Has anti aircraft artillery ever repelled an air attack?

What was the best anti-aircraft gun ww2?

FHCAM – 88 mm Flak 37 Anti-Aircraft Gun. The “88” was the most famous and feared artillery weapon of World War II.

Was ww2 flak effective?

“Two myths about flak: one it was not very effective, from an Allied point of view, and second the Allied bombing campaign against Germany created a ‘second front’ siphoning off thousands of men to man the guns and robbing the German army of valuable men. This was only partially true.

Is anti-aircraft an artillery?

antiaircraft gun, artillery piece that is fired from the ground or shipboard in defense against aerial attack. Antiaircraft weapons development began as early as 1910, when the airplane first became an effective weapon.

How do flak shells explode?

When the shell flies close enougth to piece of metal it detonates. Well most of the problems still remain , you get telementry on the enemy planes , using a special table which is specific for you shell and gun and have to consider : gun condition , weather condition , enemy speed and altitude.

What is the most effective anti-aircraft weapon?

Top 5 best anti-aircraft missile systems in the World

  • #5 – Chinese HQ-9 long-range anti-aircraft missile system.
  • #4 – U.S. SAM MM-104 “Patriot”
  • #3 – French-Italian SAMP-T complex (Eurosam)
  • #2 – Israeli SAM or GTAM David.
  • #1 – Russian anti-aircraft system S-400 Triumf.


What was an 88 in ww2?

German 88, versatile 88-millimetre (3.46-inch) multirole artillery piece, developed from 1917 by Germany. It was tested in the Spanish Civil War and was used extensively by the Germans in World War II as a field-artillery piece and as an antiaircraft and antitank gun.

What made the German 88 so good?

The 88 earned its reputation as the best overall gun of the war. It was justifiably feared by Allied airmen, tankers, and foot soldiers because of its accuracy, lethality, and versatility. The weapon was deployed on German tanks, as an antitank gun, an assault gun, and for antiaircraft purposes.

Can a civilian own a howitzer?

Under the federal National Firearms Act of 1934, large-bore cannons are classified as “destructive devices.” To obtain one, pre-approval from the federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives is necessary. A $200 tax stamp is required to possess one.

How many enemy fighters did b17s shot down?

Arooth, a tail gunner on the B-17 “Tondelayo” who shot down a total of 17 enemy fighters in the course of 14 missions. Arooth was one of the few bomber gunners who received official recognition, being awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Who has the best artillery in ww2?

World War II Artillery: The Deadliest Big Guns from the Axis and…

  • German 10.5 cm leFH 18. …
  • German 15 cm sFH 18. …
  • German Nebelwerfer. …
  • German 8.8cm Flak 36 Gun. …
  • German 8.8cm Pak 43 Anti-Tank Gun. …
  • German 7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank gun. …
  • American M114 155 mm howitzer. …
  • German 8 cm Granatwerfer 34 Mortar.

What is a flak shell?

The versatile 88mm cannon was Germany’s main heavy antiaircraft—or “flak”—gun during World War II. When an 88mm projectile exploded at altitude, it sent out jagged metal fragments that tore through nearby aircraft. It also left a characteristic black cloud hanging in the sky.

How accurate is artillery?

Modern artillery consists of increasingly sophisticated and integrated technology platforms. From mortars to howitzers, these GPS-guided systems are designed to deliver pinpoint accuracy at ranges of up to 30 kilometres.

What is Russia’s longest range artillery?

The 2S7 Pion (“peony”) or Malka is a Soviet self-propelled 203mm heavy artillery.



2S7 Pion
Effective firing range 37.5km
Maximum firing range 47.5km
Armor 10mm max.
Main armament 203 mm 2A44 gun

How effective is PaK 40?

With an effective range of 1,000-1,500 yards, the PaK-40 could fire a 15-lb armour-piercing round at 2,598 feet per second, enabling it to penetrate up to 106 mm of steel at 500 yards.

What is a toad 88?

Although originally designed as an anti-aircraft weapon, the 88 would go on to serve effectively against armor and infantry as well. One of the most feared weapons on the battlefields of World War II, it was usually referred to simply as an “88.”

What gun did the Tiger tank use?

However, each tank cost over 250,000 marks to manufacture. The Tiger was armed with an 88mm gun and two 7.92 MG-34 machine guns.

