8 . 8 cm Flak 18 / 36 / 37 / 41 The 88 mm gun ( commonly called the eighty - eight ) was a German anti - aircraft and anti - tank artillery gun from World War II . It was widely used by Germany throughout the war , and was one of the most recognized German weapons of that conflict . Development of the original models led to a wide variety of guns . The name applies to a series of guns , the first one officially called the 8 . 8 cm Flak 18 , the improved 8 . 8 cm Flak 36 , and later the 8 . 8 cm Flak 37 . Flak is a contraction of German " Flugzeugabwehrkanone " meaning " aircraft - defense cannon " , the original purpose of the eighty - eight . In English , " flak " became a generic term for ground anti - aircraft fire . In informal German use , the guns were universally known as the " Acht - acht " ( " eight - eight " ) . The versatile carriage allowed the eighty - eight to be fired in a limited anti - tank mode when still on its wheels ; it could be completely emplaced in only two - and - a - half minutes . Its successful use as an improvised anti - tank gun led to the development of a tank gun based upon it . These related guns served as the main armament of tanks such as the Tiger I : the 8 . 8 cm KwK 36 , with the " KwK " abbreviation standing for " KampfwagenKanone " ( literally " battle vehicle cannon " , or " tank cannon " ) . In addition to these Krupp designs , Rheinmetall later created a more powerful anti - aircraft gun , the 8 . 8 cm Flak 41 , which was produced in relatively small numbers . Krupp responded with another prototype of the long - barreled 88 mm 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 . Background . Initially , anti - aircraft artillery guns of World War I were adaptations of existing medium - caliber weapons , mounted to allow fire at higher angles . By 1915 , the German command realized that these were useless for anything beyond deterrence , even against the vulnerable balloons and slow - moving aircraft of the period . With the increase of aircraft performance , many armies developed dedicated AA guns with a high muzzle velocity – allowing the projectiles to reach greater altitudes – and a high rate of fire . The first such German gun was introduced in 1917 , and it used the 88 mm caliber , common in the " Kaiserliche Marine " German navy . After losing the war , Germany had been forbidden from procuring new weapons of most types . Nevertheless , the Krupp company started the development of a new gun in partnership with Bofors of Sweden . The original design was a 75 mm model . During the prototype phase , the army asked for a gun with considerably greater capability . The designers started again , using 88 mm caliber . Flak 18 , 36 and 37 . Prototype 88s were first produced in 1928 . These early models , the Flak 18 , used a single - piece barrel with a length of 56 calibers , led to the commonly - seen designation L / 56 . The Flak 18 was mounted on a cruciform gun carriage . 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 gun would then fire , recoil , and , during the return stroke , the empty case would be thrown backward by levers , a cam would then engage and recock the gun . This resulted in firing rates of 15 to 20 rounds a minute , which was better than similar weapons of the era . High explosive ammunition was used against aircraft and personnel , and armour - piercing and high - explosive anti - tank against tanks and other armored vehicles . Widespread production started with the Nazi rise to power in 1933 , the Flak 18 was available in small numbers when Germany intervened in the Spanish Civil War . It quickly proved to be the best anti - aircraft weapon then available . The flak detachment with 88s proved accurate and versatile in combat against mainly land targets , the high muzzle velocity and large caliber made it an excellent long - range anti - vehicle and anti - bunker weapon . This experience also demonstrated a number of minor problems and potential improvement opportunities . Many of these were incorporated into the Flak 36 , which had a two - piece barrel for easier replacement of worn liners . The new , heavier , carriage allowed it to fire in an emergency when still on its wheels and without its outriggers , but with a very limited traverse and elevation . For normal emplacement , one single - axle bogie was detached from the front outrigger and one from the rear , side outriggers were then hinged from the vertical position to the ground ; the total time to setup was estimated at two - and - a - half minutes . Both modes of operation made the gun much more suitable for fast - moving operations , the basic concept of the " blitzkrieg " . Flak 36s were often fitted with an armoured shield that provided limited protection for the gunners . The weight of the gun meant that only large vehicles could move it , the SdKfz 7 half - track became a common prime mover . Targeting indicators were attached from the central controller to each of the four guns of a battery , allowing for coordinated fire . Indeed , with the automatic loading system , the gun layers ' job was to keep the gun barrel trained on the target area based on the signals from the controller . 