Heavy MG Company - why not anti-aircraft company?

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militaryhistoryvisualized
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Heavy MG Company - why not anti-aircraft company?

#1

Post by militaryhistoryvisualized » 29 Jun 2016, 00:03

Looking at the Organization of a German motorized Division from 1939.

There is a "M.G.Kp. (s) (mot Z)" (heavy mg company) in the anti-tank battalion (Abteilung), yet, it is "only" equipped with 12 Flak 2cm (2cm AA guns). There is a note that it later became a Heerestruppe unit after the campaign in Poland. But my question is, why was it not named a "Flak Kompanie" or something. I have two guesses: (1) it got upgraded (I know that regular infantry divisions in 1939 only used MGs for AA purposes), (2) to avoid a rivalry with the Luftwaffe, I know there were army AA units and Luftwaffe AA units, but I don't know exactly if this might have been not so clear earlier.

anyone knows more?

thx in advance

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Re: Heavy MG Company - why not anti-aircraft company?

#2

Post by NagaSadow » 29 Jun 2016, 08:50

Hello!

I don't know the answer but my best guess would be that the 2cm Flak in 1939 was still an effective anti-tank weapon and therefore wasn't considered as just an air defense asset by the Heer. The SdKfz 10/4 for example were originally ordered as anti-tank weapons and only later morphed into Proto-Flakpanzer.


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Re: Heavy MG Company - why not anti-aircraft company?

#3

Post by Latze » 30 Jun 2016, 09:54

It might be for the fact that the Reichwehr was banned from having anti-aircraft artillery and the purchase of the 2cm Oerlikon was part of the hidden rearment (see http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Waf ... waffen.htm)

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