In the USSR, despite numerous design work in the pre-war and wartime, and the anti-aircraft guns were created by a caliber greater than 85-mm. An increase in the speed and height of the flight created in the west of the bombers demanded the adoption of urgent action in this direction.


As a temporary measure, it was decided to use several hundred trophy german anti-aircraft guns of caliber 105-128-mm. At the same time, work was forced to create 100-130-mm anti-aircraft guns.

In March 1948, a 100-mm anti-aircraft gun of the 1947 sample (KS-19) was adopted. She ensured the fight against air targets that had speed up to 1200 km / h and a height of up to 15 km. All elements of the complex on combat position are interconnected by electrically conductive communication. The gun guides into the proactive point is made by the hydrosloval drive of the GSP-100 from Poise, but it is possible to guidance manually.


Anti-aircraft 100-mm gun KS-19

In the KS-19 gun, the installation of the fuse, the cargo is, the closure of the shutter, the production of shot, the opening of the shutter and the extraction of the sleeve. The shooting paced 14-16 shots per minute.

In 1950, in order to increase the combat and operational properties, the instrument and hydroslifting drive was modernized.
The GSP-100M system, intended for automatic remote ticking along azimuth and angle of elevation of eight or less KS-19M2 cannons and automatic input values \u200b\u200bfor installing an explosion according to Poise.
The GSP-100m system provides manual guidance on all three channels using an indicator synchronous transmission and includes GSP-100M-100m tool (by the number of cannons), a central distribution box (Cry), a set of connecting cables and a battery giving device.
The source of power supply for the GSP-100M is a regular power station SPO-30, producing three-phase currents with a voltage of 23/133 V and a frequency of 50 Hz.
All tools, SPO-30 and Poazo are located within a radius not over 75 m (100 m) from the Cry.


The radar station of the KS-19 - Son-4 gun is a two-axis towed van, on the roof of which the rotating antenna is installed in the form of a round parabolic reflector with a diameter of 1.8 m with asymmetric rotation of the emitter.
Had three modes of operation:
- a circular review for detecting goals and monitor the air situation on the circular review indicator;
- manual control of antenna for detecting goals in the sector in front of the transition to automatic support and for rough definition of coordinates;
- Automatic support of the target over the corner coordinates to accurately determine azimuth and angle together in automatic mode and inclined range by manual or semi-automatic manner.
The detection range of the bombarder during flight at an altitude of 4000 m is at least 60 km.
The accuracy of determining the coordinates: by range 20 m, in azimuth and corner of the place: 0-0.16 D.U.


From 1948 to 1955, 10151 KS-19 guns were manufactured, which before the appearance of the SPC were the main means of combating high-altitude goals. But also mass adoption of anti-aircraft managed rockets Not immediately displaced the CS-19. In the USSR, anti-aircraft batteries armed with these guns were at least until the end of the 70s.


Abandoned KS-19 in Panger Province, Afghanistan, 2007

KS-19 was supplied to the country's friendly USSR and participated in the Middle Eastern and Vietnamese conflicts. A portion of the 85-100-mm removable guns were transmitted to the illegal services and were used as greedy.

In 1954, the mass production of 130-mm anti-aircraft gun KS-30 began.
The weapon was inevitable in height - 20 km, by range - 27 km. Rainfare- 12 SECURITY / MIN. Charging separate-sleeve, weight of the equipped sleeve (with charge) - 27.9 kg, the weight of the projectile is 33.4 kg. Mass in combat position - 23500 kg. Mass in a march position - 29000 kg. Calculation - 10 people.


130 mm Anti-aircraft gun KS-30

To facilitate the work of the calculation on this anti-aircraft gun, a number of processes were mechanized: installation of the fuse, the pin with the elements of the shot (projectile and the equipped sleeve) on the charging line, the elimination of the elements of the shot, the closing of the shutter, the production of shot and opening the shutter with the extraction of the shooting sleeve. Punching is made by hydraulic drainage drives, synchronously controlled Poise. In addition, a semi-automatic tip of indicator devices can be carried out by manual hydraulic control.


130-mm Anti-aircraft gun KS-30 in a marking position, near a 85-mm anti-aircraft gun arr. 1939

The production of KS-30 completed in 1957, 738 guns were released.
Anti-aircraft guns KS-30 were very cumbersome and small.

They covered important administrative and economic centers. Often, the guns were placed on stationary concreted positions. Before the appearance of the S-25 Spring "Berkut" about a third of the total number of these guns was placed around Moscow.

On the basis of 130-mm KS-30 in 1955, a 152-mm anti-aircraft gun KM-52 was created, which became the most powerful domestic anti-aircraft artillery system.


152-mm anti-aircraft gun km-52

To reduce the recoil KM-52, equipped with the muzzle brake, the effectiveness of which was 35 percent. The shutter of the wedge horizontal execution, the work of the shutter is carried out on the energy of the roll. An anti-aircraft gun was equipped with a hydropneumatic rollback brake and junk. The wheelfront with the yoke is a modified version of the anti-aircraft gun of KS-30.

Mass of guns - 33.5 tons. Inigurience in height - 30km, by range - 33 km.
Calculation-12 people.

Charging separate-sleeve. The meal and supply of each of the elements of the shot was carried out by independently mechanisms located on both sides of the barrel - on the left for shells and the right for the sleeves. All drives of food and feed mechanisms worked from electric motors. The store was a horizontally located conveyor with an infinite chain. The shell and the sleeve were located in the stores perpendicular to the sefing plane. After the automatic explosion installer is triggered, the feeding tray of the shell feeding mechanism moved another shell on the amount of the resolution, and the feeding tray of the sleeve feed mechanism moved the next sleeve on the line of arrival behind the projectile. The shooting shot took place on the line of resolution. The depreciation of the assembled shot was made by a hydropneumatic rate, posted during the ridicule. The shutter closing was performed automatically. Figure 16-17 shots per minute.

The tool successfully passed the test, but did not start to the big series. In 1957, a batch of 16 guns km-52 was made. Of these, two batteries deployed in the Baku area were formed.

During the Second World War, there was a "difficult" height level from 1500 m to 3000. Here, the aircraft turned out to be little reachless for light anti-aircraft guns, and for a heavy air artillery cannons, this height was too small. In order to resolve the problem, it seemed natural to create antinitioners of some intermediate caliber.

The 57-mm anti-aircraft gun C-60 was developed in CACB under the leadership of V.G. Grabe. The serial production of the gun was started in 1950.


57-mm anti-aircraft gun C-60 in the Israeli Museum not airbase hazerimm

The C-60 automation worked due to the rate of return with a short stem rollback.
Power guns - shop, in the store 4 cartridges.
Hydraulic rolling brake, spindle type. Balant mechanism Spring, swinging, pulling type.
On the machine platform, there is a table for a closure with chamber and three seats for calculating. When shooting with a sight on the platform there are five employees, and with Pouazo, two or three people are working.
The turn of the cart is intense. Tissor subressing. Wheels from the ZIS-5 truck with spongy tire filling.

Mass of the gun in a combat position-4800 kg, rapidity - 70 SECTION / MIN. The initial speed of the projectile is 1000 m / s. The weight of the projectile is 2.8 kg. The attainability of the range is 6000 m, in height - 4000 m. Maximum air target speed is 300 m / s. Calculation - 6-8 people.

The battery pack of the tracking drives ESP-57 was intended to guide the azimuth and angle of elevation of the battery 57-mm C-60 guns consisting of eight or less tools. During shooting, PUAZO-6-60 and the radar station of the SON-9 guns-9 were used, and later - the radar dashboard of the RPK-1 "VAZ". All tools were located at a distance of not over 50 m from the central distribution box.

The drives of ESP-57 could carry out the following types of guns:
-Automatic remote tank of battery guns according to Poazo (main type of tip);
-Automatic pressing of each gun according to automatic anti-aircraft trance;
-Ruchny filter of battery guns according to PUAZO using zero-indicators of precise and coarse samples (indicator type of flooring).

C-60 combat baptism accepted during Korean War In 1950-1953 But the first pancake was a room - immediately revealed a massive cannon. Some installation defects were noted: the feet of the eclapses of the extractor, the clogging of the power supply, the failures of the balancing mechanism.

In the future, the shutter is also noted on the automatic whisper, skew or wagging the cartridge in the store when feeding, the cartridge transition further line lines, simultaneously feeding two cartridges from the store line, casing of the clip, extremely short or long ribes of the barrel, etc.
The constructive flaws of the C-60 corrected, and the gun safely knocked American aircraft.


C-60 in the Museum "Vladivostok Fortress"

In the future, the 57-mm anti-aircraft gun C-60 was exported to many countries of the world and was repeatedly used in military conflicts. The guns of this type were widely used in the North Vietnam air defense system during the Vietnamese War, showing high efficiency in shooting for medium heights, as well as Arab States (Egypt, Syria, Iraq) in the Arab-Israeli conflicts and the Iran-Iraq war. Morally obsolete by the end of the 20th century, C-60, in the case of massive application, it is still able to destroy modern fighter-bomber aircraft, which was demonstrated during the war in the 1991 Persian Gulf, when Iraqi settlements from these guns managed to bring down several American and British aircraft.
According to the statement of the Serbian military, they shot down several KR "Tomahawk" from these guns.

C-60 anti-aircraft guns were also produced in the PRC under the name type 59.

Currently, in Russia, anti-aircraft guns of this type are installed on the storage bases. Latest military partThe arms of which they stood C-60, was the 990th anti-aircraft artillery regiment of the 201th motorized rifle division during the Afghan war.

In 1957, on the basis of T-54 tank, using C-60 machines was started mass production ZSSU-57-2. Two guns were installed in the large tower open from above, the parts of the right-hand machine were a mirror reflection of the details of the left automatic machine.


The vertical and horizontal guidance of the C-68 gun was carried out using an electro-hydraulic drive. The guidance drive worked from the DC electric motor and used universal hydraulic speed controllers.

SSRA consistent consisted of 300 cannon shots, of which 248 shots are equipped in the cage and are placed in the tower (176 shots) and in the nose of the housing (72 shots). The remaining shots in the climax were not equipped and laid into special compartments under the rotating floor. The flow rate was carried out by manually charging.

In the period from 1957 to 1960, about 800 ssu-57-2 were released.
SSSU-57-2 was sent to the armament of anti-aircraft-artillery batteries of the twin-versions of the two-link composition, 2 installation in a platoon.

The combat efficiency of ZSU-57-2 depended on the qualification of the crew, the preparation of the platoon commander and was due to the lack of radar in the guidance system. Effective fire for defeat could only be conducted from the stop; Shooting "from the course" for air targets was not provided.

ZSSU-57-2 was used in the Vietnamese War, in conflicts between Israel and Syria and Egypt in 1967 and 1973, as well as in the Iran-Iraq war.


Bosnian zsu-57-2 with handicraft armor from above, which implies its use as a saau

Very often, during local conflicts, ZSU-57-2 was used to provide fire support to land units.

To replace 25-mm anti-aircraft machines with routine charging in 1960, 23 mm was adopted in the installation of Zu-23-2. It used shells used earlier in Volkova-Yartsev's aviation gun (VS). Armor-piano-incendiary shell weighing 200 gr., At a distance of 400 m on normal, 25-mm armor pierces.


Zu-23-2 in the Artillery Museum, St. Petersburg

An anti-aircraft installation of PSU-23-2 consists of the following main parts: two 23 mm machines 2A14, their machine, platforms, lifting, swivel and balancing mechanisms and an anti-aircraft automatic tranceP-23.
Food guns tape. Ribbons are metallic, each of them is equipped with 50 cartridges and is laid in a quickly connected cartridge box.


The device of the machine guns is almost the same, only parts of the feed mechanism differ. The right automatic machine has the right nutrition, left - left. Both automaton are fixed in one cradle, which, in turn, is located on the top of the lafet. Based on the top machine of the bootheette, two seats are located, as well as the handle of the turning mechanism. In the vertical and horizontal planes of the guns are supplied manually. Rotary handle (with a brake) of the lifting mechanism is located on the right side of the flooring seat.

In PSU-23-2, very successful and compact manual vertical and horizontal handling drives with a spring-type balancing mechanism are applied. Brilliantly designed aggregates allow you to transfer trunks on the opposite direction in just 3 seconds. The Zu-23-2 installed an anti-aircraft automatic Sight PLA-23, as well as an optical sight T-3 (with a 3.5-fold increase and field of vision of 4.5 °), designed to show firing for ground targets.

The installation has two triggers: a foot (with a pedal opposite the seat of the gunner) and manual (with the lever on the right side of the gunner seat). Fire from automata is carried out simultaneously from both trunks. On the left side of the pedal of the trigger, the brake pedal of the rotating installation node is located.
The rapidity is 2000 shots per minute. Installation mass - 950 kg. Shooting range: 1.5 km in height, 2.5 km by range.

Two-wheeled chassis with springs installed on support rollers. In the combat position of the wheel rise and deviate aside, and the tool is installed on the ground on three support plates. The trained calculation is capable of translate from a hiking position in combat time for only 15-20 s, and back - for 35-40 s. If necessary, Zu-23-2 can fire from the wheels and even on the go - right when transporting the memory for the car, which is extremely important for a vehicle combat collision.

Installation has excellent mobility. Zu-23-2 can be towed for any army car, since its mass in a marching position along with covers and cutting cartridges is less than 1 t. The maximum speed is allowed to 70 km / h, and off-road - up to 20 km / h .

The staffing device for controlling anti-aircraft fire (Poazo) issuing data for airborne firing (protection, azimuth, etc.) does not exist. It limits the possibilities of conducting anti-aircraft fire, but makes the gun as cheap and affordable for soldiers with a low level of preparation.

