One question that bugs me-since the German Flak 37 fun was specially desgined for antiaircraft use, what would be the point of putting shields over them? I know gun shields were used to protect against shrapnel, infantry bullets, etc., but I can't imagine what they would do against aircraft bombs or bullets.

The key word is 'INITIALLY' - it began development as an AA gun and later developed into both AA and AT use. The shield is only seen on those versions in the AT/Direct Fire role...

It's a myth that the 8.8cm Flak 37 was only RESERVED for anti-air firing and did not engage ground targets (this is perpetuated by the Tamiya write up). The fact is that the 8.8cm Flak 37 was equipped to engage ground targets.

Can you imagine this conversation? "Herr Kapitan, I cannot fire on those incoming tanks! I'm a flak gun commander!"

LOL (Well actually, something like this DID happen when Maj. Hans Von Luck of the 21PD came across a Luftwaffe 8.8cm flak battery outside Caen at the onset of Goodwood. It had been emplaced to protect Caen from Allied air attack. However the Commonwealth tank columns could be seen in the distance. The Luftwaffe Lieutenant initially resisted the Major's demands to fire on the Allied tanks. Finally, Von Luck unholstered his pistol and PERSUADED the Lt. to get his head out of the sky and help stem the tide. Later in the day, von Luck returned and the flak gun battery was still intact, the crews were triumphant, and there were dozens of burning Allied tanks in the field -- and a grateful Lt.. This was recounted in von Luck's biography)

Wow, Roy, the story certainly adds a different perspectiove to the whole issue that these weapons were only used for AA defense.

Thanks for sharing!

Rob

Great story, Roy!

Myth or fact? A captured British officer said that when he saw the Flak 88 being used against ground targets in the desert :"That's not fair, using AA-guns against tanks."

Anyway, any Flak 88 was used against tanks or other ground targets, from the Flak 18 onward.

As can be seen in Blitzkrieg footage, many 88mm guns were deployed horizontally instead of vertically.

The "myth" of Flak not being used against ground targets lies in it's name, Flak, Flugzeug Abwehr Kanone, anti aircraft artillery.

Since there are also Pak 88 guns, Panzer abwehr Kanone, it's not completely unthinkable one would assume a Flak is AA only.

The other way around did NOT happen, as this was physically impossible, no PaK gun could ever raise it's barrel into a (near) vertical angle.

His book is a great read and widely available. "Panzer Commander: The memoirs of Col. Hans Von Luck". He has a story of how his lightly armed patrol (SdKfz 221) encountered W Churchill touring near the front. He spied the well armed group via field glasses. Without his long range radio, he considered a "banzai charge" nonetheless.

His journey is quite fascinating. I heard that his defense around Caen that helped repulse Goodwood was used as a model for studying defense in depth by NATO strategists planning methods to counter Warsaw Pact armored waves.

I haven't read it in a while. I may go and re-read it!

Herbert: Like many modellers, we purchased the fantastic Tamiya Flak 36/37 kit as youngsters. In its directions, they clearly imply that ONLY the Flak 36 was used against tanks and ONLY the Flak 37 was used against aircraft. Like you stated this is false. But this is one source of much of the errata about the Flaks 18, 36 and 37.

I thought the first use of 88's against armor was in France or Belgium in 1940. The KV-II holding a vital crossroads against the Germans in 1941 destroyed a 88 that was setting up to take it out when the lighter Panzer III's could not knock it out. So the use of the 88 against the British near Caen would not have been a first.

8.8cm Flak 18s were used effectively against armored vehicles in Spain before WW2. This began heavy flak units to develop ground target protocols.