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 . The later Flak 37 included updated instrumentation to allow the gun layers to follow directions from the single director more easily . 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 . Some sources mistakenly cite that the Flak 37 was not equipped for anti - armor purposes . The fact is all 8 . 8 cm guns were capable of the dual role . 8 . 8 cm Flak 41 . Due to the problems of defending against attack by high - flying aircraft the " Luftwaffe " asked for newer weapons with an even better performance as early as 1939 . Rheinmetall responded with a new 88 mm design with a longer cartridge and a longer barrel . A prototype was ready in early 1941 leading to the designation 8 . 8 cm Flak 41 . The new gun fired a shell at a muzzle velocity of 1 , 000 m / s ( 3 , 280 ft / s ) , giving it an effective ceiling of and a maximum of , which General Otto Wilhelm von Renz said to be " almost equal to the 128 - mm . " It featured a lower silhouette on its turntable mounting than did the 8 . 8 - cm Flak 18 / 36 / 37 on its pedestal mounting . 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 . Improvements in reloading raised the firing rate , with 20 to 25 rounds a minute being quoted . Because of problems in service , the guns were almost exclusively used in Germany where they could be properly maintained and serviced . The Flak 41 had the disadvantage of complexity , and was prone to problems with ammunition , empty cases often jamming on extraction . Because of the high cost and complexity of this weapon , the Germans manufactured relatively few of them , 556 in all . The first deliveries were made in March 1943 and , as of August 1944 , only 157 were fielded ; with 318 in January 1945 . A final adaptation , known as the Flak 37 / 41 , mounted the Flak 41 gun on the Flak 37 carriage , of which only 13 were produced . Production numbers . Thousands of 88 mm guns were produced throughout the war in various models and mounts . Compared to other artillery types , German industry built for example , 570 heavy ( caliber 88 – 128 mm ) flak guns , 1 , 020 field artillery pieces ( caliber 75 – 210 mm ) , and 1 , 300 tank guns , anti - tank guns , plus self - propelled guns in December 1943 . Combat history . The eighty - eight was used in two roles : as a mobile heavy anti - aircraft gun , and in a more static role for home defence . Anti - aircraft defense of the Reich . Since 1935 , the anti - aircraft defense of Nazi Germany was controlled by the " Luftwaffe " . By the beginning of World War II ( which is usually regarded as 1 September 1939 ) , the " Luftwaffe " ' s anti - aircraft artillery employed 6 , 700 light ( 2 cm and 3 , 7 cm ) and 2 , 628 heavy flak guns . Of the latter , a small number were 10 . 5 cm Flak 38s or 39s , the majority were 8 . 8 cm Flak 18s , 36s or 37s . This was twice as many heavy AA guns as the Air Defence of Great Britain ( ADGB ) had at the time , with France and the United States having even less . Throughout the entire war , the majority of 88 mm guns were used in their original anti - aircraft role . The pecuniary costs associated with anti - aircraft cannon were substantial , especially when compared to fighter aircraft . For example , in January 1943 – at a time Germany was desperately fighting to regain the strategic initiative in the East and was also facing a heavy bombing campaign in the West – expenditures on anti - aircraft defenses were 39 million reichsmarks , whereas all the remaining weapons and munitions production amounted to 93 million ( including 20 million of the navy budget and only nine million of the aircraft - related budget ) . By August 1944 , there were 10 , 704 Flak 18 , 36 and 37 guns in service , now complemented also by the formidable 12 . 