The 3.7 cm Flak 43 was a light anti-aircraft (AA) gun used by Nazi Germany during World War II. It was derived from the 3.7-centimeter (1.5 in) Flak 18/36/37 series of AA guns. It was provided with single- and twin-gun mounts, the latter being designated as the 3.7 cm Flak 43 Zwilling and was in service from 1944 to 1945. In addition to versions used by the Kriegsmarine (German Navy), it served as the main armament of the Ostwind and Möbelwagen and was proposed for use in the Flakpanzer Coelian self-propelled AA guns.
Rheinmetall-Borsig redesigned the Flak 36/37 to incorporate the gas-operated breech mechanism of the 3-centimeter (1.18 in) MK 103[1] and to reduce the number of man-hours required to manufacture it from 4320 to 1000.[2] The most obvious change was the adoption of a horizontal feed system from the vertical system of the earlier guns. The feed tray was positioned inside the oversized trunnions at the gun's center of gravity so it could be reloaded without disturbing the gun's aim. These changes significantly lightened the gun and made it faster to traverse and elevate.[2]
Naval useedit
A Flak M43 on a single Flak LM 43 mount
The Kriegsmarine used a version of it on surface ships as the 3.7 cm Flak M43 in its own single- and twin-gun mounts; its Flak LM 44 mount had the guns side-by-side, unlike the Zwilling.[3]
Serviceedit
The first Flak 43s were reported in Luftwaffe service in August 1944, 431 single guns and 41 Zwilling mounts. By February 1945, these increased to 1032 single guns and 380 Zwillings.[4]
Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-459-4.
Chamberlain, Peter & Gander, Terry (1975). Anti-Aircraft Guns. World War 2 Fact Files. New York: Arco Publishing Co. ISBN0-668-03818-7.
DiGiulian, Tony (2 December 2015). "Germany 3.7 cm/57 (1.5") Flak M43". NavWeaps. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
Gander, Terry & Chamberlain, Peter (1979). Weapons of the Third Reich: An Encyclopedic Survey of All Small Arms, Artillery, and Special Weapons of the German Land Forces, 1939-1945. Garden City, New York: Doubleday. ISBN0-385-15090-3.
Hogg, Ian V. (2013). German Artillery of World War Two. Barnsley, UK: Frontline Books. ISBN978-1-84832-725-2.
Skwiot, Miroslaw (2011). German Naval Guns 1939–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-59114-311-6.
Williams, Tony G. (2000). Rapid Fire: The Development of Automatic Cannon, Heavy Machine Guns and Their Ammunition for Armies, Navies and Air Forces. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN1-84037-122-6.
Further readingedit
Williams, Anthony G. (2022). Autocannon: A History of Automatic Cannon and Ammunition. Ramsbury, UK: The Crowood Press. ISBN978-1-78500-920-4.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 3.7 cm Flak 43.
3.7 cm Flak 43 in U.S. Ordnance Catalog 2020-11-24 at the Wayback Machine
January 01, 1970
flak, light, anti, aircraft, used, nazi, germany, during, world, derived, from, centimeter, flak, series, guns, provided, with, single, twin, mounts, latter, being, designated, zwilling, service, from, 1944, 1945, addition, versions, used, kriegsmarine, german. The 3 7 cm Flak 43 was a light anti aircraft AA gun used by Nazi Germany during World War II It was derived from the 3 7 centimeter 1 5 in Flak 18 36 37 series of AA guns It was provided with single and twin gun mounts the latter being designated as the 3 7 cm Flak 43 Zwilling and was in service from 1944 to 1945 In addition to versions used by the Kriegsmarine German Navy it served as the main armament of the Ostwind and Mobelwagen and was proposed for use in the Flakpanzer Coelian self propelled AA guns 3 7 cm Flak 43A Flak 43 Zwilling in Northern France mid 1944TypeAnti aircraft gunPlace of originNazi GermanyService historyIn service1944 1945Used byGermanyWarsWorld War IIProduction historyDesignerRheinmetal BorsigDesigned1939 1943Produced1944 1945SpecificationsMass355 kg 783 lb Barrel length2 106 m 82 9 in 57 calibers Crew3 4Shell37 263BShell weight635 700 g 1 4 1 5 lb Caliber37 mm 1 5 in BreechGas operatedElevation 10 to 90 Traverse360 Rate of fire250 rounds per minute cyclic 180 rounds per minute practical Muzzle velocity790 820 m s 2 600 2 700 ft s Effective firing range6 585 m 7 201 yd ground targets 4 800 m 15 700 ft ceiling Feed system8 round clips Contents 1 Background and description 1 1 Naval use 2 Service 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 Further reading 6 External linksBackground and description editRheinmetall Borsig redesigned the Flak 36 37 to incorporate the gas operated breech mechanism of the 3 centimeter 1 18 in MK 103 1 and to reduce the number of man hours required to manufacture it from 4320 to 1000 2 The most obvious change was the adoption of a horizontal feed system from the vertical system of the earlier guns The feed tray was positioned inside the oversized trunnions at the gun s center of gravity so it could be reloaded without disturbing the gun s aim These changes significantly lightened the gun and made it faster to traverse and elevate 2 Naval use edit nbsp A Flak M43 on a single Flak LM 43 mount The Kriegsmarine used a version of it on surface ships as the 3 7 cm Flak M43 in its own single and twin gun mounts its Flak LM 44 mount had the guns side by side unlike the Zwilling 3 Service editThe first Flak 43s were reported in Luftwaffe service in August 1944 431 single guns and 41 Zwilling mounts By February 1945 these increased to 1032 single guns and 380 Zwillings 4 References edit Williams p 96 a b Chamberlain amp Gander p 18 Campbell p 255 Gander amp Chamberlain p 131Bibliography editCampbell John 1985 Naval Weapons of World War II Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 459 4 Chamberlain Peter amp Gander Terry 1975 Anti Aircraft Guns World War 2 Fact Files New York Arco Publishing Co ISBN 0 668 03818 7 DiGiulian Tony 2 December 2015 Germany 3 7 cm 57 1 5 Flak M43 NavWeaps Retrieved 22 December 2019 Gander Terry amp Chamberlain Peter 1979 Weapons of the Third Reich An Encyclopedic Survey of All Small Arms Artillery and Special Weapons of the German Land Forces 1939 1945 Garden City New York Doubleday ISBN 0 385 15090 3 Hogg Ian V 2013 German Artillery of World War Two Barnsley UK Frontline Books ISBN 978 1 84832 725 2 Skwiot Miroslaw 2011 German Naval Guns 1939 1945 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 978 1 59114 311 6 Williams Tony G 2000 Rapid Fire The Development of Automatic Cannon Heavy Machine Guns and Their Ammunition for Armies Navies and Air Forces Shrewsbury UK Airlife Publishing ISBN 1 84037 122 6 Further reading editWilliams Anthony G 2022 Autocannon A History of Automatic Cannon and Ammunition Ramsbury UK The Crowood Press ISBN 978 1 78500 920 4 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to 3 7 cm Flak 43 3 7 cm Flak 43 in U S Ordnance Catalog Archived 2020 11 24 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 3 7 cm Flak 43 amp oldid 1120997129, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