The effectiveness of the maintenance of fire targets is increased in the modification of Zu-23M1 - Zu-23 with the "Sagittarius" set placed on it, which ensures the use of two domestic CRKK type "needle".

Installation Zu-23-2 received a rich combat experience, it was used in a variety of conflicts, both in air and terrestrial purposes.

During the Afghan war, Zu-23-2 was widely used by Soviet troops as a means of fire cover when wiring an autocolone, in the installation option for trucks: GAZ-66, ZIL-131, Ural-4320 or KAMAZ. Mobility of the anti-aircraft gun installed on cargo carTogether with the possibility of firing at large elevation angles, it turned out to be an effective means for reflecting attacks on autocolon in the conditions of the Mining Area of \u200b\u200bAfghanistan.

In addition to trucks, 23-mm installation was installed on the most different chassis, both tracked and wheels.

This practice was developed during the "counter-terrorism operation", the Zu-23-2 was actively used to defeat terrestrial purposes. The possibility of conducting intensive fire was very by the way when conducting hostilities in the city.

Airborne troops use Zu-23-2 in the version of the artist "grind" on the basis of the caterpillar BTR-D.

The production of this anti-aircraft installation was carried out by the USSR, and then a number of countries, including Egypt, PRC, Czech Republic / Slovakia, Bulgaria and Finland. The production of 23 mM ammunitions Zu-23 at different times was carried out by Egypt, Iran, Israel, France, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and South Africa.

In our country, the development of anti-aircraft artillery went through the way of creating self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery complexes with radar means of detection and guidance ("Shilka") and anti-aircraft gun-rocket complexes (Tunguska and Poles).

Based on:
Broadband A. B. Encyclopedia of domestic artillery.
http://www.telenir.net/transport_i_aviacija/tehnika_i_vooruzhenie_1998_07/p6.php.

The history of one of the most famous artillery tools of the Second World War originates in 1928, when German Armored Concerners from the Krupp Concern, forced due to the restrictions of the Versailles, to work in Sweden, at the plants of the local firm Bahorce developed a prototype of an anti-aircraft gun that received the designation 8.8 CM Flak18. (88-mm anti-aircraft weapon of the 1918 sample). The last figures in the title were to mislead the British and French observers for compliance with the conditions of the Versailles, sending them to the fact that the anti-aircraft was created before the end of World War. Since 1932, the gun began to open in Germany, at the same time began to enter the wechite anti-aircraft parts.

In 1936-1937, this anti-aircraft gun was modernized in Germany, the following notable changes were made during World War II, in 1939-1943. By virtue of the fact that anti-aircraft guns different modifications There were a high degree of unification among themselves, as a result, for the gun that received an unofficial nickname from his caliber "Acht-Acht" (eight-eight) - the name of 8.8 cm flaak 18/36/37/41 was entrenched. In total, for all the production time, which was discontinued in March 1945, more than 21 thousand guns of all versions were manufactured. This anti-lawyer is fairly considered one of the best weapons of the Second World War, she also served as the basis for creating a tank gun for heavy tank PZKPFW VI "Tiger". These guns were widely used not only as anti-aircraft, but also as anti-tank and even field guns. Often it is the German "eight-eight" called the most famous weapon of World War II.

Already during the war, the Germans finally understood that "eight-eight" is effective and in the fight against the enemy armored vehicles. The tool has greatly proven itself on the Soviet-German front and in North Africa. At these fighting theaters, the situation for the Germans was similar - they faced the overwhelming superiority of the Soviet and English troops in the number of tanks that were very often worked very well. This superiority of the allies was multiplied by insufficient armor-proof of the main German anti-tank agent - the guns of 3.7 cm Pak 35/36.

At the same time, the disadvantages of the "eight-eight" also had: high cost of production, a large mass and a high silhouette. All these shortcomings were compensated by the benefits of guns. As a result, in many critical situations for the Germans, only massive use of 88-mm anti-aircraft gun helped straighten the situation and quickly brought this anti-aircraft gun to the glory of one of the most dangerous artillery systems on the battlefield.

Semi-automatic anti-aircraft guns of large caliber (75-105 mm) were developed in Germany back during the First World War. But the provisions of the Versailles Agreement banned the Germans to possess anti-aircraft artillery, and all the instruments of the Reichs were destroyed. Newly by their development, the Germans were held secretly in the second half of the 1920s, the work was conducted by German designers both in Germany and in Sweden, Holland and other states. At the same time, all new anti-aircraft guns and field guns, which in those years were designed in Germany, were obtained in the designation number 18 (that is, the sample of 1918). In the case of requests from the Governments of France or the UK, the Germans could always answer that these are not new tools, but the old developments that were created even during the war. Also for the purpose of conspiracy, up to 1935, the anti-aircraft parts were called "moving battalions" (Fahrabteilung).

By 1928, designers prepared several anti-aircraft guns of a 75-mm caliber with a barrel of 52-55 calibers and 88-mm with a barrel of 56 calibers. In 1930, the foreseeing the development of high-rise bomber aviation, German designers and generals decided to increase the caliber of the 75-mm anti-aircraft gun M / 29, which was the joint development of Baquors and Krupp companies. At the same time, a 105-mm unitary shot was quite heavy for field conditions, charging could not provide a high pace of shooting. For this reason, the choice was stopped at intermediate caliber - 88 mm. Since 1932, the Krupp plant in Essen began a mass production of 88 mm anti-aircraft guns, called 8.8 CM Flak 18.

The barrel of this gun consisted of a casing, a free pipe and a venue. Quite high rapidity, which reached 15-20 shots per minute, provided a semi-automatic shutter of horizontal-wedge type. He ensured the extraction of the shooting sleeve and echoing the combat spring due to the energy of the recoil. To return the tool of the anti-aircraft gun in its original position, a pneumatic pneumatic tank was used, located above the barrel. Under the trunk, the guns in two special cylinders were mounted a spring balancing mechanism of the pulling type, which facilitated the vertical guidance of the gun on the target.

Anti-digit devices of an anti-aircraft gun consisted of hydraulic brakes of rolling back of the spill type, as well as hydropneumatic jacket. The length of kickback to the gun was variable. The bowel base of the gun was a crosslinor, in which the main longitudinal beam was played by the role of the wagon, and the side beds when translating the anti-aircraft guns in the marching position. To the base of the zenith gun booster, the cabinet was mounted on which the helicopter was mounted (the top of the machine). The swivel and lifting devices had two velocity velocities. The anti-aircraft gun was transported with two moves (uniaxial cage trolleys) SD.ANH.201, which, when transferring anti-aircrafts from a hiking in a combat position, disconnected. The moves were non-violent: front - with single-sided wheels, rear - with double-tight.

Already in 1936, a new, upgraded "eight-eight" began to adopted, which received the Flak 36 index. Mainly made changes affected the design of the gunner, which received a removable front part, which facilitated the process of its production. At the same time, the ballistics and the inner structure remained the same as Flak 18. Also within the framework of the modernization, all parts from brass were replaced with steel, which made it possible to reduce the cost of the gun. Upgraded and frost - the front and rear beds became interchangeable. For towing began to use new sd.anh.202 moves with double-tie wheels, which were now the same. Other minor changes were made, but structurally both instruments were identical.

A year later, a new modification was developed - Flak 37. This anti-aircraft gun was distinguished by an improved firing direction indication system that was connected by a cable with fire control device. At the same time, Zhenics Flak / 36/37 used SonderanHänger 202 trolleys, which have more lifting capacity and higher transportation speed. But their main advantage was the possibility of fire on the ground targets from the wheels, that is, right from the carts. The fire from the hiking position was carried out as follows: only the side stops of the cruciform stand of the gun down on Earth, the anti-aircraft was aligned and stabilized with the help of steel piles, which the calculation scored into the ground through the holes in the rests. In addition, brakes were tightened on the strollers and blocked.

The second important improvement in Flak 37 was the production of a trunk of several elements, which allowed to change the worn fragments of the trunk directly in the field. At the same time, the most important lack of guns on the battlefield is its high silhouette, which was comparable in size with a tank, could not be eliminated.

In 1940, both modifications, like earlier Flak 18, were equipped with a bronger who was called upon to protect the calculation from bullets and fragments of shells. As towing the gun, which in the marvelous position weighed 7400 kg, 8-ton half-barrel tractor SD.KFZ.7 was used by Kraus-Maffei. He had to be used because of the essential weight of the anti-aircraft gun, he remained a standard tractor for this gun throughout the war.

The fighting baptism "Eight-eight" received already in 1936 during the civil war in Spain, where she fell as part of the German Legion "Condor". Already then Flak 18 has demonstrated its striking efficiency in the fight against legogencies of those years. At the same time, armor-piercing shells have become a standard ammunition for all German anti-aircraft batteries. It was the 88-mm anti-aircraft gun that became the most terrible weapon for the Soviet T-34 and KV and the KV and the British and American cars in North Africa at the initial stage of the Second World War. The key to success was not only the German tactics of using these guns, but also a high flight speed of its shells - 790 m / s for a fragant-burglar shot.

At the initial stage of the Second World War, this weapon could hit most of the allies tanks by shooting them with fragantive-fugasic shells, and the use of armor-piercing ammunition made it a weapon just deadly for tanks. For example, the armor-piercing projectile PZGR 39 for a distance of 100 meters punched the armor 128 mm, and at a distance of 1.5 kilometers - 97 mm. An important advantage of these tools was the presence of a mechanism for automatic thrusting of the sleeve, which allowed the prepared calculation to maintain the shooting pace up to 20 shots per minute. However, in order to charge the anti-aircraft with a 15-kilogram shell every 3 seconds, it was necessary for each "eight-eight" for 11 people, of which 4 or 5 were engaged exclusively with the supply of shells.

In 1939, Reinmetal-Borzig received a contract for the development of a new anti-aircraft gun, which would be distinguished by the best ballistic characteristics. Initially, the new weapon was called Gerät 37 (device 37), but in 1941 the name was changed by 8.8 CM Flak 41, at the same time the first prototype of the gun was ready. The first serial guns (44 pieces) were sent to the African Corps in August 1942, and half of them were surrounded by allies in the Mediterranean Sea along with transportation transports. And the tests of the remaining samples allowed us to identify a number of complex constructive flaws of the anti-aircraft. Only since 1943, these guns began to enter the dealer pilot.

The 8.8 CM Flak41 gun was distinguished by grown rapidity - 22-25 shots per minute, and the initial speed of the fragmentation projectile reached 1000 m / s. An anti-aircraft gun had a hinged type yoke with four satellite beds. The design of the gun faucet provided the possibility of maintaining fire at an angle of lifting up to 90 degrees. In the horizontal plane, it was possible to conduct a circular shelling. To protect the calculation of guns from bullets and fragments, there was an armored shield. Zenitka received a new 74 caliber length. Initially, it consisted of casing, pipes and a venue. The automatic shutter of the tool was equipped with a hydropneumatic rate, which made it possible to facilitate the work of the calculation and increase the rapidity. For Zenitox Flak 41, a new projectile was created, the powder charge in it was increased to 5.5 kg (for Flak 18 - 2.9 kg). To do this, the sleeve had to increase the length (from 570 mm to 855 mm) and the diameter (from 112.2 to 123.2 mm via the flange).

A total of five main types of shells were developed - two fragantic fugas different types Fuses and three armor-piercing. The reach of the new tool in height: the ballistic ceiling was 15,000 meters, the height of the valid fire was 10,500 meters. The armor-piercing projectile weighing 10 kg at an initial speed of 980 m / s at a distance of 100 meters pierced the armor with a thickness of up to 194 mm, at a distance of one kilometer - 159 mm. Podkalibernal shell of a smaller mass (7.5 kg) with initial speed The flight of 1125 m / s at a distance of 100 meters broke his armor with a thickness of 237 mm, from a distance of 1000 meters - 192 mm.

8.8 CM Flak 41

Unlike anti-aircraft guns 8.8 CM Flak18 / 36/37, the mechanical thrust with the use of two uniaxial carts did not provide an instrument of proper maneuverability during transport, for this reason, work was carried out on the installation of this gun on the chassis of the middle tank "Panther", but such self-propelled anti-aircraft The gun was not designed. An instrument of 8.8 CM Flak 41 was produced by very small batches until 1945, 556 such guns were released. For a more successful fighting tanks, the installation design of the trunk compared to Flak18 / 36/37 was rotated almost 90 degrees, which made it possible to reduce the silhouette of the gun and visibility on the battlefield. The best struggle with tanks contributed to the large length of the trunk of the gun, which provided high speed flight of armor-piercing projectile.

By the time of the beginning of World War II, by September 1, 1939, there were 2459 Flak 18/36/37 tools, which were in service with both the Army air defense and air defense forces of the Raika. Moreover, it is precisely as part of the army air defense that they distinguished themselves to the greatest extent. Already during the military campaign in France, it turned out that the German 37-mm anti-tank guns are absolutely helpless against the armor of most french tanks. However, the remaining "unemployed" (dominance in the air captured the Luftwaffe) 88-mm anti-aircraft guns were easily separated with them. An even greater anti-tank value of "eight-eight" acquired during battles in North Africa and on the Eastern Front.

A strange thing, but on the one hand, German anti-aircraft people had completely outstanding combat qualities. For example, the Soviet 85-mm anti-aircraft gun 52k was practically nothing inferior to his German analogue, including armor-proof, but did not become such a famous. What was the case why the German "eight-eight" earned such fame not only in the Wehrmacht, but also in the army of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition? The reason for the popularity of this tool lies in the extraordinary tactics of its use.

