Flakpanzer is a German term for "anti-aircraft tanks" ("flak" is derived from ''Flugabwehrkanone'', literally "aircraft defence cannon"; "panzer" is derived from ''Panzerkampfwagen'', literally "armored fighting vehicle"). These vehicles are modified tanks whose armament was intended to engage aircraft, rather than targets on the ground.
Several vehicles with this name were used by the German Army during World War II. After the war, others were used by both the West German Bundeswehr and the East German National People's Army.
World War II
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Flakpanzer I
The 2 cm ''Flak 38 auf Panzer'' I ''Ausführung'' A, commonly known as the ''Flakpanzer'' I, was a rare self-propelled anti-aircraft gun conversion of the Panzer I in use by the military of Nazi Germany during World War II.
Development
Th ...
, a converted version of the
Panzer I
The Panzer I was a light tank produced by Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Its name is short for ( German for " armored fighting vehicle mark I"), abbreviated as . The tank's official German ordnance inventory designation was '' Sd.Kfz. 101 ...
tank.
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Flakpanzer 38(t)
The ''Flakpanzer'' 38(t), officially named ''Flakpanzer 38(t) auf Selbstfahrlafette 38(t) Ausf M (Sd.Kfz. 140)'', was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon, self-propelled anti-aircraft gun used in World War II. It is sometimes incorrectl ...
, based on 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 ...
light tank
* Flakpanzer IV, the general designation for a series of vehicles based on the
Panzerkampfwagen IV
The IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, is a Nazi Germany, German medium tank developed in the late 1930s and used extensively during the World War II, Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161.
The Pan ...
medium tank chassis, including the:
**
Möbelwagen
The 3.7 cm ''Flak auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen'' IV (sf) (''Sd.Kfz. 161/3''), nicknamed ''Möbelwagen'' ("Moving Van") because of its boxy shape, was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun built from the chassis of the Panzer IV tank. It wa ...
**
Wirbelwind
The ''Flakpanzer'' IV "''Wirbelwind''" (Whirlwind in English) was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the Panzer IV tank. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier '' Möbelwagen'' self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.
H ...
**
Ostwind
The ''Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind"'' (East Wind in English) was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the Panzer IV tank. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier ''Flakpanzer IV/2 cm Vierling'' ''Wirbelwind'' and prod ...
**
Kugelblitz
Kugelblitz (German language, German for "ball lightning") may refer to:
*Kugelblitz (armoured fighting vehicle), ''Kugelblitz'' (armoured fighting vehicle), a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun used in World War II
*Kugelblitz (astrophysics), ...
, in prototype stage at the end of World War II
*
Flakpanzer Coelian
The 3.7 cm Flakzwilling auf Panther Fahrgestell or Flakpanzer 341 was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun designed by Rheinmetall during World War II. It was intended to be armed with two 3.7 cm Flak 341 gun in a fully enclosed, rotating t ...
, a prototype that reached the wooden mockup stage.
*
Flakpanzer Mareșal, proposal
[Axworthy, Scafes and Craciunoiu pp. 228-235.]
Post war
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M42 Duster
The M42 40 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, or "Duster," is an American armored light air-defense gun built for the United States Army from 1952 until December 1960, in service until 1988. Production of this vehicle was performed by the tank d ...
, an American vehicle used by the Bundeswehr and designated the ''Flakpanzer M42''
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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 ...
, used by the Bundeswehr
*
ZSU-57-2
The ZSU-57-2 Ob'yekt 500 is a Soviet Union, Soviet self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG), armed with two 57 mm autocannons. 'ZSU' stands for ''Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka'' (), meaning "anti-aircraft self-propelled mount", '57' stand ...
, used by the National People's Army of East Germany
*
ZSU-23-4
The ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" is a lightly armored Soviet self-propelled, radar-guided Anti-aircraft warfare, anti-aircraft weapon system (Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon, SPAAG). It was superseded by the 2K22 Tunguska (SA-19 Grison).
Etymology
Th ...
, used by the National People's Army of East Germany
See also
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Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon
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 warfare, anti-aircraft capability.
Specific weapon systems used ...
References
{{Reflist
World War II self-propelled anti-aircraft weapons of Germany
Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapons