8.8cm Flak-18

The mythical “Krupp 88”,”Acht-acht” or “eighty-eight” anti-tank gun was never designed for this task, and derived from a “misuse” of the Luftwaffe’s Flak.18 anti-aircraft gun. During the Spanish Civil War it was discovered that they were lethal against the Republican Army’s tanks when Nationalists used them desperately to defend some vital positions. Since 1940, projectiles for ground to ground use have been produced and demonstrated their power in the Campaign of France against tanks and fortifications. We must bear in mind that the “88” was a weapon, heavy, large and impossible to move without the help of a half-track tractor or a medium truck, but this did not lose a bit of fame and appreciation by the Wehrmacht’s anti-tank companies. This gun could pierce 85mm of armor at 2,000m distance, something unattainable for any allied gun at the beginning of WWII.

8.8cm Flak-18 gallery and more info