While the British during hostilities in North Africa themselves limited the role of their powerful 3.7-inch anti-aircraft guns exclusively by fighting aviation, the Germans successfully used their 88-mm anti-aircraft guns to fight and with airplanes, and with tanks of the enemy. In November 1941, in the entire African corps of Rommel, there were only 35 guns of the 88-mm caliber, however, moving together with tanks, these tools simply applied huge losses to English "Valentines" and "Matildam". On the eastern front 88-mm anti-aircraft guns were also located in combat orders tank units. When the German tankers came up with the new Soviet tanks KB and T-34, anti-aircraft guns took place in the case. Such tactics were used by the Germans until the completion of World War II.

It is worth noting that prior to the immediate use of anti-aircraft guns to combat tanks, the British generals treated this with a large skepticism. They could not predict the next step of Rommel, which began to use "eight or eight" and in the offensive. Before holding the attack, the Germans secretly put forward these guns on the front edge of the defense and during the tank attack they supported their cars with fire. At the same time, English tanks were destroyed from the distance, which was unacceptable for them, and seeing the coming German tanks, they sometimes believed that their cars were saved by them. The British seemed that their tanks were very inferior to German, they lost faith due to their own weapons. So the effect of using 88-mm anti-aircraft was also psychological. It was also important that all batteries of 88-mm anti-aircraft guns were motorized, that is, they could quickly turn around in new positions. In addition, the ability to fire directly from the carts, increased the mobility of these guns.

Naturally, with the saturation of the parts of the Wehrmacht with new anti-tank guns, the value of 88 mm of anti-aircraft guns as the anti-tank agent gradually decreased. Despite this, by 1944, 13 anti-tank artillery parts of the Hitler's army were equipped with precisely such anti-aircraft guns. As of August 1944, there were still 10930 FLAK18 / 36/37 tools, which were widely used on all the fronts of the war, as well as in the PVA REAHI system. The 88-mm gun and coastal artillery was widely used.

In the USSR, despite numerous design work in the pre-war and wartime, and the anti-aircraft guns were created by a caliber greater than 85-mm. An increase in the speed and height of the flight created in the west of the bombers demanded the adoption of urgent action in this direction.

As a temporary measure, it was decided to use several hundred trophy german anti-aircraft guns of caliber 105-128-mm. At the same time, work was forced to create 100-130-mm anti-aircraft guns.

In March 1948, a 100-mm anti-aircraft gun of the 1947 sample (KS-19) was adopted. She ensured the fight against air targets that had speed up to 1200 km / h and a height of up to 15 km. All elements of the complex on combat position are interconnected by electrically conductive communication. The gun guides into the proactive point is made by the hydrosloval drive of the GSP-100 from Poise, but it is possible to guidance manually.

Anti-aircraft 100-mm gun KS-19
Anti-aircraft 100-mm gun KS-19

In the KS-19 gun, the installation of the fuse, the cargo is, the closure of the shutter, the production of shot, the opening of the shutter and the extraction of the sleeve. The shooting paced 14-16 shots per minute.

In 1950, in order to increase the combat and operational properties, the instrument and hydroslifting drive was modernized.
The GSP-100M system, intended for automatic remote ticking along azimuth and angle of elevation of eight or less KS-19M2 cannons and automatic input values \u200b\u200bfor installing an explosion according to Poise.
The GSP-100m system provides manual guidance on all three channels using an indicator synchronous transmission and includes GSP-100M-100m tool (by the number of cannons), a central distribution box (Cry), a set of connecting cables and a battery giving device.
The source of power supply for the GSP-100M is a regular power station SPO-30, producing three-phase currents with a voltage of 23/133 V and a frequency of 50 Hz.
All tools, SPO-30 and Poazo are located within a radius not over 75 m (100 m) from the Cry.


The radar station of the KS-19 - Son-4 gun is a two-axis towed van, on the roof of which the rotating antenna is installed in the form of a round parabolic reflector with a diameter of 1.8 m with asymmetric rotation of the emitter.
Had three modes of operation:
- a circular review for detecting goals and monitor the air situation on the circular review indicator;
- manual control of antenna for detecting goals in the sector in front of the transition to automatic support and for rough definition of coordinates;
- Automatic support of the target over the corner coordinates to accurately determine azimuth and angle together in automatic mode and inclined range by manual or semi-automatic manner.
The detection range of the bombarder during flight at an altitude of 4000 m is at least 60 km.
The accuracy of determining the coordinates: by range 20 m, in azimuth and corner of the place: 0-0.16 D.U.


From 1948 to 1955, 10151 KS-19 guns were manufactured, which before the appearance of the SPC were the main means of combating high-altitude goals. But the mass acceptance of anti-aircraft managed missiles did not immediately displaced the KS-19. In the USSR, anti-aircraft batteries armed with these guns were at least until the end of the 70s.

Abandoned KS-19 in Panger Province, Afghanistan, 2007
Abandoned KS-19 in Panger Province, Afghanistan, 2007

KS-19 was supplied to the country's friendly USSR and participated in the Middle Eastern and Vietnamese conflicts. A portion of the 85-100-mm removable guns were transmitted to the illegal services and were used as greedy.

In 1954, the mass production of 130-mm anti-aircraft gun KS-30 began.
The weapon was inevitable in height - 20 km, by range - 27 km. Rainfare- 12 SECURITY / MIN. Charging separate-sleeve, weight of the equipped sleeve (with charge) - 27.9 kg, the weight of the projectile is 33.4 kg. Mass in combat position - 23500 kg. Mass in a march position - 29000 kg. Calculation - 10 people.

130 mm Anti-aircraft gun KS-30
130 mm Anti-aircraft gun KS-30

To facilitate the work of the calculation on this anti-aircraft gun, a number of processes were mechanized: installation of the fuse, the pin with the elements of the shot (projectile and the equipped sleeve) on the charging line, the elimination of the elements of the shot, the closing of the shutter, the production of shot and opening the shutter with the extraction of the shooting sleeve. Punching is made by hydraulic drainage drives, synchronously controlled Poise. In addition, a semi-automatic tip of indicator devices can be carried out by manual hydraulic control.

130-mm Anti-aircraft gun KS-30 in a marking position, near a 85-mm anti-aircraft gun arr. 1939
130-mm Anti-aircraft gun KS-30 in a marking position, near a 85-mm anti-aircraft gun arr. 1939

The production of KS-30 completed in 1957, 738 guns were released.
Anti-aircraft guns KS-30 were very cumbersome and small.

They covered important administrative and economic centers. Often, the guns were placed on stationary concreted positions. Before the appearance of the S-25 Spring "Berkut" about a third of the total number of these guns was placed around Moscow.

On the basis of 130-mm KS-30 in 1955, a 152-mm anti-aircraft gun KM-52 was created, which became the most powerful domestic anti-aircraft artillery system.

152-mm anti-aircraft gun km-52
152-mm anti-aircraft gun km-52

To reduce the recoil KM-52, equipped with the muzzle brake, the effectiveness of which was 35 percent. The shutter of the wedge horizontal execution, the work of the shutter is carried out on the energy of the roll. An anti-aircraft gun was equipped with a hydropneumatic rollback brake and junk. The wheelfront with the yoke is a modified version of the anti-aircraft gun of KS-30.

Mass of guns - 33.5 tons. Inigurience in height - 30km, by range - 33 km.
Calculation-12 people.

Charging separate-sleeve. The meal and supply of each of the elements of the shot was carried out by independently mechanisms located on both sides of the barrel - on the left for shells and the right for the sleeves. All drives of food and feed mechanisms worked from electric motors. The store was a horizontally located conveyor with an infinite chain. The shell and the sleeve were located in the stores perpendicular to the sefing plane. After the automatic explosion installer is triggered, the feeding tray of the shell feeding mechanism moved another shell on the amount of the resolution, and the feeding tray of the sleeve feed mechanism moved the next sleeve on the line of arrival behind the projectile. The shooting shot took place on the line of resolution. The depreciation of the assembled shot was made by a hydropneumatic rate, posted during the ridicule. The shutter closing was performed automatically. Figure 16-17 shots per minute.

The tool successfully passed the test, but did not start to the big series. In 1957, a batch of 16 guns km-52 was made. Of these, two batteries deployed in the Baku area were formed.

During the Second World War, there was a "difficult" height level from 1500 m to 3000. Here, the aircraft turned out to be little reachless for light anti-aircraft guns, and for a heavy air artillery cannons, this height was too small. In order to resolve the problem, it seemed natural to create antinitioners of some intermediate caliber.

The 57-mm anti-aircraft gun C-60 was developed in CACB under the leadership of V.G. Grabe. The serial production of the gun was started in 1950.

57-mm anti-aircraft gun C-60 in the Israeli Museum not airbase hazerimm
57-mm anti-aircraft gun C-60 in the Israeli Museum not airbase hazerimm

The C-60 automation worked due to the rate of return with a short stem rollback.
Power guns - shop, in the store 4 cartridges.
Hydraulic rolling brake, spindle type. Balant mechanism Spring, swinging, pulling type.
On the machine platform, there is a table for a closure with chamber and three seats for calculating. When shooting with a sight on the platform there are five employees, and with Pouazo, two or three people are working.
The turn of the cart is intense. Tissor subressing. Wheels from the ZIS-5 truck with spongy tire filling.

Mass of the gun in a combat position-4800 kg, rapidity - 70 SECTION / MIN. The initial speed of the projectile is 1000 m / s. The weight of the projectile is 2.8 kg. The attainability of the range is 6000 m, in height - 4000 m. Maximum air target speed is 300 m / s. Calculation - 6-8 people.

The battery pack of the tracking drives ESP-57 was intended to guide the azimuth and angle of elevation of the battery 57-mm C-60 guns consisting of eight or less tools. During shooting, PUAZO-6-60 and the radar station of the SON-9 guns-9 were used, and later - the radar dashboard of the RPK-1 "VAZ". All tools were located at a distance of not over 50 m from the central distribution box.

The drives of ESP-57 could carry out the following types of guns:
-Automatic remote tank of battery guns according to Poazo (main type of tip);
-Automatic pressing of each gun according to automatic anti-aircraft trance;
-Ruchny filter of battery guns according to PUAZO using zero-indicators of precise and coarse samples (indicator type of flooring).

C-60 combat baptism adopted during the Korean War in 1950-1953. But the first pancake was a room - immediately revealed a massive cannon. Some installation defects were noted: the feet of the eclapses of the extractor, the clogging of the power supply, the failures of the balancing mechanism.

In the future, the shutter is also noted on the automatic whisper, skew or wagging the cartridge in the store when feeding, the cartridge transition further line lines, simultaneously feeding two cartridges from the store line, casing of the clip, extremely short or long ribes of the barrel, etc.
The constructive flaws of the C-60 corrected, and the gun safely knocked American aircraft.

C-60 in the Museum "Vladivostok Fortress"
C-60 in the Museum "Vladivostok Fortress"

In the future, the 57-mm anti-aircraft gun C-60 was exported to many countries of the world and was repeatedly used in military conflicts. The guns of this type were widely used in the North Vietnam air defense system during the Vietnamese War, showing high efficiency in shooting for medium heights, as well as Arab States (Egypt, Syria, Iraq) in the Arab-Israeli conflicts and the Iran-Iraq war. Morally obsolete by the end of the 20th century, C-60, in the case of massive application, it is still able to destroy modern fighter-bomber aircraft, which was demonstrated during the war in the 1991 Persian Gulf, when Iraqi settlements from these guns managed to bring down several American and British aircraft.
According to the statement of the Serbian military, they shot down several KR "Tomahawk" from these guns.

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C-60 anti-aircraft guns were also produced in the PRC under the name type 59.

Currently, in Russia, anti-aircraft guns of this type are installed on the storage bases. The last military unit, in service with which C-60 was stood, was the 990th anti-aircraft gunner of the 201th motorized rifle division during the Afghan war.

In 1957, on the basis of T-54 tank, the mass production of C-60 was started by mass production of ZSU-57-2. Two guns were installed in the large tower open from above, the parts of the right-hand machine were a mirror reflection of the details of the left automatic machine.

ZSU-57-2.
ZSU-57-2

The vertical and horizontal guidance of the C-68 gun was carried out using an electro-hydraulic drive. The guidance drive worked from the DC electric motor and used universal hydraulic speed controllers.

SSRA consistent consisted of 300 cannon shots, of which 248 shots are equipped in the cage and are placed in the tower (176 shots) and in the nose of the housing (72 shots). The remaining shots in the climax were not equipped and laid into special compartments under the rotating floor. The flow rate was carried out by manually charging.

In the period from 1957 to 1960, about 800 ssu-57-2 were released.
SSSU-57-2 was sent to the armament of anti-aircraft-artillery batteries of the twin-versions of the two-link composition, 2 installation in a platoon.

The combat efficiency of ZSU-57-2 depended on the qualification of the crew, the preparation of the platoon commander and was due to the lack of radar in the guidance system. Effective fire for defeat could only be conducted from the stop; Shooting "from the course" for air targets was not provided.

ZSSU-57-2 was used in the Vietnamese War, in conflicts between Israel and Syria and Egypt in 1967 and 1973, as well as in the Iran-Iraq war.

Bosnian zsu-57-2 with handicraft armor from above, which implies its use as a saau
Bosnian zsu-57-2 with handicraft armor from above, which implies its use as a saau

Very often, during local conflicts, ZSU-57-2 was used to provide fire support to land units.

To replace 25-mm anti-aircraft machines with routine charging in 1960, 23 mm was adopted in the installation of Zu-23-2. It used shells used earlier in Volkova-Yartsev's aviation gun (VS). Armor-piano-incendiary shell weighing 200 gr., At a distance of 400 m on normal, 25-mm armor pierces.

Zu-23-2 in the Artillery Museum, St. Petersburg
Zu-23-2 in the Artillery Museum, St. Petersburg

An anti-aircraft installation of PSU-23-2 consists of the following main parts: two 23 mm machines 2A14, their machine, platforms, lifting, swivel and balancing mechanisms and an anti-aircraft automatic tranceP-23.
Food guns tape. Ribbons are metallic, each of them is equipped with 50 cartridges and is laid in a quickly connected cartridge box.


