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Flakpanzer
Flakpanzer is a German term for "anti-aircraft tanks" ("flak" is derived from ''Flugabwehrkanone'', literally "aircraft defence cannon"; "panzer" is derived from ''Panzerkampfwagen'', literally "armored fighting vehicle"). These vehicles are modified tanks whose armament was intended to engage aircraft, rather than targets on the ground. Several vehicles with this name were used by the German Army during World War II. After the war, others were used by both the West German Bundeswehr and the East German National People's Army. World War II * Flakpanzer I, a converted version of the Panzer I tank. * Flakpanzer 38(t), based on the Panzer 38(t) light tank * Flakpanzer IV, the general designation for a series of vehicles based on the Panzerkampfwagen IV medium tank chassis, including the: ** Möbelwagen ** Wirbelwind ** Ostwind ** Kugelblitz, in prototype stage at the end of World War II * Flakpanzer Coelian, a prototype that reached the wooden mockup stage. * Flakpanzer Mareșal, p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flakpanzer 38(t)
The ''Flakpanzer'' 38(t), officially named ''Flakpanzer 38(t) auf Selbstfahrlafette 38(t) Ausf M (Sd.Kfz. 140)'', was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun used in World War II. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Gepard, which may lead to confusion with the unrelated Flakpanzer Gepard. Design and development The ''Flakpanzer 38(t)'' was designed around the chassis of the LT-38, a pre-war Czech design, which following the German occupation was produced for the Wehrmacht as the Panzer 38(t) until it was no longer effective. As the vehicle used the ''Ausf M'' chassis, the engine was located near the middle of the vehicle, and the armament was placed at the rear in a specially designed armoured section. The superstructure could fold down to allow 360-degree traverse at low elevation. Including the single prototype, 141 ''Flakpanzer 38(t)''s were built from November 1943 to February 1944, entering service in 1944. Combat use The ''Flakpanzer 38(t)'' was intende ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flakpanzer I
The 2 cm ''Flak 38 auf Panzer'' I ''Ausführung'' A, commonly known as the ''Flakpanzer'' I, was a rare self-propelled anti-aircraft gun conversion of the Panzer I in use by the military of Nazi Germany during World War II. Development The ''Flakpanzer'' I was developed during the Battle of France when it was recognized that the motorised Flak was insufficiently armoured. The German ''Heereswaffenamt'' decided to combine light anti-aircraft guns with tank chassis. The chassis of the Panzer I was used for these conversions, simply because it was available. The conversions were done by Stoewer. In total, 24 of these vehicles were built. During the conversion, parts of the frontal superstructure and the complete cover of the engine compartment were removed to gain more flat space to stand on. To achieve a better centre of gravity the frontal armour of the superstructure was moved about 18mm forward. The flaps on the side were made from simple sheet metal and did not offer rea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wirbelwind
The ''Flakpanzer'' IV "''Wirbelwind''" (Whirlwind in English) was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the Panzer IV tank. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier ''Möbelwagen'' self-propelled anti-aircraft gun. In the first years of World War II, the German military forces had less interest in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, but as the Allies began to gain air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns increased. During the early summer of 1944, SS-''Hauptsturmführer'' Karl Wilhelm Krause with the 12th SS Panzer Division ''Hitlerjugend'' came up with the concept of the ''Flakpanzer'' IV ''Wirbelwind''. He presented the concept to SS-''Obersturmbannführer'' Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment and it was approved by Adolf Hitler. The Panzer IV's turret was removed and replaced with an open-top, nine-sided turret that housed a 2 cm ''Flakvierling'' 38, a quad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kugelblitz (armoured Fighting Vehicle)
The ''Flakpanzer IV Kugelblitz'' (German for "ball lightning") was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun developed during World War II. By the end of the war, only a pilot production of five units had been completed. Unlike earlier self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, it had a fully enclosed, rotating turret. Development The need for a specialised self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, capable of keeping up with the armoured divisions, had become increasingly urgent for the German Armed Forces, as from 1943 on the German Air Force was less and less able to protect itself against enemy fighter bombers. Therefore, a multitude of improvised and specially designed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns were built, many on the Panzer IV chassis, starting with the ''Flakpanzer'' IV ''Möbelwagen'' (a stopgap design) and progressing through the ''Wirbelwind'' and ''Ostwind'' models. However, these designs were tall, open-topped designs with sub-optimal armor. These flaws were to be eliminate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Möbelwagen
The 3.7 cm ''Flak auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen'' IV (sf) (''Sd.Kfz. 161/3''), nicknamed ''Möbelwagen'' ("Moving Van") because of its boxy shape, was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun built from the chassis of the Panzer IV tank. It was used by the Wehrmacht in the European Theatre of World War II. In 1943, due to the waning ability of the Luftwaffe to combat enemy ground-attack aircraft, ground-based anti-aircraft weaponry was becoming increasingly important to the Wehrmacht. In early 1943, the idea of creating a gun platform on the chassis of the Panzer IV was first proposed. The prototype displayed to Hitler on December 7, 1943, used the '' 2 cm Flakvierling 38'', which was deemed too weak for the latest aircraft, which were constantly being improved to fly higher and faster. Only a single prototype with this gun was produced before the design was rejected. A second design with an upgraded single 3.7 cm Flak 43 L/89 was approved as a temporary stopgap until better ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flakpanzer Coelian
The 3.7 cm Flakzwilling auf Panther Fahrgestell or Flakpanzer 341 was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun designed by Rheinmetall during World War II. It was intended to be armed with two 3.7 cm Flak 341 gun in a fully enclosed, rotating turret on the hull of a Panther medium tank. In the end, only a wooden mock-up of the turret on a Panther chassis was built. Development In the first years of the war, the Wehrmacht had less interest in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, but as the Allies achieved air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns increased. The Wehrmacht had adapted a variety of wheeled and half-track vehicles to serve as mobile forward air defence positions to protect armour and infantry units in the field as well as for temporary forward area positions such as mobile headquarters and logistic points. As Allied fighter bombers and other ground attack aircraft moved from machine gun armament and bomb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ostwind
The ''Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind"'' (East Wind in English) was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the Panzer IV tank. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier ''Flakpanzer IV/2 cm Vierling'' ''Wirbelwind''. The Panzer IV's turret was removed and replaced with an open-top, hexagonal turret that housed a 3.7 cm FlaK 43. In addition to its intended role as an anti-aircraft weapon, the fast-firing gun was highly effective against light vehicles and minor fortifications. A closed-top design would have been preferable, but this was not possible due to the heavy smoke generated by the gun. The ''Ostwind's'' main improvement over the ''Wirbelwind'' was the FlaK 43's increased range and stopping power over the 2 cm Flakvierling 38 and slightly better armor on its turret, albeit it had a lower fire rate. To solve this problem a project was undertaken to arm the Ostwind with two 37 mm cannons, known as the Ostwind II. A single prototype was built but the wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flakpanzer Gepard
The ''Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard'' ("anti-aircraft-gun tank 'Cheetah, better known as the Flakpanzer Gepard) is an all-weather-capable German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG). It was developed in the 1960s, fielded in the 1970s, and has been upgraded several times with the latest electronics. It has been a cornerstone of the air defence of the German Army (Bundeswehr) and a number of other NATO countries. In Germany, the Gepard was phased out in late 2010 and replaced by the Wiesel 2 Ozelot ''Leichtes Flugabwehrsystem'' (LeFlaSys) with four FIM-92 Stinger or LFK NG missile launchers. A variant with the MANTIS gun system and LFK NG missiles, based on the GTK Boxer, was also considered. The Gepard has seen combat in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Technology and systems The vehicle is based on the hull of the Leopard 1 tank with a large fully rotating turret carrying the armament—a pair of 35 mm Oerlikon KDA autocannons. Chassis and propulsion The Gepard is based ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Self-propelled Anti-aircraft Weapon
An anti-aircraft vehicle, also known as a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) or self-propelled air defense system (SPAD), is a mobile vehicle with a dedicated anti-aircraft capability. Specific weapon systems used include machine guns, autocannons, larger guns, or missiles, and some mount both guns and longer-ranged missiles (e.g. the Pantsir-S1). Platforms used include both trucks and heavier combat vehicles such as armored personnel carriers and tanks, which add protection from aircraft, artillery, and small arms fire for front line deployment. Anti-aircraft guns are usually mounted in a quickly-traversing turret with a high rate of elevation, for tracking fast-moving aircraft. They are often in dual or quadruple mounts, allowing a high rate of fire. In addition, most anti-aircraft guns can be used in a direct-fire role against surface targets to great effect. Today, missiles (generally mounted on similar turrets) have largely supplanted anti-aircraft guns, but they ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
M42 Duster
The M42 40 mm Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, or "Duster," is an American armored light air-defense gun built for the United States Army from 1952 until December 1960, in service until 1988. Production of this vehicle was performed by the tank division of the General Motors Corporation. It used components from the M41 light tank and was constructed of all-welded steel. A total of 3,700 M42s were built. The vehicle has a crew of six and weighs 22,500 kg (49,500 lb) fully loaded. Maximum speed is with a range of 100 miles (160 km). Armament consists of fully automatic twin 40 mm M2A1 Bofors, with a rate of fire of 2×120 rounds per minute (rpm) enabling nearly 85 seconds of fire time before running out of ammo, and either a .30 caliber Browning M1919A4 or 7.62mm M60 machine gun. The 500 hp, six-cylinder, Continental (or Lycoming Engines), air-cooled, gasoline engine is located in the rear of the vehicle. It was driven by a cross-drive, two-s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ZSU-57-2
The ZSU-57-2 Ob'yekt 500 is a Soviet self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG), armed with two 57 mm autocannons. 'ZSU' stands for '' Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka'' (russian: link=no, Зенитная Самоходная Установка), meaning "anti-aircraft self-propelled mount", '57' stands for the bore of the armament in millimetres and '2' stands for the number of gun barrels. It was the first Soviet mass-produced tracked SPAAG. In the USSR it had the unofficial nickname "Sparka", meaning "twin mount", referring to the twin autocannon with which the vehicle is armed. Development history Origins During World War II, ground-attack aircraft emerged as a significant threat to mechanized units on the move. Conventional towed anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) was an inadequate response under such conditions owing to the time needed to bring anti-aircraft machine guns into action. This experience made it clear that an anti-aircraft tracked vehicle, armed with small- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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