Vehicle:Wehrmacht 88mm Flak 36From CoH-Stats
Tactics
HistoryThe 8.8cm FlaK36 was a heavy anti-aircraft gun initially designed for hitting high altitude planes. Its History is dating back to the first World War, where huge guns with high muzzle Velocity were first tested against high altitude airplanes. It was then later in the early 20ties developed by the Germans together with Bofors in Sweden and adopted as Flak 18 in 1933. Flak36 was a simplified Model of the Flak18 with a three pieced barrel. Its usefulness as an anti-tank gun was capitalized upon during the initial invasion of France, when the Panzer Is and IIs being used by the Germans were unable to knock out British and French heavy tanks. The only other anti-tank gun available at the time was the 3.7cm PaK36, also the main gun of the Panzer III, which acquired the nickname of "doorknocker" as it harmlessly clanged off of the heavier tanks. The high velocity round from the FlaK18's of the time easily defeated any amour it was fired upon. A tank version of the FlaK36 was developed and became the KwK36 mounted in the Tiger I. Luftwaffe updated their Flaks by 1941 with a much improved Version with a longer barrel, higher muzzle Velocity and new Ammunition incompatible to the old one. This Flak 41 was superior in therms of range and firing speed (up to 25 rounds per minute compared to 18 with the Flak36/37). It was of a totally different construction than previous models, but also more complicated to manufacture and maintain. That is why a new version of the KwK36 was introduced as the KwK43 used in the King tiger or Jagdpanther and also for the Pak43. Having the same 88mm Caliber and using the Rounds of the old Flak36, this gun was lengthened to 6,28metres (L71) and had similar amour piercing capabilities as the Flak41 but still lower firing speed. This gun had the best amour penetration capabilities of all tank guns throughout the war. Even the 12,8cm Pak44/55 of the Jagdtiger had lower amour penetration due to lower muzzle velocity. In the Game, the Flak36s penetration is not even matched by the Kingtiger whereas it should be equal to the normal Tiger and Kingtiger has an even higher level of amour penetration with its longer gun. Also the Tiger has a lower range than the Panther, whereas in reality it was the opposite. Panther with its long 75mm had higher muzzle Velocity and amour penetration under 800metres but due to lower weight of the shell also lower range and penetration over 800metres.
Requires
Constructed By
Doctrinal Abilities
Vehicle Abilities
Vehicle Weapons
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