The device of the machine guns is almost the same, only parts of the feed mechanism differ. The right automatic machine has the right nutrition, left - left. Both automaton are fixed in one cradle, which, in turn, is located on the top of the lafet. Based on the top machine of the bootheette, two seats are located, as well as the handle of the turning mechanism. In the vertical and horizontal planes of the guns are supplied manually. Rotary handle (with a brake) of the lifting mechanism is located on the right side of the flooring seat.

In PSU-23-2, very successful and compact manual vertical and horizontal handling drives with a spring-type balancing mechanism are applied. Brilliantly designed aggregates allow you to transfer trunks on the opposite direction in just 3 seconds. The Zu-23-2 installed an anti-aircraft automatic Sight PLA-23, as well as an optical sight T-3 (with a 3.5-fold increase and field of vision of 4.5 °), designed to show firing for ground targets.

The installation has two triggers: a foot (with a pedal opposite the seat of the gunner) and manual (with the lever on the right side of the gunner seat). Fire from automata is carried out simultaneously from both trunks. On the left side of the pedal of the trigger, the brake pedal of the rotating installation node is located.
The rapidity is 2000 shots per minute. Installation mass - 950 kg. Shooting range: 1.5 km in height, 2.5 km by range.

Two-wheeled chassis with springs installed on support rollers. In the combat position of the wheel rise and deviate aside, and the tool is installed on the ground on three support plates. The trained calculation is capable of translate from a hiking position in combat time for only 15-20 s, and back - for 35-40 s. If necessary, Zu-23-2 can fire from the wheels and even on the go - right when transporting the memory for the car, which is extremely important for a vehicle combat collision.

Installation has excellent mobility. Zu-23-2 can be towed for any army car, since its mass in a marching position along with covers and cutting cartridges is less than 1 t. The maximum speed is allowed to 70 km / h, and off-road - up to 20 km / h .

The staffing device for controlling anti-aircraft fire (Poazo) issuing data for airborne firing (protection, azimuth, etc.) does not exist. It limits the possibilities of conducting anti-aircraft fire, but makes the gun as cheap and affordable for soldiers with a low level of preparation.

The effectiveness of the maintenance of fire targets is increased in the modification of Zu-23M1 - Zu-23 with the "Sagittarius" set placed on it, which ensures the use of two domestic CRKK type "needle".

Installation Zu-23-2 received a rich combat experience, it was used in a variety of conflicts, both in air and terrestrial purposes.

During the Afghan war, Zu-23-2 was widely used by Soviet troops as a means of fire cover when wiring an autocolone, in the installation option for trucks: GAZ-66, ZIL-131, Ural-4320 or KAMAZ. The mobility of the anti-aircraft gun installed on the cargo car, together with the possibility of shooting at large elevation angles, turned out to be an effective means for reflecting attacks on autocolon in the Mountain Area of \u200b\u200bAfghanistan.

In addition to trucks, 23-mm installation was installed on the most different chassis, both tracked and wheels.

This practice was developed during the "counter-terrorism operation", the Zu-23-2 was actively used to defeat terrestrial purposes. The possibility of conducting intensive fire was very by the way when conducting hostilities in the city.

Airborne troops use Zu-23-2 in the version of the artist "grind" on the basis of the caterpillar BTR-D.

The production of this anti-aircraft installation was carried out by the USSR, and then a number of countries, including Egypt, PRC, Czech Republic / Slovakia, Bulgaria and Finland. The production of 23 mM ammunitions Zu-23 at different times was carried out by Egypt, Iran, Israel, France, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and South Africa.

In our country, the development of anti-aircraft artillery went through the way of creating self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery complexes with radar means of detection and guidance ("Shilka") and anti-aircraft gun-rocket complexes (Tunguska and Poles).

Based on:
Broadband A. B. Encyclopedia of domestic artillery.
http://www.telenir.net/transport_i_aviacija/tehnika_i_vooruzhenie_1998_07/p6.php.

General

In 1914-1918. In Germany, several types of first-class anti-aircraft guns were created, including 37 mm automatic guns and cannons of medium caliber: 77, 88 and 105 mm. However, according to the Versailles Agreement, Germany was forbidden to have anti-aircraft artillery in general, and the weed anti-aircraft guns were to be destroyed.

Therefore, from the late 20s. Until 1933, German designers worked on anti-aircraft guns secretly both in Germany and in Sweden, Holland and other countries. At the beginning of the 30s. In Germany, anti-aircraft parts are created, which in order to conspiracy until 1935 were called "Railway Battalions". For the same reason, all new field and anti-aircraft guns designed in Germany in 1928-1933 were called "arr. eighteen". Thus, in the case of requests from the governments of England and France, the Germans could answer that these are not new tools, but the old, created in 1918, during the First World War.

During the Second World War, most of the German anti-aircraft artillery was part of the Air Force, the rest, smaller, part was distributed between the land forces and the coastal parts of the Navy. This, of course, is about terrestrial anti-aircraft plants, and the ship's anti-aircraft guns - the topic is special.

The German air defense troops were included in the Air Force, and thus the Commander of the Air Force united all means to reflect the opponent's aviation raids - and aerial (fighter aircraft), and ground (anti-aircraft artillery, spotlights, barrier aerostats, air surveillance service, etc. d.). He was promptly subordinate to the civil (local) air defense system.

The anti-aircraft parts operating at the front and in the nearest front rear were formed in anti-aircraft brigades, divisions and hulls that were directly in the corresponding air fleets. Anti-aircraft divisions that carried out air defense of the internal regions of Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and partly Poland were part of the air districts.

By the summer of 1944, Germany numbered 22 anti-aircraft artillery divisions and 6 anti-aircraft artillery brigades. The distribution of these compounds was such: on the territory of the air fleet "Reich" as part of seven air districts there were 12 anti-aircraft artillery divisions; On the Eastern Front, 7 anti-aircraft-artillery divisions; on the West Front 3 anti-aircraft artillery divisions; In Italy, 3 anti-aircraft artillery brigades; In Norway, 1 anti-aircraft artillery brigade; In Hungary and in the Balkans, 2 anti-aircraft artillery brigades.

The structure of parts and air defense units of Germany constantly changed, so I will give only the most typical examples of their organization.

Thus, a heavy battery of the 11th motorized anti-aircraft artillery division, operating in the 134th anti-aircraft gun shelf on the eastern front, had three platforms: instrument platoon, platoon of heavy guns and a platoon of light guns. Battery main weapon: four 8,8-cm guns, three 2-cm guns, fire control device and radar.

Personal composition numbered 130 people, including 3-4 officers, 20-25 Unter-Officers. The instrument platoon consisted of 1 officer, 1 Unter-Officer, 13-15 ordinary. The platoon of heavy guns had 1 officer, 6 unter-officers, 40 ordinary. Place of light guns, respectively, 1 officer, 5 Unter-Officers, 15 ordinary.

The battery was motorized, she had 3 passenger cars, 12 trucks, 6 tractors (4 under heavy guns, 1 reserve, 1 commander), 1 motorcycle.

As another example, consider the heavy battery of the 605th stationary anti-aircraft artillery division, which was part of the 126th anti-aircraft artillery regiment (Nord Group), defeated Berlin. She had three platforms - instrument, gun and light.

Battery main weapons: eight 8,8-cm guns, three 2-cm guns, fire control device and radar.

Personal composition: A total of 133 people, of which 3 officers and 22 Unter-Officer.

Instrument platoon: instrument platoon commander - officer; The commander of the Poazo branch - non-commissioned officer (he is the first number of the instrument department); Poise separation - 2 rangefinder, 3 instrument numbers and 2 reserve rooms. Radar compartment: commander - a non-commissioned officer, 7 calculation rooms and 2 reserve numbers. In total, in the instrument platoon - 19 people, of which 1 officer and 8 non-officers.

Easy tool platoon: Commander - Feldwebel, 3 instruments for 6 people in each (commander - a non-commissioned officer and 5 rooms).

Senior Wahmistra conducted a battery economic part. He was subordinated: the office (2 writers and the bill), 1-2 armory supervisors, cook, purchasing agent, storageman of a non-ferrous warehouse, tailor, shoemaker, telephone station (station and 4 telephonist head), sanitary and 3-4 chauffeur.

Stationary battery, tools are fixed on reinforced concrete grounds. Battery vehicles: Machine (Commander), cargo car (ammunition delivery), motorcycle (for communication), a wagon with two horses (for economic order).

By comparing the construction of these two heavy batteries, we see that the stationary Berlin air defense battery on its firepower surpassed by half the anti-aircraft motorized heavy battery.

According to the Directive of the Imperial Ministry of Aviation dated May 12, 1944, in stationary batteries, it was necessary to have guns (1943-1945):

In batteries armed with 8,8-cm tools of arr. 18, 36 and 37, - 8 guns

In batteries armed with 8,8-cm tools of arr. 41, - 6 guns;

In batteries armed with 10,5-cm instruments of arr. 39, - 6 guns;

In batteries armed with 12.8-cm tools of arr. 40, - 4 guns.

In the same directive, further expansion of the firing platforms of heavy stationary anti-aircraft batteries were envisaged:

In batteries with 8,8-cm guns arr. 18, 36 and 37 - up to 12 guns;

In batteries with 10,5-cm guns arr. 39 - up to 8 guns;

In batteries with 12,8-cm guns arr. 40 - up to 6 guns.

At the same time, the Directive indicated that the firing platters of heavy motorized anti-aircraft batteries remain in the previous composition, that is, four heavy 8,8-cm guns.

Heavy anti-aircraft stationary batteries used for the air defense of the objects within the country were armed with 8,8-cm, 10.5-cm and 12,8-cm guns. The firing platforms of these batteries in 1944 were brought to 8 guns (8,8-cm arr. 18, 36 and 37) and up to 6 guns (10.5-cm, 8,8-cm arr. 41), which is significantly increased the fire power of the batteries. There was a further increase in the fire power of the batteries (8,8-cm guns - up to 12 units, 10.5-cm guns - up to 8 units). All this was aimed at increasing the efficiency of the batteries in the conditions of massive raids on the rear objects.

Heavy anti-aircraft motorized batteries that operated on the front were completed only 8.8-cm instruments of the arr. 18, 36 and 37, and the heavy tool platter has only 4 guns. According to the Germans, the need to further increase the number of heavy guns in the battery was not caused by the Tactic of the Air Force, at the same time it would significantly limit the maneuverability of the batteries.

By 1944, anti-aircraft radar radars were armed with all heavy anti-aircraft air defense batteries. Heavy motorized anti-aircraft batteries operating on the front, radar were provided only in part.

According to the state of 1943, tank and motorized divisions had one light anti-aircraft feeder in each of the two motorized regiments (armed with twenty-37-mm guns, both towed and self-propelled, and one platoon of light zenith guns at the headquarters). In addition, the tank division was usually attached to the anti-aircraft division of the RGC consisting of two heavy and one light anti-aircraft batteries.

Fixing and radar control devices

The German anti-aircraft artillery began a war with a fire control device for fire. 36, or, according to German terminology, with a team device 36. But already in 1940, the command device 40 (KDO-Gerat 40) was adopted for armament, by 1944, by 1944, a fully authorized command device 36.

Compared to the last command device 40, have a number of advantages. The main ones are: the course of change and the height of the target is introduced; The limits of the device in height are expanded - up to 11,800 m (instead of 8000 m in the command device 36), along the horizontal range - to 14,500 m (against 13,000 m) and the target rate - up to 300 m / s (against 150 m / from). The operation of the device was also more fully automated, and therefore the number service personnel, Including the rangefinders, reduced to 5 people (against 13 employees for the command device 36).

Thus, the command device 40 was a more advanced device, and it was designed to maintain guns of all calibers of severe anti-aircraft artillery. The transition to the maintenance of light caliber guns was carried out by replacing the input data of the ballistics.

Command Device 40, like the command device 36, it was possible to have a distance of up to 500 m from the firing position.

One of the inconveniences of the command device 40 was that it was required to serve it 4th and 5th calculation numbers and to obtain the necessary qualifications, a long study was required. In this regard, the question of replacing loss in loss of personal composition became more complicated, and the constant presence of at least two spare, well-trained numbers was required.

As an auxiliary device used the so-called zenith transformer "Malley" arr. 43. With this device (upon failure of the main command device, 40) could fire on the rangefinder or the radar, as well as barrage fire. The task of the meeting was solved graphically, the data on the gun was passed on the phone.

In combat practice, the Malley's device gave quite good results, he ensured firing better than the ex-formerly auxiliary command device 35 and some trophy samples.

During the war years, the Germans had three main types of anti-aircraft spotlights. To provide work easy and the average anti-aircraft artillery was used 60-cm spotlight; For severe anti-aircraft artillery - spotlights with a diameter of 150 and 200 cm.

60-cm Spotlight at the heights of 1500-2000 m possessed a horizontal range of 4000 m, which was enough to ensure the operation of 2 cm caliber instruments and 3.7 cm.

150-cm Spotlight with light of light 1.1 billion. Candles at altitudes 4000-5000 m had a horizontal range of 8000 m.

To ensure the shooting of anti-aircraft artillery at even greater altitudes, the Germans created a floodlight with a diameter of 200 cm. The range of it at the heights of 7000-8000 m reached 12,000 m.

Under favorable conditions, the Sound Sound "Ellaskop" had a range of 11,000 m. The error cone for a moving target was ± 3 °.

