This prompted the development by the Germans of a heavy-calibre and high-velocity rifle as an anti-tank weapon. Boys Anti-Tank Rifle: Mk I and Mk I* Improvements April 11, 2019 Ian McCollum 17 These rifles are lots #1087 and #1088 at Morphy’s April 2019 auction: The Boys Anti-Tank Rifle was adopted by the British military in 1937, and remained in production until 1943 when it was replaced by […] The Boys Anti-Tank Rifle was part of Britain’s interwar development of weapons designed to take on tanks. [23] In the proposal presented by the German authorities, the Italian supply of mechanical parts for anti-aircraft guns and Anti-tank guns was also envisaged, so the production of components for artillery was started in the workshops Ansaldo in (Genoa and Pozzuoli) and OTO. The KwK 36 (abbreviation of Kampfwagenkanone 36) was a tank gun developed and built by Krupp in parallel to the Flak 36, with which it shared ammunition and ballistics. Bad weather grounded the main bomber force, but the assault succeeded, mainly because of the concentrated and accurate fire of the supporting 88 mm guns. The Flak 18 was mounted on a cruciform gun carriage. Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston (PAK 43 and Flak 37). [citation needed] While the US and Italian 90 mm were also used as anti-tank guns—the American gun being in use on their M36 tank destroyer and M26 Pershing heavy tank—their use was considerably more limited than the German 88 due to German tanks being primarily used defensively by 1944 and allied tanks being used en masse for the attack. As the MG 18 machine gun was being developed, an anti-tank rifle was also proposed. Targeting indicators were attached to the central controller to each of the four guns of a battery, allowing for coordinated fire. In informal use, the guns were universally known as the Acht-acht ("eight-eight") by Germans and the "eighty-eight" by the Allies. There was also the kampfpistole. Westermann, Edward B (2001). For the Battle of France in 1940, the army was supported by eighty-eights deployed in twenty-four mixed flak battalions. This gave it the mass required to punch through armour, whilst the large propellant charge provided the necessary velocity. These had a long engraving portion that caused considerable barrel wear. The success of the German anti-tank weapons caused the Allies to take steps to defend against it in new tank designs. If no, are there any guns that could fire a bullet into space? The higher-level tactical unit was usually a mixed anti-aircraft battalion (gemischte Flak-Abteilung). Out of this necessity came the Rifle, Anti-Tank, .55in, Boys. The new gun fired a 9.4-kilogram (20 lb) shell at a muzzle velocity of 1,000 m/s (3,280 ft/s), giving it an effective ceiling of 11,300 meters (37,100 ft) and a maximum of 14,700 meters (48,200 ft), which General der Flakartillerie Otto Wilhelm von Renz said to be "almost equal to the 128-mm. The less open terrain in Italy and Northern France was less suitable for long-range AT guns. [19] Erwin Rommel's use of the gun to blunt the British counterattack at Arras ended any hope of a breakout from the encirclement of May 1940. However it was immediately evident that the Regio Esercito (Italian Royal Army) did not have at its disposal a tractor with characteristics suitable for towing this piece, given that the task was entrusted to Lancia 3Ro, without all-wheel drive. In early 1937 in the fighting around Malaga, a battery of 88 mm guns was assigned to support an infantry brigade. An AP shell is made from solid steel with a high carbon contents, which increases the hardness of the steel. [9] By the beginning of World War II the Luftwaffe's anti-aircraft artillery employed 6,700 light (2 cm and 3.7 cm) and 2,628 heavy flak guns. "tank and aircraft", known also as 13.2×92mmSR) cartridge, was a major step in the development of anti-tank cartridges, being the first one designed for the sole purpose of destroying armored targets. The first solution saw the Spitzgeschoss mit Kern, more commonly called the K Bullet, being issued in larger quantities. Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 = 22.5 degrees. As an anti-aircraft gun it fired a 9.2 kilogram (20 lb) shell at a muzzle velocity of 840 m/s to an effective ceiling of 8000 meters,[33] with a maximum ceiling of 9900 meters. Other uses included firing in support of the troops at the front and as a more static anti-aircraft gun for home defence. The light anti-aircraft battalion usually did not deploy any 8.8 cm Flaks, the heavy battalions were rarely used in practice. 8 heavy tractor. Only a few were built in mid-1993, the entire project was generally regarded as unsuccessful.[32]. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 455 mm (1 in 17.91 in), 8 grooves, Ø lands = 14.50 mm, Ø grooves = 14.95 mm. The Yugoslav Army (VJ) also used Flak carriages mounted with double 262 mm rocket launch tubes from the M-87 Orkan MLRS, instead of the 88 mm gun. After 1935, the anti-aircraft defense of Germany was controlled by the Luftwaffe. The makers of the gun were inspired by weapons used to hunt African big game, like the Elephant gun. Development of the original model led to a wide variety of guns. Auctions & Sales 18. C&R eligible or Form 3 or 4 Similarly to the anti-aircraft role, as an anti-tank weapon the 8.8 cm Flak was tactically arranged into batteries, usually four guns to each. [10] The first such German gun was introduced in 1917, using the 8.8 cm caliber common in the Kaiserliche Marine (navy).