The ''Flakpanzer'' IV "''Wirbelwind''" (Whirlwind in English) was a German
self-propelled anti-aircraft gun
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, ...
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 Panze ...
tank. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier ''
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 w ...
'' 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
__NOTOC__
(, ; short: ''Hstuf'') was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in several Nazi organizations such as the SS, NSKK and the NSFK. The rank of ''Hauptsturmführer'' was a mid-level commander and had equivalent seniority to a ...
''
Karl Wilhelm Krause
Karl Wilhelm Krause (5 March 1911 – 6 May 2001) was a Waffen-SS officer (SS number: 236,858) who rose to the rank of SS-''Hauptsturmführer'' (captain) during World War II. He was a personal orderly (valet) and bodyguard to Adolf Hitler from ...
with the
12th SS Panzer Division ''Hitlerjugend'' came up with the concept of the ''Flakpanzer'' IV ''Wirbelwind''.
He presented the concept to SS-''
Obersturmbannführer
__NOTOC__
''Obersturmbannführer'' (Senior Assault-unit Leader; ; short: ''Ostubaf'') was a paramilitary rank in the German Nazi Party (NSDAP) which was used by the SA (''Sturmabteilung'') and the SS (''Schutzstaffel''). The rank of ''Obersturm ...
''
Max Wünsche
__NOTOC__
Max Wünsche (20 April 1914 – 17 April 1995) was a member of the SS of Nazi Germany and a regimental commander in the Waffen-SS during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
Biography
...
, commanding officer of the
12th SS Panzer Regiment and it was approved by
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
.
The Panzer IV's turret was removed and replaced with an open-top, nine-sided turret that housed a
2 cm ''Flakvierling'' 38, a quadruple mount of 20 mm cannon. A closed-top design would have been preferable, but this was not possible due to the heavy smoke generated by the four anti-aircraft guns. The shape of the turret earned it the nickname ''Keksdose'' ("biscuit tin").
Production of the tank was 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 split ...
.
While the turret's four barrels were capable of firing 2 cm shells at a devastatingly high rate, it lacked range and was sometimes ineffective unless several shells hit an aircraft at once. Thus a more powerful successor, with an armament that hit harder and at longer range, was produced which eventually replaced it. Known as the
''Flakpanzer'' IV ''Ostwind'' ("East Wind"), the successor was equipped with a single
3.7 cm Flak 43.
The combination of armor and rapid fire from the four guns of the ''Wirbelwind'' also made it very effective against lightly-armoured ground targets such as trucks and armored cars; infantry were particularly vulnerable.
Between 87 and 105 ''Wirbelwinds'' were converted from repaired Panzer IV chassis, but due to discrepancies between the recorded production numbers at Ostbau Werke and ''
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
'' service records, the actual number may never be known.
Surviving vehicles
* Militärhistorische Ausstellung Flugabwehr, Kiel (Germany) (Historical Military Anti-aircraft Exhibitio
*
Base Borden Military Museum
Base Borden Military Museum is a military museum located on the grounds of CFB Borden, in Borden, Ontario, Canada. Combining four separate museums, it has numerous items, equipment and vehicles from all eras of Canadian military history, including ...
Flakpanzer Restoration Projec
The Wirbelwind at CFB Borden is currently undergoing a full running and firing restoration by the Borden military museum by military and volunteers.
References
External links
Panzerworld Wirbelwind specifications
Surviving Panzer IV variants- A PDF file presenting surviving Panzer IV variants
Flakpanzer Restoration Project Interview
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World War II self-propelled anti-aircraft weapons of Germany
Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944