8 cm Flak 40 , owing to the increase in US and British bombing raids during 1943 and 1944 . There were complaints that , due to the apparent ineffectiveness of anti - aircraft defenses as a whole , the guns should be transferred from air defense units to anti - tank duties , but this politically unpopular move was never made . Support of German ground troops . The 88 performed well in its original role of an anti - aircraft gun , but it proved to be a superb anti - tank gun as well . Its success was due to its versatility : the standard anti - aircraft platform allowed gunners to depress the muzzle below the horizontal , unlike most of its contemporaries . During the initial stages of the war , as it was becoming increasingly clear that existing anti - tank weapons were unable to pierce the armor of heavier enemy tanks , gunners were more likely to put the weapon to use against enemy tanks , a situation that was aided by the prevalence of the 88 among German forces . Similarly to the anti - aircraft role , as an anti - tank weapon the 88 was tactically arranged into batteries , usually four guns to each . The higher - level tactical unit was , most commonly , a mixed anti - aircraft battalion ( " Flak - Abteilung , gemischte " ) . It totaled 12 such guns on average , supplanted by light cannons . The German Condor Legion made extensive use of the 88 in the Spanish Civil War , where its usefulness as an anti - tank weapon and a general artillery piece exceeded its role as an anti - aircraft gun . For the 1940 Battle of France , the army was supported by eighty - eights deployed in twenty - four mixed flak battalions . The eighty - eight was used against heavily armored tanks such as the Char B1 " bis " and Matilda II , whose frontal armour could not be penetrated by the light 3 . 7 cm anti - tank guns then available . The 88 was powerful enough to penetrate over 84 mm of armor at a range of 2 km , making it an unparalleled anti - tank weapon during the early days of the war , and still formidable against all but the heaviest tanks at the end . Erwin Rommel ' s timely use of the gun to blunt the British counterattack at Arras ended any hope of a breakout from the blitzkrieg encirclement of May 1940 . In the entire Battle of France , the weapon destroyed 152 tanks and 151 bunkers . During the North African campaign , Rommel made the most effective use of the weapon , as he lured tanks of the British 8th Army into traps by baiting them with apparently retreating German panzers . When the enemy tanks pursued , concealed 88s picked them off at ranges far beyond those of their 2 - pdr and 6 - pdr guns . A mere two flak battalions destroyed 264 tanks throughout 1941 . For the invasion of the Soviet Union , Germany deployed the 88 in 51 mixed AA battalions . They were mostly " Luftwaffe " - subordinated units attached to the " Heer " at corps or army level , with approximately one battalion per corps . The weapon saw continuous use on the eastern front . The appearance of the outstanding T - 34 and KV tanks shocked the German panzer crews and anti - tank teams , who could only penetrate the Soviet tanks ' armor at extremely close range when using the standard 37 mm and 50 mm guns . The 88 was arguably most effective in the flat and open terrain of Libya , Egypt and the eastern front . The less open terrain in Italy and Northern France was less suitable for it . The success of the 88 caused the Allies to take steps to defend against it in new tank designs . On July 18 and 19 1944 a Luftwaffe 8 . 8 cm anti - aircraft battery was re - purposed by then Major Hans von Luck to attack British tanks near Cagny taking part in Operation Goodwood . 20 tanks were killed by these guns within the first few seconds and at least 40 tanks were knocked out by 88 ' s during the engagement . By February 1945 , there were 327 heavy anti - aircraft batteries delegated against the Soviet land armies , which was 21 % of those dedicated solely to the anti - aircraft defense of the country . Coastal defence . On 14 September 1942 , Flak - Abt . I . / 43 ( Major Wegener ) employed these guns against a commando landing raid called " Operation Agreement " by the British Royal Navy near Tobruk , damaging the destroyer HMS " Sikh " so severely that she sank while being towed by HMS " Zulu " . Use by other armed forces . China . In 1937 , the Chinese Nationalist Government imported 20 Flak 18 guns and used them to defend the Castles along the Yangtze River . They were captured by the Japanese Imperial Army during the Sino - Japanese War . Spain . Four batteries ( 16 guns ) of 88mm guns ( Flak . 