A German soldier loads the notorious 88 mm Flak

A German soldier loads the notorious 88 mm Flak.

The German 88 mm Flak, short for Flugabwehrkanone (Anti-aircraft gun), also known as the "Acht-Acht", is an artillery piece that has been frequently used during the Spanish Civil war and especially during World War II. Although the gun was initially intended as an anti-aircraft gun, under the name of 88 mm Flak 18, 36, 37 or 41, it earned its fame in many other usages.

P The most important secondary use turned out to be as an antitank weapon; it turned out to be very effective against ground targets as well. The 88 mm shells could penetrate the armour of the Russian T-34 and KV-1 easily. Due to this, the gun was soon adopted as the main armament of the heavy Tiger I and some other tanks. Its performances were excellent and were also valued and feared by the Allies.

The Flak 88 had an effective firing range of 14,860 meters on ground targets, and an effective ceiling range of 8,000 meters at an elevation of 85°, with a maximum of 9,900 meters. With an experienced and effective crew, the gun could load and fire 15-20 rounds per minut. These rounds had a muzzle velocity of 840 m/s; the speed of a projectile at the moment it leaves the muzzle

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