The German air defense air defense unit used the "Wasserman" radar, "Freia" and "Jagdshlos". These locators were sufficiently secured by the air surveillance service of Air Force and radar companies of the communication battalions of anti-aircraft divisions. Special radar was designed to ensure the firing of anti-aircraft artillery. It was assumed to ensure each battery of severe anti-aircraft artillery with two anti-aircraft radar radar, working on, but until the end of the war, the Germans could not fully fulfill this: in 1944-1945. Two radar sprockets had only "grandchildren", the same batteries of anti-aircraft artillery, defended objects in Germany, usually had one radar.

To ensure combat work of anti-aircraft spotlights, radar solutions of the same types were used as for anti-aircraft artillery. In the searchlight battery (company) there were 1-2 radar. In addition, each searchlight battery 1-2 spotlights were connected to anti-aircraft-artillery radar.

Anti-aircraft radar radars were small in size, quickly deployed and were serviced by a few calculation led by a non-commissioned officer.

The shooting with the radar was the main type of firing of the batteries of anti-aircraft artillery on invisible goals (on the air defense of the objects in Germany).

RLS to control the shooting of the anti-aircraft artillery began to produce in 1939. Fifunnun. The first model was called FUMG 39T (A) FUMG - translated "Radio measuring device".
. The following models had the designation FUMG 39T (C), FUMG 39T (D), FUMG 40T and FUMG 41T ("Mannheim").

By the end of the war in armament of the German anti-aircraft artillery, the two last samples were registered: Fumg 39t (D) and FUMG 41T. By appearance They differed that the FUMG 41T radar had a closed cabin to calculate.

The radar was designed for arming the batteries of anti-aircraft artillery and served to accurately determine the three coordinates of the observed air target. These coordinates were used as input for fire control instrument.

The main tactical and technical data of this type of radar:

Target detection range, km 40

Distance of bearing during the day, km 15-20

Distance of bearing at night, km 25-30

Limits of azimuth work, hail. 360.

Limits of work at the corner of the place, hail. 10-90.

Distance accuracy, m ± 35

Accuracy by corner coordinates, hail. 0.25.

Power in the impulse, kW 3

Pulse number per second 3750

The antenna characteristic solution, hail. 24.

Design - open; Platform and antenna system - rotating.

The radar of this type was operated in the decimeter range, and the radar 39T for the purpose of detuning the interference could be switched to four different range of waves.

The shooting of anti-aircraft batteries was carried out both using only RLS and in conjunction with optical rangefinders (with a base of 4.6 and 10 m).

The second way of shooting was considered the most efficient. Determination of the range by the radar, produced independently of the angular measurements, the Germans were considered more accurate than to define its rangefinder. At the same time, the rangefinder gave the angular measurements more precisely radar. Therefore, the combination of the operation of these two devices, according to the command of the Air Force, gave the most perfect source data for the accounting of the command device.

Anti-aircraft automatic guns

2-cm anti-aircraft automatic guns

The history of the creation of the first German post-war anti-aircraft automatic guns is covered with mystery with darkness, because until 1933, these works were carried out practically underground, and after 1945 the Germans and was unfavorable to praise violations of the Versailles.

Curious information about the first German anti-aircraft machines can be found in ... Soviet archives. So, on the NIAAP on Rzheng under Leningrad in January 1928 was delivered from Germany a 20-mm anti-aircraft automatic gun with a combing sleeve. Do I need to say, in what atmosphere of secrecy passed the delivery of guns?

The weight of the machine bar was 21.18 kg. The weight of the projectile - 189 Gilza Weull 22 g, of which 17 G. accounted for gunpowder and 5 g - on the burning shell of the sleeve.

The shooting from this gun began at NIIAP on March 22, 1928. During shooting, there were periodically refusals due to incomplete combustion of the sleeve. There is no data on further work on this gun.

In order not to return more to the question of poorly burning sleeves, I will say that the Germans tried to finalize them to the end of the war. The adoption of such a sleeve would significantly increase the pace of shooting machine and simplifies its design. So, in particular, in 1944-1945. The shooting of the combustible sleeves from the 3.7-cm experimental automatic anti-aircraft gun "FliegendMaus" ("Bat"). But to bring to the stage of serial production, the burning sleeves of the Germans to May 1945 did not manage.

As already mentioned in the chapter of the 3,7-cm anti-tank guns, on August 28, 1930 with the German firm, the Bütst (Panmetall's submarine office) was signed on the supply of a 2-cm anti-aircraft automatic gun in the USSR. Reinmetallal supplied all the documentation for a 2-cm anti-aircraft gun, two samples of guns and one spare swinging part. The price of 2-cm Panmetal guns was 24 thousand German marks. For comparison, in 1933, the plant number 8 for one vehicle 2k paid 18 250 rubles.

Reinmetal suggested installing a 2-cm gun on a motorcycle. Motorcycle weight with two soldiers and 300 cartridges should have been about 775 kg.

After the test, the 2-cm gun of the company Rainmetall was adopted under the name "20 mm automatic anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun arr. 1930. "

Production of 20-mm GP guns. 1930 was transferred to the plant No. 8 (d. Podlipki of the Moscow region), where she was assigned the 2K index. The trunks for the guns did plant No. 92 (Gorky), and the front-line - Factory No. 13 (Bryansk), a number of details were supplied by Rainmetall.

The serial production of guns was started by Plant No. 8 In 1932, a plan was issued for this year a plan - 100 guns. The plant presented a paragraph 44 of the guns, and they accepted only three. In 1933, the plan was 50 guns, 30 was submitted to 61 (among the latter there were 1932 manufactured guns). As a result, Paintings from the factory them. Kalinina (No. 8) failed to cope with the production of guns.

As of November 1, 1936, the Armsman of the Red Army consisted of thirteen 20-mm CU guns. 1930 on the wheeled flaws and eighteen 20 mm gears of arr. 1930, mounted on CIS-6 cars. In addition, there were 8 training cannons on the wheeled flaws.

In Germany, 2-cm Automatic cannmetall guns were adopted under the name of 2 CM Flak 30. The gunhimus of the gun began to flow from 1934. In addition, 2 CM Flak 30 Rainmetall exported to Holland and China. (Data 2-cm anti-aircraft machine Flak 30 is given in the Appendix "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

According to the results of combat use, 2-cm Flak 30 guns in Spain, the company "Mauser" conducted its upgrades. The upgraded sample was named 2 CM Flak 38. The new installation had the same ballistics and ammunition. All changes in the device were aimed at an increase in the shooting rate, which increased from 245 SET. / Min to 420-480 SECTION / MIN. (Data 2-cm anti-aircraft machine Flak 38 is given in the Appendix "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

The principle of operation of the mechanisms of the OBR machine 38 remained the same - the use of the power of recoil with a short trunk progress. An increase in the shooting rate was achieved by reducing the weight of moving parts and increase their movement speeds, and therefore special shock absorbers were introduced. In addition, the introduction of the copied spatial accelerator made it possible to combine unlocking the shutter with the transfer of kinetic energy to it.

Changes in the boiler were minimal, in particular the second speed was introduced in manual guidance drives.

In the troops 2-cm Flak 38 began to flow in the second half of 1940

In 1940, quadruple installation of 2 CM Flakvierling 38 was created, which included four Flak 38 machines. (Data 2-cm quadstalling Flakvierling 38 is given in the Application "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

The cost of a single installation of 2 CM FLAK 38 was 6500 Rm, and quad 2 CM Flakvierling 38-20 000 Rm.

The first 15 quadsers were sent to the troops in May 1940.

As a sight, the Germans used Flakvisier 40 or 40a. By the end of the war, a fire management system was created using radar. Its calculation was 7 people.

Single and quadsers 2-cm Flak 30 and Flak 38 were installed on various automotive and tracked chassis, as well as on railway platforms.

During the war years, 2-cm automatic guns Flak 30 and Flak 38 were in service with Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe.

By September 1, 1939, there were 6072 installations of Flak 30 and Flak 38. The data on the future weorse of the troops and the Air Force are given in Table. 31 and 32.

Table 31.

Arrival 2-cm machines in Wehrmacht (pcs.)

Installation 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945
Flak 30 and Flak 38 95 863 873 2502 3732 5041 739
Flakvierling 38. 42 320 599 483 573 123

Table 32.

Arrival 2-cm machine guns in Luftwaffe (PC.)

System 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945
Flak 30 and Flak 38 1160 6609 11 006 22 372 31 503 42 688 6339

In tab. 32 Only the number of machines is indicated, two automaton went on a paired installation, quadruple - four.

I note that all the 3-cm-described anti-aircraft machines were developed by order of the Air Force. The first army development was the 2-cm anti-aircraft mining unit (2 cm gebirgsflak).

During 1940-1941 The company "Gustlov Verka" manufactured Gerat 239 automata as a light two-temperature weapon for parachute and mountain parts. But the design was unsuccessful, and 25 manufactured guns went to the scrap. The new installation, called 2 cm gebirgsflak 38, was obtained by the combination of the barrel from Flak 38 and the carts from Gerat 239.

Machine 2 CM Gebirgsflak 38 entered in 1944, and by February 1945 there were 180 installations. Weapons were used both against aircraft and against tanks. The gun had a shield and easily transported on wheels with two calculation numbers. (Data 2-cm anti-aircraft mining installation Gebirgsflak 38 is given in the Application "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

In 1944, the Germans were used as ground anti-aircraft installation 2-cm Aviation gun MG 151/20 by Mauser. This gun had two caliber tanks 20 and 15 mm, but as ground anti-aircraft installation was used mainly 20 mm trunks. The use of a 2-cm aviation gun for an anti-aircraft shooting was connected, on the one hand, with a sharply increased need for anti-aircraft installations for the direct cover of field troops, and on the other - with a replacement on a number of types of aircraft MG 151 cannons to more powerful.

Automation MG 151 worked at the expense of the trunk at its short progress. Channel locking occurred by turning the battle larva. The feeding mechanism of the slider type with a bilateral feed of the tape. Power guns Cartridges during shooting was made of flexible metal ribbon with a semi-jammed link (unbnown links). Recharge guns was performed using an electric motor.

To absorb the energy of the movement of the mobile system, the gun had, except for the trunks and buffer springs, a special buffer collected from conical cut rings.

The total length of the gun at a 20 mm trunk was 1770 mm. The weight of the gun without a tape (with any trunk) - 42 kg. The pace of shooting - 800-900 SECTION / MIN. The initial speed of 20-mm bullets is 780 m / s.

In the ammunition gun included 20 mm shells:

Exchange-in-block-tracer (OST) weighing 115 g, containing 2.3 g. Explosive;

Fuge weighing 92 g, containing 18-20 g of an explosive;

Armor-piercing weighing 115 g, containing 4.5 g of an explosive;

Incereral weighing 115 g, containing 3.6 g of phosphorus or 6.2, electron.

The length of all cartridges is 146 mm, the weight of the throwing charge for shells weighing 115 g was 18.5 g, and for shells weighing 92. The weight of the charge - 19.5 g. The sleeve is steel 81 mm long sleeve.

The greatest interest is a 2-cm gun Mg 151 in the installation structure. This setup was a compound of three independent aviation guns in one horizontal plane. Food guns tape. The extreme automata were rotated around the axis by almost 45 ° to ensure the possibility of their belt power. The machines had a common descent. There were no mechanisms for vertical and horizontal guidance, it was produced by the shooter manually. The maximum elevation angle is 90 °, the angle of horizontal guidance is 360 °.

The machines were installed on the end, which was attached to a stationary base, or to the bottom of the SD.KFZ.250 half-sized armored personnel carrier.

The production of the structure was launched in 1944 - 3141 installation was made, and in 1945 another 973 installations. The Germans have released 5114 installations.

In addition, semi-pedars were made in parts with 2-cm guns Mg 151. In total, about 15 thousand aircraft guns Mg 151 were transmitted in the parts of the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe.

In combat actions, a relatively small number of 2-cm automatic guns Erlikon Ob was used. 28 (2 CM Flak 28). Erlikon guns automatics based on the principle of using the emission of free shutter. Power guns - shopping. The cartridges were not interchangeable with other German 2-cm anti-aircraft and tank guns. Weight of throwing charge - 30.5 g

In early 1944, 361 units of 20-mm settings of Brad and Scotty systems were manufactured in Italian plants for the Wehrmacht. Both systems in combat position were installed on a tripod boat, and were transported on a special two-wheeled trailer.

20-mm Bared Gun was adopted by the Italian army in 1935. It was originally intended to be used as a zenith and anti-tank gun. She had a unique charging system. 12 cartridges were laid on the side of the metal clip. After the execution of these cartridges, an empty clip went out on the other side of the government part.

Scotti's gun was manufactured by Iotta Frascini in Turin. The cartridges were placed in a round store located above the casual part of the trunk. (Data 20 mm Italian anti-aircraft automatic guns are shown in the Application "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

During the summer campaign of 1940, the Germans managed to capture 25-mm French anti-aircraft automatic guns of the giek system arr. 1938 25-mm ordinary anti-aircraft installations in Germans were called 2.5 CM Flak 38/39 (F). In addition to the ordinary, the Germans captured a certain number of 25 mm of paired giek guns on table stationary fauthetes. (Data 2.5-cm French automatic guns are shown in the Application "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

At the end of the war in Germany, experienced samples of 8-bodily 2-cm machines created. Four types of such "eight-lodges" are known.

In all samples of machine guns, 8 trunks are connected in one common case - block, and the shutters in one common gate frame. The automation mechanism of each system is based on the return energy with a long rollback at the same time all the shutters.

The first version of the eight-chart cannon was a self-loading gun, and the rest were fully automatic. The trunks of all machine guns had an ordinary design, no distinguished from 2-cm arr. 38. The cartridges were also used from standard 2-cm guns.

In automata with a horizontal arrangement of the shutters, the novels had the same location, and in automata with a vertical bunk arrangement of the values \u200b\u200bof one vertical series were rotated 180 ° relative to the shutters of another row. The shutters of the 1st, 2nd and 4th options were piston, and the valves of the 3rd option are vertical wedges. Punches of gate frames in all versions automatic spring.