[9]. "[9] It featured a lower silhouette on its turntable mounting than did the 8.8-cm Flak 18/36/37 on its pedestal mounting. Source: Wikimedia The PaK 43 (an abbreviation of Panzerjägerkanone 43[35][36]) used a new cruciform mount with the gun much closer to the ground, making it far easier to hide and harder to hit. The propellant consists of 28.8 g smokeless powder with seven tubes, designated as "5/7NA powder". [citation needed]. Chinese Type 56 and Type 58 heavy machine guns, This page was last edited on 24 December 2020, at 23:56. Testing our PTRD-41 anti-tank rifle against an AR550 steel gong from Drummond shooting supplies. [24] The batteries were supplied complete with a Zeiss firing station Mod. The parts of the various versions of the guns were interchangeable, and it was not uncommon for various parts to be "mixed and matched" on a particular example. The exterior shape of the case was designed to promote reliable case feeding and extraction in bolt action rifles and machine guns alike, under extreme conditions. Toggle navigation Wallpaper Abyss . Heavy Vehicles 7. These cannons were used against US fighter jets in the early 60s. It allowed general area fire without line of sight, but had poor accuracy compared to the visual systems. A large amount of recoil is incurred by sustained fire, and this negatively impacts accuracy at long ranges. pressure to certify for sale to consumers. Prototype 88s were first produced in 1928. As WW2 progressed, it was becoming increasingly clear that existing anti-tank weapons were unable to pierce the armor of heavier enemy tanks and ground commanders began increasingly to use the 8.8 cm Flak against tanks. The M41 LAAG is the main weapon of the M12 Warthog LRV and the M312 "Elephant" HRV (although the Elephant's M41 has a slightly faster rate of fire). Aviation & Marine 15. [21] The weapon saw continuous use on the eastern front. The bullet weighed a tremendous 802 grains (52 grams) compared to the 185 grains (12 grams) of the infantry rifle version. The versatile carriage allowed the 8.8 cm FlaK to be fired in a limited anti-tank mode when still on its wheels;[4] it could be completely emplaced in only two and a half minutes. Light Vehicles 3. This allowed multiple guns to be aimed precisely at the same target by a single command crew of 5 men, instead of requiring trained crews on each gun.[17]. III radars. Radar aiming systems were also developed to complement these systems. [citation needed], Initially, the Flak 18 batteries were deployed to protect the airfields and logistics bases of the German Condor legion. By February 1945, there were 327 heavy anti-aircraft batteries facing the Red Army, which was 21 percent of those used for anti-aircraft defense.[9]. Following the Spanish Civil War, more Flak 36 models arrived in 1943 (88 guns 88/56 mm Flak-36) and since 1943 they were manufactured under license in Trubia under the denomination FT 44 (about 200 guns). The batteries began arriving in Italy a few days after Italy entered the war, and were initially assigned in part to the Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (Voluntary Militia for National Security, MACA), for the protection of the Italian main cities and partly sent in Libya, for the protection of ports. However, production did not take place as no Flak 41 barrels were available.[13]. [4] Its successful use as an improvised anti-tank gun led to the development of a tank gun based upon it: the 8.8 cm KwK 36, with the "KwK" abbreviation standing for Kampfwagen-Kanone (literally "battle vehicle cannon", or "fighting vehicle cannon"), meant to be placed in a gun turret as the tank's primary armament. The gun would then fire and recoil; during the return stroke, the empty case would be thrown backward by levers, after which a cam would engage and recock the gun. [citation needed] High explosive ammunition was used against aircraft and personnel, and [9], Because of problems in service, the guns were almost exclusively used in Germany where they could be properly maintained and serviced. These cannons played an important role against Soviet air raids in Helsinki in February 1944. During 1942 tests were made using the Flak 41 barrel and Flak 37 chassis but these identified that the chassis could not take the strain even when strengthened. [9] With the increase of aircraft performance, many armies developed dedicated AA guns with a high muzzle velocity – allowing the projectiles to reach greater altitudes. More guns were sent later, and some 88 mm guns were also supplied to Spanish army units. [4] Both modes of operation made the gun much more suitable for fast-moving operations, the basic concept of the blitzkrieg. [12] Improvements in reloading raised the firing rate, with 20 to 25 rounds a minute being quoted. After losing the war, Germany had been forbidden under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles from procuring new weapons of most types. Berlin. [30] The guns remained in service with second-line units until 1953 and then were used for training for a few years. [12], A prototype was ready in early 1941[12] leading to the designation 8.8 cm Flak 41. It was this muzzle velocity, combined with a projectile of high weight, that made the 8.8 cm Flak one of the great World War II anti-tank guns. [N 3]. Starting from October 1942, several batteries, while remaining in German possession, were used by Italian personnel (officers and troops) for the protection of military infrastructures and cities, this practice was further intensified in 1943, reaching more than 100 batteries. In September 1916, the British unveiled their new weapon to the world – The Tank – which, while slow