraft the guns were fired in salvos designed to burst in a sphere of 60 yards in diameter in which it was hoped to entrap the target. Each gun, usually of 88mm caliber, could project a shell to 20,000ft and could knock out an aircraft within 30 yards of the shell burst.
How did AA guns work?
Depends on the type of AA gun. Small caliber AA (20mm,40mm ect) exploded on impact. Large caliber AA (3 inc and up) used mostly shells that had a timed fuse. The were time to explode at a certain altitude. You had charts with firing angle and velocities of the shells so you could set the fuse to go off ant the proper altitude.
How does flak work?
Flak, or Fliegerabwehrkanone, works by arming artillery class cannons for the use of Anti-Air duties. Flak as we know it ( the exploding ordinance variety ) works by using fuses. One may use a timed fuse in the shell. After so many seconds, the shell would detonate like a times bomb.
How did WW2 AA shells work?
Most large caliber AA shells used in WWII however were of the timed fused variety. If you fire a gun at a moving target 10.000 meter up in the air, there is little chance you can hit it by aiming. So the projectiles were time set, to explode at a pre-set height, spreading shrapnel’s around.