8.8 cm Flak 16
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
| 8.8 cm Flak 16 | |
|---|---|
8.8 cm Flak 16 cannon
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| Type | Anti-aircraft gun |
| Place of origin | German Empire |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1917-1918 |
| Used by | German Empire |
| Wars | World War I |
| Specifications | |
| Shell | Fixed |
| Shell weight | 9.4 kilograms (21 lb) |
| Caliber | 88 mm (3.46 in) |
| Barrels | One |
| Traverse | 360° |
| Muzzle velocity | 785 m/s (2,575 ft/s) |
The 8.8 cm Flak 16 was a German 88 mm anti-aircraft artillery gun from World War I, the forerunner of the later 88 mm guns of World War II.
Development
Early anti-aircraft artillery guns of World War I were primarily adaptations of existing medium-caliber weapons, mounted to enable fire at higher angles. By 1915, the German military command realized that these were useless for anything beyond deterrence, even against vulnerable balloons and slow-moving aircraft.[1] With the increase of aircraft performance, many armies developed dedicated AA guns with a high muzzle velocity – allowing the projectiles to reach greater altitudes. The first such German gun, the Flak 16, was introduced in 1917, using the 88 mm caliber, common in the Kaiserliche Marine.[1]
