The ''Flakpanzer'' 38(t), officially named ''Flakpanzer 38(t) auf Selbstfahrlafette 38(t) Ausf M (

Sd.Kfz. ''Sonderkraftfahrzeug'' (abbreviated ''Sd.Kfz.'', German for "special purpose vehicle") was the ordnance inventory designation used by Nazi Germany before and during World War II for military vehicles; for example ''Sd.Kfz.'' 101 for the Panzer ...

140)'', was a German

self-propelled anti-aircraft gun An anti-aircraft vehicle, also known as a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) or self-propelled air defense system (SPAD), is a mobile vehicle with a dedicated anti-aircraft capability. Specific weapon systems used include machine guns, ...

used in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Gepard, which may lead to confusion with the unrelated

Flakpanzer Gepard The ''Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard'' ("anti-aircraft-gun tank 'Cheetah, better known as the Flakpanzer Gepard) is an all-weather-capable West German Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon, self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) based on the hu ...

. The Flakpanzer 38(t) was intended to be a temporary solution to air defense whilst the

Flakpanzer IV Flakpanzer IV is the general designation for a series of self-propelled anti-aircraft guns based on the Panzerkampfwagen IV chassis. They are, in order of development: * Möbelwagen * Wirbelwind * Ostwind * Kugelblitz World War II self-propel ...

was being developed in 1943.

Design and development

The ''Flakpanzer 38(t)'' was designed around the chassis of the

LT-38 The 38(t), originally known as the Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk (ČKD) LT vz. 38, was a tank designed during the 1930s, which saw extensive service during World War II. Developed in Czechoslovakia by ČKD, the type was adopted by Nazi Germany ...

, a pre-war Czech design, which following the German occupation was produced for the Wehrmacht as the

Panzer 38(t) The 38(t), originally known as the ČKD, Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk (ČKD) LT vz. 38, was a tank designed during the 1930s, which saw extensive service during World War II. Developed in Czechoslovakia by ČKD, the type was adopted by Nazi G ...

until it was no longer effective. As the vehicle used the ''Ausf M'' chassis, the engine was located near the middle of the vehicle, and the armament was placed at the rear in a specially designed armoured section. The superstructure could fold down to allow 360-degree traverse at low elevation. Including the single prototype, 141 ''Flakpanzer 38(t)''s were built from November 1943 to February 1944, entering service in 1944.

Combat use

The ''Flakpanzer 38(t)'' was intended to be issued to the anti-aircraft platoon of each tank battalion (''Panzer Abteilung'') in a

Panzer division A Panzer division was one of the Division (military)#Armored division, armored (tank) divisions in the German Army (1935–1945), army of Nazi Germany during World War II. Panzer divisions were the key element of German success in the Blitzkrieg, ...

. Most of the ''Flakpanzer 38(t)''s were issued to Panzer Divisions on the Western Front, the remainder served on the Eastern Front. An example user being the

12th SS Panzer Division The SS Division Hitlerjugend or 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" () was a German armoured division of the Waffen-SS during World War II. The majority of its junior enlisted men were drawn from members of the Hitler Youth, while the senior ...

.
12th Panzer Division Hitler Jugend At this late stage in the war, the single 2 cm Flak main armament was no longer sufficient to ward off enemy aircraft, and the ''Flakpanzer 38(t)'' became easy prey for Allied aircraft. It did prove effective for use against unarmored ground targets.

Survivors

Four complete vehicles exist, having been recovered from a French scrapyard in Trun, Normandy. They went to the following museums. * Bayeux memorial * Musee Automobiles de Normandie, Cleres (Now believed to be in private hands in the UK) * Saumur armour museum * Becker private collection

References

Bibliography

* * * Ledwoch, J. (Shackleton, M. J. edited). ''Armour in Focus: Flakpanzer 38 (t)'' {{WWIIGermanAFVs World War II self-propelled anti-aircraft weapons of Germany Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944

Design and development

Combat use

Survivors

See also

References

Bibliography