18 ) initially reached Spain as AA with the Condor Legion in 1936 , but it was soon used as anti - tank , anti - bunker and even as anti - battery . More guns were sent later and some more 88 - mm guns were supplied to Spanish army units . At the end of the war the Spanish Army AA was using all of them , 52 guns Flak 18 88 / 56mm . The Flak 18 batteries initially were deployed to protect the airfields and logistics bases used by German Condor legion . The nature of war in Spain , with its wildly fluctuating front lines and the presence of Russian tanks , forced the Germans to employ the Flak 18 guns in a direct fire mode against ground targets . Besides this , the initial scarcity of Nationalist Spanish artillery and the general low proficiency of its crews soon forced the usage of the Flak 18 gun as a direct infantry support weapon . By the end of the war the 88 - mm guns had performed far more missions as an anti - tank and direct - fire Field Artillery gun than as an anti - aircraft gun . During the war German 88 - mm guns were involved in 377 combat engagements , only 31 were against enemy aircraft . On the other side the use of the 88 - mm in close proximity to the enemy made it vulnerable to infantry fire . Casualties among the legion ' s 88 - mm gun batteries in the Spanish Civil War were second only to those among the bomber pilots . In early 1937 in the fighting around Malaga , a battery of 88 - mm guns was assigned to support an infantry brigade . 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 . Flak 18 batteries were by the nationalist army at the Battle of Ebro , used for direct fire against pillboxes and for indirect fire in the advance towards Barcelona . 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 licence in Trubia under the denomination FT 44 ( about 200 guns ) . Allied . The Flak 36 guns were briefly issued in late 1944 to the American 7th Army as captured weapons . The 79th Field Artillery Battalion ( Provisional ) was formed from personnel of the 79th and 179th Field Artillery Groups to fire captured German artillery pieces at the height of an ammunition shortage . Similarly , the 244th Field Artillery Battalion was temporarily equipped with a miscellany of captured German 88mm guns and 105mm and 150mm howitzers . Yugoslavia . During the civil war in Yugoslavia in the 1990s , various Flak guns were used , mainly by the naval artillery of the Yugoslav People ' s Army ( JNA ) . The Serbian Army ( VJ ) also used Flak carriages mounted with double 262 mm rocket launch tubes from the M - 87 Orkan MLRS , instead of the 88mm gun . It was capable of deploying cluster bombs , as well as anti - personnel and anti - tank mines , at up to 50 km . Only a few were built in mid - 1993 , the entire project was generally regarded as unsuccessful . Comparison to other anti - aircraft guns . The Flak 18 was not as powerful as its Italian or Allied counterparts . As an anti - aircraft gun it fired a 9 . 2 kilogram ( 20 lb ) shell at a muzzle velocity of 790 m / s ( 2 , 600 ft / s ) to an effective ceiling of ( at maximum ) . Although this was useful against US daylight raids , which typically flew at , many aircraft could fly higher than its maximum effective ceiling . In comparison , the British Mark 3 fired a projectile at 790 m / s ( 2 , 600 ft / s ) to an effective ceiling of , and the American 90 mm M1 fired a shell at 820 m / s ( 2 , 700 ft / s ) to the same height , while the Italian Cannone da 90 / 53 fired a 10 . 33 kg projectile at 830 m / s to an effective ceiling of . The Allied weapons ' capabilities were augmented by the introduction of proximity fuse s , which vastly increased their effectiveness , especially after the introduction of jet - engined aircraft . The Allies ' and Italian weapons were heavier and less mobile , with the Allied weapons being almost useless for ground fire until numerous modifications were carried out . While the US and Italian 90 mm would go on to serve as powerful anti - tank guns , they were by no means as universally deployed as tank - killers as was the German 88 . Pak 43 and KwK 43 . At the time Rheinmetall developed the Flak 41 , Krupp ' s tried to compete with their " 8 . 8 cm Gerät 42 " proposal , but it was not accepted for production as an anti - aircraft gun . Krupp continued development , resulting in the dreaded 8 . 8 cm Pak 43 anti - tank gun and 8 . 8 cm KwK 43 tank gun . Pak 43 ( an abbreviation of " Panzerabwehrkanone 43 " ) used a new cruciform mount with the gun much closer to the ground , making it far easier to hide and harder to hit . It was also provided with a much stronger and more angled armour shield to provide better protection . All versions were able to penetrate about 200 mm of armour at 1 , 000 m , allowing it to defeat the armor of any contemporary tank . The standard armament of the Tiger II , the KwK 43 tank gun , was essentially the Pak 43 externally modified to fit into a turret . There were also self - propelled versions of the gun , including the lightly - armored " Nashorn " and , later , strongly - armored " Elefant " and " Jagdpanther " tank destroyers .