How does flak work anti-aircraft?


And is not predicted for any particular aircrafts. Course however evasive action during the approach to the target can upset the enemy's effort to effective locate his barrage.

How big is an 88mm shell?

8.8 cm KwK 36

8,8 cm KwK 36
Barrel length 492.8 cm (194.0 in) bore (56 calibres)
Shell Fixed QF 88 × 571mmR
Shell weight 10.2 kg (22 lb) Pzgr 39 Armor-piercing, capped, ballistic capped shell 7.3 kg (16 lb) Pzgr 40 Armor-piercing composite rigid (APCR)
Calibre 88 mm (3.46 in)

Did the Tiger 2 see combat?

Combat history



The first combat use of the Tiger II was by the 1st Company of the 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion (s.H.Pz.Abt. 503) during the Battle of Normandy, opposing Operation Atlantic between Troarn and Demouville on 18 July 1944.

Who invented the howitzer?

It was invented in the 1780s by Royal Artillery officer Henry Shrapnel, whose name became synonymous with fragmented shell shot. In the early 1860s U.S. Army Captain Thomas J. Rodman developed the gun that would become the high point of smoothbore, muzzle-loading artillery.

What are ack ack guns?

ack-ack gun – artillery designed to shoot upward at airplanes. ack-ack, antiaircraft, antiaircraft gun, pom-pom, flack, flak. Bofors gun – an automatic double-barreled antiaircraft gun. gun – a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)

What caliber is an anti-aircraft gun?

5-inch/25-caliber gun

5″/25 Caliber Gun
Type Anti-aircraft gun Naval gun
Place of origin United States
Service history
Used by US Navy, Argentine Navy

Does Ukraine have anti-aircraft missiles?

The Ukrainian air force’s Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters remain active, albeit at a low sortie-rate—and the army’s short-range air-defenders with their mobile and shoulder-fired anti-air missiles have proved particularly deadly. Ukrainian troops even have shot down Russian helicopters using anti-tank guided missiles.

What are anti-aircraft guns called?

Anti-aircraft missiles are variously called surface-to-air missile, abbreviated and pronounced “SAM” and surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW).

Why is anti-aircraft called Triple A?

Nicknames for anti-aircraft guns include AAA or triple-A, an abbreviation for anti-aircraft artillery, and flak or flack (from the German Flugabwehrkanone, aircraft defence cannon).

Can Manpads shoot down jet?

Since then, there have been several attempts, some of them successful, to shoot down passenger planes with MANPADS. There are no recorded reliable instances of MANPADS shooting down fighter planes, though some planes (in Afghanistan and in the Andes) have been reported as being damaged or shot down.

How many anti-aircraft guns did Britain have in ww2?

On 1 January 1938, the British air defences had only 180 anti-aircraft guns larger than 50 mm and most of these were the older 3-inch guns. This number increased to 341 by the September 1938 (Munich Crisis), to 540 in September 1939 (declaration of war), and to 1,140 during the Battle of Britain.

Does the UK have surface to air missiles?

Rapier is a surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army to replace their towed Bofors 40/L70 anti-aircraft guns.



Rapier (missile)

Rapier
Type Surface-to-air missile
Place of origin United Kingdom
Service history
In service 1971–present

What did RAF ground crew do in ww2?

As well as carrying out their regular duties, members of the ground crew would be called upon during German raids on their airfields. They towed damaged aircraft away from runways to make room for others to land, repaired damage from raids, fought fires and helped pilots out of their aircraft.

What are three key facts about the Battle of Britain?

10 Surprising Facts About the Battle of Britain

  • It got its name before it started. …
  • Hitler tried to convince Britain to surrender without a fight. …
  • It was the first battle in history waged almost exclusively in the air. …
  • The battle included one of the earliest uses of radar in combat.

Could Germany have won the Battle of Britain?

Hitler’s air force could have won a pivotal World War II battle if it had attacked earlier and changed tactics, a study says. Between May and October 1940, the German Luftwaffe fought British-led fighter pilots – including Australians – over the skies of southern England in the Battle of Britain.

Has Britain lost a war?

Battle of the Somme, 1916



They were so confident that they told their troops to simply walk across no man’s land instead of dashing from cover to cover. The British lost around 20,000 soldiers on the first day of the battle. Over the next three months, both the Brits and the Germans lost around half a million men each.