and mechanically unreliable, sent shockwaves through the ranks of the German military. University Press of Kansas. It was used successfully by Hero of the Soviet Union Sergeant Yakov Pavlov during the Battle of Stalingrad when the NCO led the defence of Pavlov's House in the city. Land Rovers 5. The Lahti L-39 is a Finnish 20mm anti-tank rifle used during World War II. This resulted in the Giant Würzburg, which had sufficient accuracy to precisely control guns without direct visual contact. [citation needed], The Flak 36 guns were briefly issued in late 1944 to the American Seventh Army as captured weapons. The Flak 37/41 had the simplified fuze setter of the 8.8-cm Flak 41. Krupp responded with another prototype of the long-barreled 8.8 cm gun, which was further developed into the anti-tank and tank destroyer 8.8 cm PaK 43 gun used for the Elefant and Jagdpanther, and turret-mounted 8.8 cm KwK 43 heavy tank gun of the Tiger II. Anyone know anymore info please let me know. It allowed extremely precise fire, and would even take into account how far away the guns were from one another and the aiming crew, cancelling out the offset and aiming all weapons at the same point. 36 and related auxiliary equipment. The Panzer II carried a 20 mm autocannon. Widespread production started with the Nazi rise to power in 1933, and the Flak 18 was available in small numbers when Germany intervened in the Spanish Civil War. The loaders would keep the weapon fed with live ammunition which would fire immediately upon insertion—all while the gun layer aimed the weapon according to the data. At the end of 1940, 44 pieces and relative firing stations were available. A simple-to-operate "semi-automatic" loading system ejected fired shells, allowing it to be reloaded by simply inserting a new shell into a tray. The projectile weighs 64.4 grams and is 51 millimeters long with a 38.7 gram core of tungsten carbide with 1.8 grams of … The spoken version was. The 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41 is a German 88   mm anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun, developed in the 1930s. [31], During the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s, various Flak guns were used, mainly by the naval artillery of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA). The barrel was at first a three-section one with a length of 74 calibers, and then redesigned to dual-section with a length of 72 calibers. Operation Barbarossa: the Complete Organisational and Statistical Analysis, and Military Simulation Volume IIB. In this context, a 20 mm, 12.7 mm, or even 7.92 mm anti-tank rifle made sense. The M1918 was conceptually very simple: a bolt-action weapon just … Medium Vehicles 6. This gun served as the main armament of the Tiger I heavy tank. In some sources it is mistakenly stated that the Flak 37 was not equipped for anti-armor operation. In the entire Battle of France, the weapon destroyed 152 tanks and 151 bunkers. While the artillery got the 2 pounder, a cheaper, lighter alternative was needed for the Infantry to help deal with tanks and other armored vehicles. Penetration of the Pzgr. Flak 37 gun at the Deutsches Panzermuseum, Munster, Germany, Flak 37 gun at the Anti-aircraft Museum in Hyrylä, Finland, Flak 36 gun in position at Bir Hakeim, North Africa, June 1942, Flak 36 battery in firing position, Germany, 1943, FuMG 39 “Würzburg” radar at an anti-aircraft position on the Atlantic Wall, France, 1942, 8.8 cm Flak 36 with Flak Rohr 18 barrel at the, Comparison with similar anti-aircraft guns, Weapons of comparable role, performance and era, In German, the comma is used as the decimal separator, hence official punctuation was actually "8,8 cm" and not "8.8 cm". "German 88: The Most Famous Gun of the Second World War" Pen and Sword Books Ltd, This page was last edited on 23 December 2020, at 05:24. Krupp had the majority ownership in Bofors since 1921. It was originally developed for the PTRS and PTRD anti-tank rifles, and was later used as the basis for the KPV heavy machine gun that formed the basis of the ZPU series anti-aircraft guns that is also the main armament of the BTR series of armoured personnel carriers from the BTR-60 to the BTR-80 and for heavy anti-materiel sniper rifles. All versions were able to penetrate about 200 mm (7.9 inches) of armour at 1,000 m (3280 feet), allowing it to defeat the armor of any contemporary tank. 14.5×114mm maximum cartridge dimensions. After the war these cannons remained in Finnish use as AA-guns until 1977 and after that as coastal guns until the early 2000s. All dimensions in millimeters (mm). The Flak 18/36/37 was roughly comparable to its Italian and Allied counterparts. [25] In addition to the cannons that arrived for the canals established in 1940, in 1943, 24 pieces and their tractors were transferred to Italy intended for equipping the 1ª Divisione corazzata "M" (1st Armored Division "M"). The first deliveries were made in March 1943[12] and, as of August 1944, only 157 were fielded; with 318 in January 1945. The 14.5×114mm has 42.53 ml (655 grains H2O) cartridge case capacity. I./43 (Major Wegener) employed these guns against a commando landing raid called Operation Agreement by the British Royal Navy near Tobruk. As armour increased in thickness it became necessary to achieve higher muzzle velocities in order for a projectile to penetrate, but steel shot tended to shatter on impact at velocities upward of about 823 metres (2700 feet) per second. 13 ], anti tank gun bullet commonly called the 8.8 cm KwK 43 tank.... 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