| Features | |
| Model | 8.8 cm Flak 18 |
| Caliber | 88 mm/56 caliber |
| Total Length | 7.62 m |
| Weight |
5150 Kg (in action) 6861 kg (full) |
| Elevation | -3 º to +85 º |
| Drift | 360 |
| Initial velocity of the projectile |
820 m / s (HE) 790 m / s (AP) |
| Maximum Range Shooting |
8 km (vertical) 4.9 km (horizontal) |
| Projectile Weight | 9.24 kg (HE) and 9.54 kg (AP) |
| Rate of Fire | 15-20 rounds / min |
The Flak 88 cannon was known among the German troops as acht-acht, having its roots in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. During the siege of Paris, the French used aerostatic globes and in order to bring them down, the German attributed to Krupp the construction of a cannon. The result corresponds to a piece of 37 mm, named for BAK which was supported on a platform which is carried by horses.
During the First World War in 1916, Krupp made some improvements to the model, becoming a piece of 88 mm supported on the single platform. Its rate of fire was only 3 rounds per minute. From this design, appeared in 1928 the Flak 18 of 88 mm manufactured in cooperation with the Bofors of Sweden. This part was used during the Spanish Civil War by the Condor Legion, because of the need that the nationalists had to use against the Republican aviation.
When Adolf Hitler came to power, the original Krupp cannon improved between 1933 and 1934, transforming it on the models 36, 37 and later, on 41 and 43. The superiority of Flak lay 88 mm was its precision construction and use of devices like the firing mechanism, the transmission of instructions and a loading platform which facilitated the operation with great height tubes. The most important feature of the gun was the speed with which was able to propel the projectile.
The ammunition were cartridges and there were versions for large explosions, drillers and tungsten lighting load.The projectile of approximately 9 kg contained a portion of nitropenta, that at the time of release was expelled from the mouth of the rotating cylinder 10 000 times per minute around its longitudinal axis at a speed of more than 1 km per second. It was also through this cartridge it was possible to achieve a rate of fire 15-20 rounds per minute.
The assembly more used corresponded to the trailer with a platform. The vehicle consisted of two parts, except that the rear taken a seat for the driver. A well trained crew was able to place the cylinder in firing position in less than one minute, and was said that the more experienced were able to do so in 20 seconds.
