88mm gun history

[admfisher]

Now the German Navy started to use the 88 as a flak gun from at least 1913 on.
The new flak 88's were mounted on the new Kriegsmarine ships in the 30's.
This gun was the basis for the armies 88.
In the switch from naval to army use the weight of the gun mount had to be reduced and made to allow for road transport.
We here of the British 3 in AA gun and how good it was, but the weight was to high for the armies moble use.
Why is it then that the Germans carried forward this gun and british allowed there own "88" to be left to non moble use only?

[Mark V]

Hi.

Germany had used calibre 88mm for a long time, but the navys 88mm guns weren't really predecessors of armys FlaK 18, 36 and 37.

Predecessor was Swedish Bofors 75mm AA-gun, which was designed as a co-operation between Swedish and German designers who had moved to Sweden to avoid the limitations of Versailles Treaty.

When Hitler came to power, those German designers returned to Germany. They made first 75mm version, but only when calibre was increased to 88mm it was a success...

BTW. The Soviet 76.2mm and 85mm AA-guns are also close relatives.

[Topspeed]

My daddy had operated RMB 88 mm when his was in the army. Is that the same flak that was used quite late in Finland ?

RMB = Rhein Metal Borsig

[Patrice]

Hello.
I agree with Mark V,only some accuraties,the study of the Flak 18 had its beguining in 1925,with a 75mm, it was asked to Krupp and Rheinmetall to produce a prototype.
Due to the Versailles Treaty Krupp decided to gone near Bofor in Sweden.
The technicals drawings based on a 20lb 88mm came back in Germany in 1931.
A prototype was built,and after trials and demonstration to the Army,it was approved and putted in production in 1933 as Flack 18.
Most of this information are from "German Artillery of WWII of Ian V.Hogg
Arms and Armour Press"
Patrice

[Tony Williams]

We here of the British 3 in AA gun and how good it was, but the weight was to high for the armies moble use.
Why is it then that the Germans carried forward this gun and british allowed there own "88" to be left to non moble use only?

I think you mean 3.7 inch (94mm), which was the standard British AA gun in WW2. There was a 3 inch 20 cwt AA gun. dating back to WW1, which was popular with the army because it was much lighter and more mobile.

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and Discussion forum