Germany
Flakpanzer IV 2cm (Wirbelwind)

Tweet

The Flakpanzer IV 2cm based on the existing PzKpfw IV and was in use from 1944 to 1945.

General Details Specifications Operational Date(s) 1944 - 1945 Ordnance classification Quantity Produced 86 Weight unknown Crew 5 M.G's small 1 M.G's large(>10mm) n/a Length 5.95 mtr Width 2.97 mtr Height 2.77 mtr Engine Details/Performance Max Road Speed 24 mph Max Cross Country Speed 10 mph Range Road 125 miles Range Cross Country unknown Fuel Type Petrol Fuel Capacity unknown Horse Power 300 hp Power/Weight unknown General Information The Flakpanzer IV 2cm based on the existing PzKpfw IV and was in use from 1944 to 1945. It was armed with 1 light machine gun. Its main armament consisted of a 2.0cm Flak 38 L/112.5 which could penetrate 11 mm of flat plate at 400 metres Armour Details Turret Front 16mm @ 25° (18mm) Side 16mm @ 36° (20mm) Rear 16mm @ 18° (17mm) Top n/a Superstructure Front 80mm @ 10° (81mm) Side 30mm @ 0° (30mm) Rear 20mm @ 11° (20mm) Top 12mm @ 87° (12mm) Hull Front 80mm @ 12° (82mm) Side 30mm @ 0° (30mm) Rear 20mm @ 9° (20mm) Top 10mm @ 90° (10mm) Armour (x)mm @ (y)° (Effective mm @ 0°) Effective Armour - Maximum 82 mm - Minimum 10 mm

Weapon Details 2.0cm Flak 38 L/112.5 2.0cm Flugabwehrkanone 38 L/112.5 (translates as Anti Aircraft Gun) History Originally developed for the Luftwaffe to replace the slower firing 2cm Flak 30, this became the main low level Anti Aicraft gun in the German Forces. The Flakvierling was a four barreled version that had a rate of fire of 1680 rounds per minute and was mounted on a variety of vehicles. Manufacturer Mauser-Werke Manufactured 1940 - 1945 Calibre 20mm Length L/112 Rate of Fire 420 rpm   Ammunition Details Name/Id Calibre Weight MVelocity Explosive Content 2.0cm PzGr 39 (AP Armor Piercing) 20mm 0.12Kg 899M/Sec Quoted Penetration 23mm @ 100mtr/30° ( ≈ 26mm/0°) Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.12 0.25 0.59 1.68 Penetration(mm@30°) 18 13 9 5 Penetration(mm@0°) 21 16 11 6 Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 81 2.0cm PzGr 40 (APCR Armor Piercing Composite Rigid) 20mm 0.115Kg 1060M/Sec Quoted Penetration 40mm @ 100mtr/0° Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.1 0.21 0.47 1.26 2.88 7.67 Penetration(mm@30°) 35 31 25 17 10 4 Penetration(mm@0°) 41 36 30 20 12 5 Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 93 34 2 2 cm Sprgr. 39 (HE High Explosive) 20mm 0.132Kg 995M/Sec 0.006Kg explosive Maximum Range 2000 Mtr Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.11 0.22 0.5 1.35 3.05 8.12 Direct Fire Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.11 0.22 0.5 1.35 3.05 8.12 Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 90 25 2 Blast/Fragmentation Effects Burst radius Infantry in open 99% kill 0 mtr Burst radius Infantry in open 66% kill 0 mtr Burst radius Infantry in open 33% kill 1 mtr  Armour Penetration inc roof at 1 mtr 0 mm An explosion within 0 mtr of infantry in the open will cause > 66% casualties and could damage some AFV's. An explosion within 1 mtr of infantry in the open will cause 33% casualties. The blast effect of this shell exploding within 1 mtr of an armoured vehicle will not cause any significant armour damage.

Hit probability is based on a static 2 x 2.4 metre panel at 0 degrees(vertical) at the range specified.

The data that has been used to create these records has come from Wikipedia, The Lone Sentry, The Bundes Archive and numerous books and websites that have provided the detailed information that has not been available anywhere else. The information we use to calculate the penetration tables, flight times and the hit probability comes from the Gun Calibre, the Shell Mass(Kg) and the muzzle velocity, plus range reductions to allow for gravity and wind resistance. This calculation originally came from a pre-war Krupp calculation which has been modified, and seems to fit the actual test results.

© WWIITanks 1980-2024