During WWII, how was the German FlaK 88 used effectively against aircraft?

Question

In my understanding, such a large caliber with such a low rate of fire would be ineffective against aircraft, since aircraft are fast and agile, but lightly armored, so most AA guns were made to be able to put large volumes of fire in small caliber bullets, or often shells, eg 20mm. But the 88 was the exact opposite. It was basically a short-range artillery piece, since I've never really seen the 88 send out a barrage. I know that the system allowed for a much higher firing rate than other guns of the same type, but still, I doubt it could easily bring down aircraft.

But I've seen the 88 and what it does, or at least have been convinced by its capabilities. Its reputation is succeeded only by its capabilities. Even in video games, and even if I know they are no basis for real life, I can see the 88 shooting down twin-engine fighters. And even if they aren't what they seem in the games, they're basically the same in real-life. So how so?

I know that the Bofors is basically the same, just scaled in half a bit. But the Bofors had a repeating rifle sort of design, and although the 88 had a semi-auto design, a new shell had to be loaded each time. Once the Bofors hit the aircraft a few times it would have been going down. Of course, with the 88 it would've taken a single hit, but only if you could hit it.

Shrapnel and fragments also came into my mind. But then, you'd still have to hit close to the aircraft, only a little less harder than a direct hit. Also, wasn't shrapnel largely phased out by HE rounds? And I haven't seen a fragmentation artillery shell just yet.

So how did 88s become huge problems for Allied aircraft? I've read that they were, and I'm not that skeptic about it since I'm already convinced, but I still wonder how it works.

Answer 1

I know more about aircraft the aircraft of WW2 then weapons.

An airplane has almost no armor so one hit from such a large caliber would be more than capable of bring one down. One hit to any where on the wing even with self sealing fuel tanks would either rip it off off or make the plane run out of fuel in minutes. In the fuselage there are the bombs it's carrying and the hydraulic control lines ether of which could bring down a plane. Then of corse there is always killing the pilot. Also aircraft while maneuverable, when viewed from the ground they are fairly predictable. They fly most of the time in slow arks and strait lines so like with bird shooting they aim a little in front of them and most of the time they wouldn't miss. Also as bombers fly in close formation often if just aiming up in there general direction your chances of hitting one wren't horrible

Answer 2

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Answer 3

German Flak 88

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Heavy Flak typically consisted of the highly effective and ubiquitous 88 mm cannon set up in anti-aircraft mode. By 1942 over 15,000 88 mm cannons formed the bulwark of Flak defenses for Germany arrayed in Flak belts stretching across Holland and Germany, in places 20 km thick. Many batteries were radar directed and worked cooperatively with searchlight batteries. The image above is of a radar directed battery of 88's night firing. Heavier guns of 130 mm and 150 mm were also used. The heavy Flak shells exploded at pre-set heights.



The 88 mm heavy Flak guns were typically set up in semi-permanent batteries intended to provide long-term protection in a Flak belt or in a city. They could be dismounted from the battery in short order and towed away as they were designed to be mobile. When directed by radar and/or working in conjuntion with searchlights they were quite deadly, often downing more aircraft over a city than the German night fighters. They fired altitude-fused or proximity-fused shells up to 49,000 feet at 3 shells/min.

Answer 6

I am not an expert on ordnance. I consult others for this information. I can tell you that a lack of skilled, trained manpower rendered this gun-highly superior to their counterparts-ineffective after the loss at El Alamein . In the shorthand records of the briefing conferences they are discussed often-usually followed by hours long monologues from the Fuhrer about their effectiveness. Much to disdain of the professional military men who were forced to listen to the same arguments over and over in which the Fuhrer seemed to understand these guns down to the last screw and nut bolt. One such discussion on January 16th 1942 went on for over 3 hours(2AM to 5AM) of the Fuhrer's not stop groveling of detail. You can just image the frustration of the Generals who had no choice but to endure it.



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Answer 7

The effects of the German anti-aircraft 'flak' units was devastating and only got worse as the guns were withdrawn from France and Holland-Scandinavia. They estimated that in Berlin in 1944, 10,00 guns protected the city. This is a cut account from the B.17. raids on Schweinfurt Ball Bearing Plant.



“ As soon as the reconnaissance photographs were received on the evening of the 17th, Generals Eaker and Anderson knew that the Schweinfurt raid had been a failure. The excellent results at Regensburg were small consolation for the loss of 60 B-17s. The results of the bombing were exaggerated, and the high losses were well disguised in after-mission reports. Everyone who flew the mission stressed the importance of the escorts in reducing losses; the planners grasped only that Schweinfurt would have to be bombed again, soon, in another deep-penetration, unescorted mission



The 60 aircraft lost on a single mission more than doubled the highest previous loss at that time. 87 additional aircraft were damaged beyond economical repair, or had to be left behind in North Africa because of a lack of repair facilities, for a total loss of equipment to the Eighth Air Force of 147 B-17's (many of the 60 left behind in Africa were repaired and continued service with the Twelfth Air Force). 95 additional aircraft were damaged. Three P-47 Thunderbolts of the 56th Fighter Group and two RAF Spitfires were shot down attempting to protect the Schweinfurt force.



(60 bombers lost, each with a crew of 10, making it 600 men killed or captured)



The Luftwaffe installed massive batteries of anti-aircraft batteries called Fliegerabwehrkanone. The Allies began calling the resulting shells and shell fragments tearing through their planes flak. The Germans produced a range of these artillery pieces, including light, medium, and heavy artillery pieces. The artillery ranged in size from 12.7-128 mm flak guns. The light and medium guns were used to protect German field armies as well as facilities like important bridges, ports, and dams fim low-level attck. The heavy batterie were used to target the high-altitude strategic bombers. The Germans by 1942 had installed . over 15,000 88 mm flak guns in cannons Flak belts stretching across the route into the Reich's industrial heartland. They streached grom the Netherlands through Belgium and western Germany. At some points they were 20 km thick. The Flak batteries were an important part of the Kammhuber Line. The Germans had radar directed batteries and searchlights to direct the fire. There were also Flak batteries installed around major German cities and high priority tasrgets like Ploesti and U-Boat facilities



Formations

The Luftwaffe deployed rectactular formations of as many as 40 88-mm guns in Grossbatterien able to deal out box Flak barrages. The German Flax units at firt faced relatively small-scale RAF night raids. A standard Flak battery early in the War consisted of two or three groups of 6 guns. As the air war increased in intensity, the Germans began deploying8 guns in each group. The American 8th Air Force joined the air war in force and began day light bombing (1943). With the entry of the Americans into the daylight bombing raids and intensified Bomber Command night raids, the Luftwaffe began grouping two or three Flak batteries together under a single command post to direct the firing. The 88 mm heavy Flak guns were normally deployed in semi-permanent batteries intended to provide long-term protection in the western Flak belts and important targets like indudtrial cities and petroleum refuineries and synthetic fuel plants. The 88s were mobile guns and could easily be dismounted to be redeployed. .



Flak Towers

One inovation intriduced by the Germans as the air war escalated was the Flak Tower. They were bult in large cities like Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna. They were large virtually indestructable structures rising high in the cities and built with reinforced concrete. They were topped with four heavy guns, either 105mm or 128 mm guns. They were built in pairs to support each other. They also served as effective bomb shelters.