The anti-digit devices of all variants consisted of spring jackets and hydraulic rollback brakes.

Eating machine guns in all the instruments are intermittent. For option 1, the meter was made from a total rope for two volley, option 2 is a common store for 4-6 salts, option 3 - a separate store for each barrel for 20 ammunition, option 4 - a shared store of 8-10 ammunition. Options 1 and 3, the store's flow was made by one charging, and options 2 and 4 required two charges at once to file one store.

The essential and main disadvantage of these 8-trunks was the failure of the entire installation during a delay in the shooting of one machine. Therefore, the Germans have chosen the scheme of automation with long barrel rollback, which gave the minimum number of delays. In turn, the long rollback of the barrel reduced the pace of the shooting of the machine compared to the scheme with a short stem rollback.

All four 8-bodily experimental settings were captured by the Red Army and were thoroughly studied in the USSR.

3-cm anti-aircraft automatic guns

In combat actions, the Germans used two ground 3-cm anti-aircraft guns - 3 CM Flak 103/38 and 3 CM Flak MK.303 Br The letters of Br in the name of the gun indicate the German city of Brune, where they were produced, now it is the Czech city of Brno.
.

3-cm Automatic anti-aircraft installation Flak 103/38 was created by overlaying 3-cm aircraft gun MK 103 to boat 2-cm automatic anti-aircraft gun Flak 38. (Data 3 CM Flak 103/38 is given in the Appendix "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

In 1944, 1,000 such guns were ordered by the military, but the surrender of them began only in 1945. A total of 149 such guns were manufactured. In addition to the ordinary settings 3 CM Flak 103/38, quadsers were also designed 3 CM Flakvierling 103/38. However, the company "Mauser" managed to release only their experienced series.

Paired 3 CM Flak 103/38 was installed on experienced self-propelled installations: two 3-cm guns on the chassis 38 (T) "Kleiner Kugelblitz" ("Small Ball Lightning"); Two 3-cm guns on the chassis T-IV "Kugelblitz" (" Fireball"). By the end of the war, six such cars entered military tests.

In 1942-1943 The enterprise "Waffen-Verke" in the Brunet on the basis of 3-cm aviation gun MK 103 created an anti-aircraft automatic gun MK 303 Br. From the Flak 103/38 gun, the best ballistics was distinguished. For the projectile weighing 320 g, its initial speed in MK 303 BR was 1080 m / s versus 900 m / s in Flak 103/38. For the projectile weighing 440 g, these values \u200b\u200baccounted for 1000 m / s and 800 m / s, respectively.

The automation worked as due to the energy of the gases, allocated from the channel of the barrel, and by returning the barrel during its short progress. Shutter - wedge. Solution of the cartridges was made by the rate on the entire path of motion of the cartridge in Kamor. The muzzle brake had an effectiveness of 30%.

The mass production of MK 303 BR cannons began in October 1944. In total, 32 guns were handed over to the end of the year, and in 1945 - another 190.

3.7- cm automatic anti-aircraft guns

The first serial 3,7-cm automatic anti-aircraft gun was 3.7 cm Flak 18. It was the prototype of the ST-10 gun, created by Rinemetal in the late 1920s. The automation of the gun worked due to the energy of the recoil with a short trunk progress. The shooting was carried out from a table booster, based on the cruciform base on the ground. In a marking position, the gun was installed on a four-wheeled wagon.

3.7-cm Rinmetall's gun, together with a 2-cm automatic gun in 1930, were sold to the Office of the Soviet Union. In fact, only complete technological documentation and a set of semi-finished products were delivered, the guns themselves were not supplied.

In the USSR, the gun received the name "37 mm automatic anti-aircraft gun arr. 1930. " Sometimes it was called a 37-mm gun "H" (German). The production of the gun was started in 1931 at factory No. 8, where the gun received the 4K index. In 1931, 3 guns were presented. In 1932, the plan was 25 guns, the plant presented 3, but the military acceptance did not accept any. At the end of 1932, the system had to be removed from production. None of the 37 mm gun of the arrival did not fall into the RKKA. 1930

In Germany, the same 3.7-cm automatic gun of the Rainmetall firm was sent for sale in 1935, called 3.7 CM Flak 18. One of the essential drawbacks was a four-wheeled wagon. She was severe and smooth, so she was replaced by a new four-bed fauthes with a separating two-wheeled shorter.

3.7-cm anti-aircraft automatic gun with a new two-wheeled fruit and a number of changes in the device was called 3.7 cm Flak 36. The cost of such a machine was 24 thousand Rm.

Sometimes in the literature is mentioned 3.7-cm Installation Flak 37 - this is the same installation Flak 36, but with another sight (Flakvisier 37 instead of Flakvisier 36).

In addition to the regular fafts of the OBR. 1936, 3.7-cm Machines Flak 18 and Flak 36 were installed on railway platforms and various cars, both armored and non-armored.

Already during the basis of the basis of 3.7 CM Flak 36, Rainmetall has developed a new 3.7-cm Flak 43 automaton.

Automatic arr. 43 had a fundamentally new scheme of automation, when part of the operations was made due to the energy of the assigned gases, and the part is due to the rolling parts. The Flak 43 store accommodated 8 rounds, and Flak 36 it was designed for 6 ammunition. (Data 3,7-cm automatic anti-aircraft guns Flak 18, 36 and 43 are given in the Appendix "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

3.7-cm Machines arr. 43 were installed on both single and two-core installations. Thus, in a two-line installation of Flakzwilling 43 ("Gemini"), two identical automata were installed one over the other and are interconnected using a parallelogram thrust. Each machine is located in his cradle and formed a swinging part, rotating relative to its ring axle.

The vertical mating of the automata had its pros and cons. So, the advantage was the vertical location of the automata, which did not give when they shot the dynamic moment of rotation in the horizontal plane of the rotating part of the installation. Due to the presence of an individual assistant for each machine, there was no dynamic moments due to the non-modernity of shots, which acted on the swinging part of the gun, as it would have a place if there were common axles on two automaton. This has improved the accuracy of the installation of the installation and the conditions of the guns of the gun, and also appeared the possibility of fire from one machine without violating the normal setting process. It was also possible to use automata from ordinary installations without any alterations.

Disadvantages of such a scheme are a continuation of advantages. This increase in the dimensions of the entire instrument, the height of the system and the height of the fire line. In addition, automata can be paired only with side feeding.

There was a variant of 3.7-cm Flakzwilling 43 with a horizontal arrangement of the trunks.

The 3.7-cm automata Flak 18, 36 and 43 consisted in armament of both Luftwaffe and Wehrmacht.

Wehrmacht tools: 3.7-cm Flak 36 plants were obtained in 1942. 27 pieces, in 1943 - 592 and in 1944 - 559 installations; In 1945 there were no supplies. In 1944, 776 Flak 43 plants were obtained and in 1945 - another 152 installations. In 1944, 142 Paired installations of Flakzwilling 43 were obtained and in 1945 - 43.

Luftwaffe tools: By September 1, 1939, there were 1030 installations of 3.7 CM Flak 18 and Flak 36 in Luftwaffe, the data on further deliveries are presented in Table. 33.

Table 33.

Number of 3.7-cm machines supplied by Luftwaffe (pcs.)

Machine 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945
Flak 36. 180 675 1188 2136 4077 3620 158
Flak 43. 54 4684 1180

The table indicates the number of automata, not installations, since two automaton required for paired installations, for quadruple - four.

In addition, Wehrmacht used several hundred trophy Soviet 37-mm anti-aircraft guns. 1939 (61k). The Germans have appropriated the name of 3.7 cm Flak 39 (R). By January 1944, there were 390 such guns in the troops.

In 1942, Rudolph Stubgen (Erfurt) began developing a 3.7-cm anti-aircraft installation FliegendMaus ("Bat").

The weight of the installation was about 1500 kg. The weight of the projectile is 0.75 kg, the initial speed is 1000 m / s, the pace of shooting - 250 SECURITY / MIN. Automation operated due to the energy of the assigned gases. The shutter - wedge, food - unplanned. Interestingly, initially the machine was designed for ordinary cartridges, but then he was converted into a cartridge with a combing sleeve. It is possible that it was associated with the transfer in 1944 works on the gun "Gustlov-Verka"

A few prototypes were tested with a 3.7-cm bat "Bat" guns, but did not have time to run it into serial production.

5-cm and 5.5-cm anti-aircraft automatic guns

The first prototype 5-cm anti-aircraft machine was created by Reinmetal in 1936, and after comparative tests in the same 1936, with a 5-cm model of Krupp, Rainmetall firm in 1940 received a contract for 50 tools with a period The manufacture of the first gun in November 1940 in the arms troops entered in 1941, but the results of combat use were unsatisfactory.

From the originally made 50 installations at the end of 1944 there were still 44 5 CM Flak 41. (Data 5-cm Flak 41 is given in the Appendix "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

The main feature of the constructive scheme is 5-cm. 41 was almost complete combination of the time of the main mechanisms of the machine. This feature of the automaton scheme is due to the simultaneous use of the recoil of the trunk and the removal of powder gases.

Shooting, like the rest of the German automata, was carried out from a three-star faucet on the ground. Sight gun - Flakvisier 41. For transportation there was a separated two-axle stroke (wagon). In addition, part of the automata was installed in the SD.KFZ.204 six-path bodies.

In 1939, the company "Gustlov Verke" in Zul began to work on a 5-cm automatic anti-aircraft gun Gerat 56. Compared to 5-cm Flak 41 Gerat 56 had a much better ballistics: the initial speed of its projectile was 1030 m / With anti-840 m / s Flak 41, and the pace of shooting - 175 SECURITY / MINE AGAINST 130. Gerat 56 shot the same shells as Flak 41, but had a larger sleeve and, accordingly, a greater throwing charge.

Gerat 56 automatics worked due to the energy of gases from the barrel channel. Charged was performed on the back of the trunk, and the shot was made at the time when the trunk did not come even in the extreme position. The inner structure of the trunk is the same as Flak 41. Shutter - wedge.

The high tape of shooting was achieved at the expense of a number of innovations into the automation mechanism, to tell in detail about which neither volume nor the specifics of the book.

Gun rollback brake - hydraulic, swalker - spring. Power supply - shopping (5 ammunition), but with the help of special devices, power continuity was achieved.

The shooting of the gun was made from a box-shaped fauthete located on the ground.

At the landfill in Külunsborn on March 17 and 18, 1942, comparative tests of six samples were carried out by 5-cm anti-aircraft automatic guns. Among them were Gerat 56 Gustlov Verke, serial sample Flak 41 Rainmetall firms and experienced samples of Krupp, Durkopp-Verke and Mauser. Let's literally send a translation from a memorandum about this test:

"The first weapon fired 41 Rainmetall firms. Weapons functioned well. The shooting pace was small: 100-120 SECTION / MIN. The position of the sight is inconvenient.

The second shot weapons 56g, as Krupp and Mauser firms did not finish even preparation. This weapon functioned well. The shooting paced was about 170 shots per minute. The priority sight is good. This especially emphasized the Senior Lieutenant Grotto.

The following was shot from their guns representatives of Krupp and Mauser. The weapons of these firms had a lot of delays, and the shooting paced did not exceed 120-130. SECTION / MIN. The layout of the weapon of the company "Mauser" was extremely uncomfortable, and the arms of Krupp, the location of the sight was impossible for aiming during shooting.

On March 20, 1942, firing in the presence of general in the same order. The results were the same. Prior to the start of the shooting, representatives of firms were given to the general explanation about their weapons. Clarification of arms 56g gave Schink. After that, shooting began.

The anti-aircraft weapon 41 fired immaculately and gave about 45 shots automatic shooting at very good work, but very slow pace. Anti-aircraft weapons 41 firms "Durkopp" had after the first delay shots that could not be eliminated during the subsequent shooting.

The weapon of the company Mauzer fired in the presence of General worse than all the others. Only 5 or 6 shots were noted. The general requested that after the end of the shooting, to start shooting from the weapon of the company Mauser. But after that, weapons functioned no better.

Krupp's weapons worked unsatisfactory, and the shooting had to stop.

The last shot weapons 56g. Its effect was even better than in previous time; It shot perfectly. Shooting speed was 175 SECURITY / MIN. The general thanked the representatives of the company "Gustlov" and pointed out that other firms do not stop work, since the company "Gustlov" is not adapted to the manufacture of automatic weapons of large caliber, and that this is the first machine of such a caliber designed successfully.

At the end of the shooting, the General said a speech, which noted that the automatic weapon of caliber 5.5 cm is the weapon of the future along with 3.7-cm and 3-cm. 2-cm weapons will also be produced, but only for special purpose: Mountain artillery, for parachutists, etc.

The general made a desire for a private order at 16 o'clock after the shooting of Mauser's weapons, but this time weapons gave bad results: from 30 shots there were 8 delays. "

From the speech of an unnamed general, it can be seen that the military for some subjective reasons did not want to adopt the Gustlov-Verke's guns.

Looking ahead, I will say that in 1946, the Special Group of the USSR Ministry of Arms under the command of the Colonel of Dubinin captured in the city of Zul, an experimental sample 5-cm Gerat cannons. An experienced sample and all technological documentation on it were sent to the USSR.

As mentioned, at the beginning of 1942, the German military decided to switch to 5.5 cm caliber for anti-aircraft automatic guns. Therefore, the company "Gustlov Verke" was designed by the new anti-aircraft gun Gerat 58, which had two replaceable caliber trunks of 5 cm and 5.5 cm.

The automation of the gun worked due to the energy of the gases allocated from the barrel channel. The shooting paced at both trunks was 130-140 SECTION / MIN. The total weight of the installation is about 2.8 tons. The flaws was designed in two versions - with manual and electric drives.

