What is a flak round?

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. The rings around the barrel represent aircraft shot down by the gun crew.

How were anti tank guns used in WW2?

An anti-tank gun is a form of artillery designed to destroy tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, normally from a static defensive position. Anti-tank guns deployed during World War II were often manned by specialist infantry rather than artillery crews, and issued to light infantry units accordingly.

Why is it called flak?

Protective vests called flak jackets were first used in World War II; the word “flak” comes from the abbreviated form of the German word Flugabwehrkanone, a type of antiaircraft gun. The original flak jackets were nothing more than nylon vests with steel plates sewn inside.

What did flak guns fire?

Flak basically worked as a giant explosive that was fired up into the air, where the detonating and shrapnel would damage/take out the aircraft. There were multiple different kinds of flak rounds used during the war, all having varying degrees of effectiveness.

What did the anti-tank do?

Anti-tank warfare evolved as a countermeasure to the threat of the tank’s appearance on the battlefields of the Western Front of the First World War. The tank had been developed to negate the German system of trenches, and allow a return to maneuver against enemy’s flanks and to attack the rear with cavalry.

What is an anti-tank gun called?

Towed anti-tank guns

What were the rifles used in WW2?

Rifles were a widely used type of weapon during the Second World War. A nation would field one or more types of infantry rifles. While some were more specifically identified with particular nations, others were used by various countries more randomly with no apparent partialities.

What was the most important weapon in WW1?

Famous Guns of WWI: Rifles, Machine Guns, & Pistols 1 Battle Rifles. With trench warfare being so prolific and widespread during World War I, rifles, in particular, saw a huge advancement in technology. 2 Machine Guns. Machine guns were one of the most iconic advancements in weapons technology associated with World War I. 3 Handguns.

What was the name of the German howitzer called?

The German 105mm howitzer was called a whizzbang. British soldiers said, “If you happened to be near the receiving end, you first heard the thing burst, then the whizz of its approach and lastly the boom of the gun that fired it.” Erecting a 16 inch gun in trunnion.

Did the German side have machine guns in WW1?

Since both sides had them, though, this led to stalemates along much of the Western Front that would last for years. The standard machine gun for the German side was the Maschinengewehr 08, or MG 08. Like many other machine guns of the era, it was based on that 1884 Maxim gun.