The ''Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind"'' (East Wind in English) was a German
self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the
Panzer IV
The ''Panzerkampfwagen'' IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), commonly known as the ''Panzer'' IV, was a German medium tank developed in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161.
The Panz ...
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
The Flak 30 (''Flugzeugabwehrkanone 30'') and improved Flak 38 were 20 mm anti-aircraft guns used by various German forces throughout World War II. It was not only the primary German light anti-aircraft gun but by far the most numerously prod ...
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 war ended before anything truly became of it.
Although an order for 100 vehicles was placed in August 1944, only 44 vehicles were completed (37 converted from existing Panzer IVs and 7 new production vehicles) from December 1944 to March 1945, all work being carried out by
Ostbau Werke in
Sagan,
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is spli ...
.
Comparable vehicles
*
Möbelwagen
*
40M Nimród
*
M19 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage
*
Crusader Mk. III Anti-Aircraft Tank Mk. I
*
ZSU-37
* 40 mm cannon armed
AMX-13
The AMX-13 is a French light tank produced from 1952 to 1987. It served with the French Army, as the Char 13t-75 Modèle 51, and was exported to more than 26 other nations. Named after its initial weight of 13 tonnes, and featuring a tough and re ...
External links
Panzerworld Ostwind specifications
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World War II self-propelled anti-aircraft weapons of Germany
de:Flakpanzer IV#Ostwind
Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944