The shooting of the 5.5-cm trunk was carried out by the shells weighing 2 kg, the weight of the cartridge is 5.3 kg. Length of the sleeve is 462 mm, the initial speed of the projectile is 1050 m / s.

According to obscure reasons, the management of the arms ordered the work on the bikalibal installation of the firm "Gustlov Verke" before the start of the factory tests of the prototype.

Perhaps this decision was made due to the fact that Rainmetall and Kruple firms jointly created their prototype 5,5-cm anti-aircraft automatic GERAT 58 guns according to the same tactical and technical requirements as the firm "Gustlov Verke".

The automation of the gun was based on the principle of gases. The food was made from the store in which 4 cartridges were placed. The gun had electro-hydraulic drives of vertical and horizontal guidance. Managing the shooting could be carried out using radar.

In the fighting position, shooting was carried away from the soil. In a marking position, the cannon was installed on a four-wheeled trolley. (If necessary, shooting could be carried out with the wagon.) (Data 5.5-cm Gerat 58 is given in the Appendix "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

Only the prototypes of Gerat 58 (Renimetal and Krupp) were manufactured. The launch of them into mass production was not carried out due to the end of the war.

In the future, it was assumed to create a paired 5.5-cm installation on the Gerat 58 fauthete.

Tests of German 5-cm and 5,5-cm machines in the USSR have significantly helped factories No. 614 (Saratov) and No. 7 (Leningrad) create its own samples of 57 mm ships.

Anti-aircraft installations of medium and large caliber

7,5-cm and 7,62-cm anti-aircraft guns

At the initial stage of World War II, the Germans used several dozen tools of the time of the First World War. By 1939, they were called: 7.5 cm Flak 14 Krupp and 7.5 CM Flak 14. Both instruments had the same shells, but the second cannon had a longer barrel and a greater charge in the sleeve. The sleeves, by the way, were also the same. Both guns had a brass flaws and an unsophisticated wheeled. (Data 7.5-cm Flak 14 Krupp and Flak 14 cannons are shown in the Application "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

According to the Versailles Agreement, Germany was not allowed to have anti-aircraft artillery. But the Germans managed, apparently, straining something. In addition, in 1918, hundreds of German anti-aircraft guns were transferred to the countries of the Entente and newly formed countries, where they are later the Germans and captured.

In the mid-1920s. The group of designers of Krupp, who worked at Bahorce in Sweden, created a 7.5-cm anti-aircraft gun Flak L / 60 with a semi-automatic shutter and a cross-shaped platform. In 1930, the tool was rejected by the German military, but was produced by the Krupp for export. Some quantity was sold by Spain and Brazil, but in 1939 unrealized samples were requested by the German Navy and used in coastal defense. Many elements of the installation were used in 8,8-cm anti-aircraft guns. (Data 7.5 cm Flak L / 60 is given in the Application "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

Reinmetal has been created by several prototypes of 7.5-cm anti-aircraft guns with a length of 55 and 59 calibers. Several 7.5-cm guns were sent to the USSR.

In the early 1930s. Guide ground Forces Germany refused to work on 7.5-cm anti-aircraft guns and preferred to them more powerful 8,8-cm and 10.5-cm guns.

From October 1943, the use of the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe of the trophy Italian anti-aircraft guns of the caliber of 75 and 76.2 mm began. Anxaldo's new 75-mm cannons The Ansalido (Mr. Turin) put the Germans to the Germans until the end of 1944, 7.5 mm caliber was called 7.5 cm Flak 264 (I), and 76.2-mm guns - 7.62 CM Flak 266 (I).

The 7.5-cm gun Flak 264 (I) was developed by Ansaldo. The length of the barrel was 3450 mm, i.e. 46 calibers. In a combat position, the gun was on the ground on the cruciform boat. The angle of vertical guidance was from 0 ° to 90 °, 360 ° horizontal target. The weight of the system in a combat position is 3300 kg, weight in a marching position along with a wheelchair 3975 kg. The shell weighing 6.5 kg at the initial speed of 750 m / s had a ballistic range of 13 km and the ballistic ceiling of 8200 m.

7,62-cm Flak 266 (I) gun possessed much worse data. She had a shorter trunk: 3139 mm, that is, 41.2 caliber. Shell weighing 6 kg at the initial speed of 690 m / s had a ballistic ceiling of 6000 m.

In addition, the Germans used a lot of French anti-aircraft 75-mm cunners of the Schneider system of different types.

8,8-cm anti-aircraft guns

In 1928, a group of designers of Kruppa began in Sweden design 8,8-cm anti-aircraft gun. The developed documentation was then delivered to Essen, where the first prototypes were made. The system was named 8.8 CM Flak 18. In 1933, the guns began to flow into the troops.

The gun had a semi-automatic shutter, which was in itself the achievement for that time. The shooting was carried out from a table booster, which had four beds located crosswise. Based on their jacks relied on the ground. In a marginal position, the gun was installed on the "special receptacle 201", which constituted four wheelbarrows, and had two wheeled strokes, the middle of the cart formed the base of the stemput and beds.

Martial baptism 8,8-cm Flak 18 gun received in Spain as part of the Legion "Condor". According to the results of combat use, some Flak 18 cannons were equipped with an armored shield for the calculation cover. In turn, a charging tray was dismantled in parts and an unsatisfactory mechanical resolution.

In 1936, an upgraded 8,8-cm gun Flak 36 was adopted. The internal device of the shafts of both guns and the ballistics were the same. As a wagon was applied "Special Adventure 202". The design of the faucet was simplified. Brass parts are replaced by steel, which led to a decrease in the cost of the installation. In 1939, the cost of 8.8-cm Flak 36 was 33,600 Rm.

Some changes were produced in 1939, and a new sample was called 8.8 CM Flak 37.

Most knot nodes arr. 18, 36 and 37 were interchangeable, for example, it was often possible to see the Flak 18 barrel on the Flak 37's boiler.

By September 1, 1939, 24,59 guns of 8.8 CM Flak 18 and Flak 36 were consisted of 8.8 cm Flak 18 and Flak 36, and the data on their further production are given in Table. 34.

Table 34.

Production of 8,8-cm Flak 36 and 37 cannons for Luftwaffe (PC.)

Wehrmacht first received 8,8-cm guns in 1941 (126 cannons). In 1942, another 176 guns were obtained, in 1943 - 296, in 1944 - 549 and in 1945 - 23 installations.

In August 1944, in the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe there were 10,930 implements Flak 18, 36 and 37, which were used on all fronts and in the PFA Reich. The number of these guns was the Italians called 88/56 S.A.

Several Flak 18 guns in 1940 were installed on a 12-ton half-sized partially armored vehicle SD.KFZ.8.

In 1943, the 14 Flak 37 guns were installed on a semigous car SD.KFZ.9. System weight 25 tons. Crew 9-10 people. Cab and engine book.

During the bombing of the cities of Germany, allied aircraft tried to fly as high as possible. In May 1944, the command of the 1st air defense division of Berlin reported the leadership: "At the modern height of the raids, 7-8 km 8,8-cm anti-aircraft guns arr. 36 and 37 exhausted the boundaries of their reach. " Therefore, anti-aircraft guns were urgently needed, having a large shooting ceiling.

In 1939, Rainmetall received a contract for the creation of a new gun with improved ballistic characteristics. Initially, the gun was called Gerat 37. This name was replaced in 1941 at 8.8 CM Flak 41, when the first prototype of the gun was made. The first serial samples (44 pieces) were sent to the army of Rommel in August 1942, and half of them were surfplanted in the Mediterranean Sea along with German transport. Tests of the remaining samples revealed a number of difficult-scale constructive flaws.

Since 1943, these guns began to enter the Eastern Front and in the pillar of Reich. In February 1944, 279 Flak 41 implements were 279.

Since the need for high-rise anti-aircraft guns was extremely large, German engineers tried to impose a swinging portion of 8,8-cm Flak 41 on Flak 37 beads. New system Received the name 8.8 cm Anti-aircraft gun Flak 37/41. Since the return of the trunk at the GRA gun. 41 was significantly higher than the arr. 37, the trunk was a muzzle brake and put pressure in the hydraulic brake rolling back. When transporting the barrel of the Flak 37/41 guns, it was delayed back and fixed on the cradle. By February 1941, it was possible to make only six Flak 37/41 cannons. (Data 8,8-cm anti-aircraft guns Flak 41 and 37/41 are given in the Appendix "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

Germans used several hundred trophy Soviet 85-mm guns 52K arr. 1939. Moreover, most of their trunks were removed to a caliber of 88 mm. By April 1945, twelve 88mm Russian guns consisted in Berlin's air defense. Most of them were used in secondary sites.

10,5-cm anti-aircraft guns Flak 38 and Flak 39

In 1933, Krupp and Rainmetall firms were asked to produce two prototype 10.5-cm anti-aircraft gun. Comparative tests were held in 1935, and in 1936, the 10.5-cm gun of the Rinemetal company (product 38) was recognized as the best and launched into mass production under the name of 10.5 CM Flak 38.

Four 10.5-cm Flak 38 guns were delivered to the USSR and were tested from July 31 to October 10, 1940 at the Research Zenit Polygon under Evpatoria. According to our tradition, Flak 38 was assigned a "pseudonym" year (German special delivery). The year's guns passed joint tests with domestic experienced 100mm anti-aircraft guns L-6, 73K and land option B-34. The ballistics of our guns and the year was almost the same, but the accuracy of the shells was twice as high. The German projectile with the same weight gave 700 slaughter fragments, and our 300. It was noted a very accurate work of the automatic blasting installer. The vitality of the trunk is defined in 1000 shots (when the initial speed is 10% dropped). However, as a result of some intrigue, it was decided not to adopt a year not a year, but at all "raw" 100-mm gun 73k. The result did not slow down to affect - 73k "Pushkari" of the plant of them Kalinin did not have been able to bring. After testing, these four guns remained in the USSR, and in October 1941 were included in the Moscow Air Defense Zone.

10,5-cm Flak 38 gun initially had electrohydraulic guidance drives (on constant current), the same as the 8,8-cm Flak 18 and 36, but in 1936 the UTG 37 system was introduced (on an alternating current of industrial frequency ), used on 8.8-cm Flak 37. At the same time, a trunk was introduced with a free tube. The system upgraded in this way received the name of 10.5 CM Flak 39. (Data 10.5-cm anti-aircraft guns Flak 38 and Flak 39 are given in the Appendix "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

To increase the effective ceiling, the shooting 10,5-cm of anti-aircraft guns was created 10.5-cm fragmentary actively reactive projectile. It was 800 m / s; and then the jet engine accelerates it to 1150 m / s. However, the end of the war did not launch actively relevant shells into mass production. Similar active reactive shells were created for 12,8-cm Flak 40 guns. But then it did not go on the release of an experienced party.

Speaking of technical innovations in the device of anti-aircraft shells, it should be noted that the creation of high-frequency radio visitor, the action of which is based on the Doppler effect. So, for example, Doneulldish apparathubau firms were engaged in Vienna (Fur Kakada) and Blupunkt-Verka in Berlin (TrichTer Fleet). At the time of flight, such fuses were triggered when the distance between the projectile and the goal became minimal. Radio drivers were used both in artillery anti-aircraft shells and in prototypes of anti-aircraft controlled missiles. The defeat of Germany did not allow the possibility of launching shells with radio visitor into mass production.

10.5-cm Flak 38 and 39 remained in production the entire war, despite the fact that in its ballistic characteristics, 8.8-cm Flak 41 guns were almost equal to them.

10.5-cm Anti-aircraft guns Flak 38 and 39 consisted only in armament of the Luftwaffe, and there were no them in the Wehrmacht. By the beginning of the war in Luftwaffe there were 64 guns Flak 38. On their further deliveries, you can learn from the table. 35

Table 35.

Deliveries from industry 10,5-cm anti-aircraft guns Flak 38 and Flak 39 (pcs.)

1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945
10.5-cm gun arr. 38 and 39. 38 290 509 701 1220 1131 92

In August 1944, the Luftwaffe consisted of: 116 Flak 38 and 39 cannons at railway installations; 877 - in stationary installations; 1025 - on the carts type 201.

After the war, a number of 8.8-cm and 10.5-cm German guns were armed with the Red Army. One of these guns is now in the courtyard of the Museum of Armed Forces in Moscow. According to American sources, several dozen 8.8-cm and 10,5-cm German guns took part in the Korean War.

12,8-cm Anti-aircraft gun Flak 40

An order to develop a 12,8-cm anti-aircraft gun was issued by Rainmetall in 1936. The company introduced prototypes of 40 products for testing in 1938. In December 1938, the first order for 100 installations was given. At the end of 1941, the first batteries with 12,8-cm anti-aircraft guns Flak 40 were admitted to the troops. (Data 12,8-cm anti-aircraft gun Flak 40 is shown in the Application "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

It was originally assumed that the mobile 12.8-cm installation will be transported on two carts, but later it was decided to limit the four-axle wagon ("Special Advice 220"). But during the war, only one mobile battery (6 guns) was admitted.

In August 1944, it was in service with Germany: 6 mobile installations; 242 Stationary installations; 201 Railway installation (on four platforms).

By February 1945, the number of stationary installations increased to 362, the number of mobile and railway facilities has not changed

12.8-cm Flak 40 was a fully automated installation. Guidance, feeding and ignition of ammunition, as well as the installation of the fuse was made with the help of 4 asynchronous generators of the three-phase current with a voltage of 115 V. The four-line battery 12,8-cm Flak 40 served one generator with a capacity of 60 kW.

Since 1942, the development of a new 12,8-cm gun was launched (product 45), but until the end of the war it was not adopted. 12,8-cm gun 45 had a longer barrel, a larger amount of charger and, accordingly, a large initial speed and a ballistic ceiling.

