Wirbelwind
Sign in to saveThe '''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.
Key facts
- Weapon.is_vehicle
- yes
- Weapon.name
- Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"
- Weapon.image
- Wirbelwind, CFB Borden, 1.jpg
- Weapon.image_size
- 300
- Weapon.caption
- Wirbelwind at CFB Borden
- Weapon.origin
- Nazi Germany
- Weapon.type
- Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun
- Weapon.design_date
- 1944
- Weapon.number
- 87-105
- Weapon.production_date
- 1944-1945
- Weapon.manufacturer
- conversions by Ostbau Werke
- Weapon.crew
- 5 (commander/gunner, two loaders, driver, radio operator)
- Weapon.weight
- 22 tonnes (48,501 lb)
- Weapon.primary_armament
- 1 × quad 2 cm Flak 38
- Weapon.secondary_armament
- 1 × 7.92 mm MG 34 Panzerlauf
- Weapon.payload_capacity
- 3,200 rounds 2 cm 1,350 rounds 7.92 mm
- Weapon.engine
- 12-cylinder Maybach HL120 TRM
- Weapon.engine_power
- 300 PS (296 hp, 221 kW)
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
6 sectionsContents
- History
- Surviving vehicles
- References
- Notes
- Bibliography
- External links
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.
==History== In the first years of World War II, the German military forces had less interest in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, but as the Allies began to gain air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns increased. During the early summer of 1944, SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause with the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the concept of the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind. He presented the concept to SS-Obersturmbannführer'' Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment and it was approved by Adolf Hitler.