When creating a 12,8-cm of a two-year-round stationary installation, a base from 15-cm installation was used. Experienced samples of the two-core installation were called "Product 44". Serial installations received the name of 12.8 CM Flakzwilling 40. (Data 12.8 CM Flakzwilling 40 is given in the Application "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

The first four-refinery battery was installed in Berlin in the spring of 1942 (according to other information, in August 1942). In August 1944, 27 installations were in service, and in February 1945 - 34 installations.

Installations were manufactured at the Gannomag plant in Hannover. In early 1944, they made one installation per month, at the end of the same year - 12 settings per month.

The installations were part of the air defense of large cities, including Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna.

Anti-aircraft artillery towers

Of particular interest in Germany Germany are the so-called anti-aircraft artillery towers, which were built in such major citieslike Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna.

In 1940, the construction of anti-aircraft guns armed 12,8-cm Flak 40 guns began in the center of Berlin in 1940. Berlin parks were the most convenient places for anti-aircraft towers. But to ensure open sectors of the shelling, it was necessary to either cut down some of the trees, or install the guns above them. The Germans chose a second option by building high-altitude towers to install heavy anti-aircraft guns on them.

The Germans built six towers in the city. They were grouped in pairs: control tower and at a distance of about 300 meters from her tool tower. The first turmoil battery was located in Friedrichshain Park; second - in Tiergarten Park; Third - in Humboldhain Park.

Berlin architect Tamm plated these towers and led them to build. The construction of the towers lasted two years and was completed during 1942.

The volume of the gun tower was about 196 thousand m³, the volume of the control tower - 40 thousand m³. Walls, overlaps and bearing structures are reinforced concrete. The thickness of the walls is 2.8 m, overlapping over two upper floors of 4 m each. Windows and doors had steel shields with a thickness of 5-10 cm with massive locking mechanisms.

The towers were equipped with a supply and exhaust ventilation that provided the necessary air exchange during normal time and for gas stuff. Electricity tower supplied from urban power grid. In case of accident, there was its own power plant with a diesel generator.

The control tower was a six-story structure with a size of 50 × 22 m and a height of 40 m. The purpose of the tower is the control of the fire tower, radar and artillery appliances located on its top platform. Inside the tower there were office space and premises for the personnel serving the control tower. On the lower platform, 4 sites were located for the installation of single and paired fine-caliber anti-aircraft guns designed to reflect aviation attacks from small heights.

All three control towers were the same type. A minor difference was only in internal planning.

Separate floors of the control tower in Tiergarten Park were planned as follows: On the first floor there were service premises of special purposes - heating, ventilation chambers, water units, garage for tanks, etc.

From the first floor on both sides of the large hall (lobby) on the 6th floor, two stairs and elevators with a carrying capacity of 2 tons each were conducted.

On the second floor there was a team point of the 1st Zenith-Artillery Division, which occupied six premises with total area 213 m². A few more rooms on the second floor occupied the division headquarters.

When designing the tower, it did not provide for the placement of the division's command paragraph, and it was caused by the circumstances arising during the war. The main premises of the division team was the operational room, from where the control of the fight of anti-aircraft artillery funds was conducted. The ceiling and walls of the operational room were upholstered with soundproof materials: two layers of porous cardboard and one layer of glass gambles.

On the 3rd and 5th floors, the staff of the control tower was located, there were hostels, dining rooms, warehouses and recreation rooms.

On the 4th floor there was an officer composition, a club, dining room and office of the control tower command were located.

The 6th floor consisted of service premises and a lower platform with a width of 6-9 m, on which fine-caliber anti-aircraft guns were installed.

From the lower 6th floor platform, two external staircases led to the upper platform, where control devices were placed in reinforced concrete shelters (positions). Here data was developed for aircraft shooting, which were transmitted to the gun tower, "spotted" from the control tower.

The position of the control devices consisted of the supervisory point of the commander of the tower battery, the observation point of the scout, two range finders (4- and 6-meter) and two radar "Würzburg" and "Big Würzburg".

For the shelter of the material part and the living force there were reinforced concrete nests and mines of various shapes. The shelter for the "Big Würzburg" served mines of 6 × 8 × 10 m, made in the thicker of two upper Floors tower. Special lifting mechanisms ensured the rise and descent of the radar.

The radar "Würzburg" was located at the top of the tower on a special reinforced concrete platform, under the 12-cm overlap of which there was a shelter for calculation. The armored round nest for a six-meter rangefinder was located near. On other towers, this nest was square.

The supervisory item of the commander of the tower battery with a height of 2.2 m had a rectangular shape with protective reinforced concrete walls with a thickness of 50 cm, overlapped with a glass roof that provided the top and lateral observation.

The four-meter range finder was installed in a parapet on a special reinforced concrete base with a height of 50 cm.

The gun tower was intended to install heavy anti-aircraft guns on it. The guns were installed on the platform - a flat roof of the tower. In terms of the tower, a square was a size of 70 × 70 m with a square shape protrusing, on the top venues of the guns. In these protrusions, stairwells leading to the upper battle platforms were placed. The stairs were adjacent elevators for lifting ammunition (for 450 shells at a time) and other property.

The main entrance to the tower was located in the center of the building where the main staircase began.

On the 1st floor there were premises related to the operation of the building, the instruments of heating, ventilation, lighting were installed in them, and workshops, garages, etc. were installed.

On the 2nd and 3rd floors, an officer and ordinary composition was located, and the latter was ladder.

In the central part of the building, adjacent to the main staircase, were located bomb shelter, hospital, storage and other public premises.

On the 4th, 5th and 6th floors, an officer and ordinary composition was also located. There were also canteens, kitchens, relaxation rooms and other serving rooms.

On the protrusion of the 6th floor overlapping the platform, platforms were arranged for fine-caliber anti-aircraft guns (up to 12 paired or ordinary plants). From this platform, the outer reinforced concrete staircases led to the top platform - the flat roof of the building, where the position was equipped for four paired 12,8-cm anti-aircraft guns.

The upper platform of 60 × 60 m with square protrusions in the corners was a reinforced concrete overlap with a thickness of 4 m. The position consisted of four sites for paired 12,8-cm guns with niches for shells and lifts for serving ammunition from the lower floor.

Opposite the instrument platform there was a rectangular structure for storing various property and the shelter of personnel.

In the center of the top platform of the tower, a platform for a command device with protective traverse opposite the entrance was equipped.

During the war, the premises inside the towers were used to accommodate hospitals, storing values \u200b\u200band works of art. When designing and building, the Germans were not intended to use them under bomb shelter. During intensive bombing, Berlin, it turned out that the capacity of the towers was insufficient, the insignificant bandwidth led to a pressure, and with each air alarm, up to 100-150 people died at the entrance to the entrance.

All six Berlin airflows are well preserved after the war.

On the night of April 22, 1945, three zenith towers for the first time opened fire for land targets. The tools led barrage fighters on combat laws of Soviet infantry and tanks. In the afternoon of April 22, the onset of the Red Army intensified, and the 123rd Tower Division released about 5 thousand shells.

By April 25, all tower batteries continued fire. Moreover, the personnel of Friedrichshain and Humboldhaine's towers has repeatedly had to enter the hand-to-hand fighting, put into operation machine guns and faustpatrons. Both towers were in semicircle. By April 27-28, the anti-aircraft Towers Friedrichshain and Humboldthain, who were under continuous artillery-mortar fire and lost half the guns could shoot only at night. Tiergarten's anti-aircraft tower stopped the fire, as Soviet troops were in her dead zone. Then the towers were abandoned by a person.

Action of anti-aircraft artillery on the example of air defense Berlin

During the war years, the Germans created a powerful air defense system in the Berlin area. Air defense capitol can serve good example combat service of anti-aircraft guns.

By September 1, 1939, the air milestone of Berlin was up to 40 heavy anti-aircraft batteries of the four-refinery and up to 200 centers of light anti-aircraft artillery. All guns were on the wheeled boots. Anti-aircraft batteries had fire control devices, and there were no radar. Data on the number and types of spotlights of that period the author was not found.

During the war, the composition of Berlin's air defense was continuously changed in quantitative and qualitative relationships (Table 36).

Table 36.

Distribution of guns in parts of air defense (pcs.)

Period Stationary battery. Railway battery.
12,8-cm 10,5-cm 8,8-cm 2 - 3.7-cm 12,8-cm 10,5-cm 8,8-cm
September 1939 40 120 200
May 1941 24 50 190 200
October 1942 24 40 126 220 20 40
End of 1943 24 84 240 220 44 72 40
April 1944 24 50 402 250
April 1945 24 48 270 249

In 1942-1943 Berlin's air defense was strengthened at the expense of railway batteries, but since Spring 1944, these batteries were transferred to the Ruhr region.

In the course of massive raids, the anti-aircraft users opened fire on the headgroup of aircraft until the bomb was dropped, and then transferred fire to the next wave of aircraft.

"Achilles fifth" in the combat work of all anti-aircraft batteries was the filing of shells to the tool. In Germans manual installation The fuse remained only on anti-aircraft guns of 8.8 cm caliber (Flak 18, 36 and 37). All other heavy anti-aircraft guns had a mechanical tube installer, and the feeding of the shell on the lock tray was performed automatically. But, despite all this, the feeding of heavy shells to the tool was so tedious that the personnel was exhausted after one and a half or two minutes of continuous firing. The introduction of two spare numbers extended a continuous firing time to 3-3.5 minutes. After that, the battery is inevitably forced to take a break in the running of fire for 3-5 minutes. This time was usually used to change the target, but such interruptions are generally very negatively reflected on the preservation of the density and intensity of the anti-aircraft fire of Berlin airfold.

In the calculations of anti-aircraft guns, hundreds of prisoners of war were used, most of which were Russian. In the calculations of the searchlight parts by November 1944, all the men of the rank were replaced by women aged 18 to 35 years.

In 1944, 23 massive plates with a total participation of about 9,500 four-dimensional bombers were produced on Berlin. The number of bombers involved in the same income increased, reaching sometimes up to 1,200 heavy bombers (American day raid on June 21, 1944).

In January 1944, the British held a number of night massacked raids. In the first half of March, the US Air Force entered into force. March, April and May 1944 were marked by powerful day rates on the industrial areas of Berlin, conducted by the 8th Aviakorpus USA (11 raids). During the summer, autumn and winter, 1944, the massive daily raids of Americans were repeated from time to time. At the same time, the disturbing night raids of the British high-speed bombers "Mosquito" in Berlin, conducted by relatively small connections or groups (15-80 aircraft) intensified. Thus, from July 16, until the end of 1944, 32 Mosquito plates were committed with a common participation of about 1,100 cars. For the whole of 1944, Mosquito aircraft bombed Berlin 56 times.

From January 1 to April 28, 1945, Berlin was subjected to five massive nates of the US Air Force with the participation of up to 6,000 heavy bombers ("flying fortresses" and "Libertors") and 63 nightlocks of the English high-speed bombers "Mosquito", in which in general participated up to 5,000 aircraft. "Mosquito" in February and March 1945 were particularly intense, producing raids every night (Table 37).

Table 37.

The intensity of raids on Berlin in 1943-1945.

Years Massed raids Small raids Total departures
number of flasks total number of aircraft number of flasks total number of aircraft number of flasks total number of aircraft
1943 14 3100 28 800 42 3900
1944 23 9500 56 2000 79 11 500
jan. - Apr. 1945. 5 6000 63 5000 68 11 000
TOTAL 42 18 600 147 7800 189 26 400

Bombril's bombings The Allied Aviation spent from large heights - at night the British bombed at altitudes 6000-7000 m, and the day of the American "flying fortresses" - at altitudes 7000-8500 m. With high-rise raids, the effectiveness of German anti-aircraft guns was significantly reduced.

By April 1945, the composition of severe anti-aircraft artillery on the stationary defense of Berlin included only 342 trunks. Of these: 20 caliber 12.8, 48 caliber 10.5, Flak 41 10 caliber 8.8, 226 Flak 18 and Falk 36 caliber 8.8, 22 caliber 88 mm (Italian), 12 caliber 88/85 mm (Russian ).

Analyzing this data should pay attention to the fact that from 342 implements in Germans there were 82 barrels (23.3%) with a valid fire height of 9500-11 000 m (calibers 12.8 cm, 10.5 cm and 8.8 cm Flak 41). Thus, up to 25% of the guns could conduct a successful struggle against the high-altitude raids of Anglo-American aviation.

I note that the weakness of the German anti-aircraft artillery should be perceived relatively. Pay attention that the most powerful Soviet anti-aircraft guns 85 mm arr. 1939 Physically could not fight American "flying fortresses", and we did not have the best. The more powerful guns began to enter only after the end of the war: 85-mm gun KS-1 adopted on July 2, 1945, 100-mm gun KS-19 - March 2, 1948, and 130 mm KS-30 gun began to come in part only in 1954

On the role of the German anti-aircraft artillery in Berlin's air defense can be judged by the intensity of fire guns. Thus, in 1944, in the reflection of 33 massive raids, the reports of which were in the hands of the Soviet command, the anti-aircraft artillery spent 685 193 of a large caliber projectile (88 mm and higher).

In the Soviet Secret Report of 1947, the state of the Berlin's air defense state was noted:

"So, speaking about the methods of shooting a heavy anti-aircraft artillery when refilling raids on Berlin, the following conclusions can be drawn:

1. In general, the Berlin's anti-aircraft artillery showed a high firing culture corresponding to the level of technical equipment and features of the tactics of attacking aviation.

2. When reflected by massive raids similar to those who were subjected to Berlin, the skillful and complete use of radar players played a decisive role. "

In 1944, 6100 aircraft participated in 19 raids (according to German data), 341 aircraft (5.6%) were shot down, including 120 aircraft anti-aircraft artillery (2%) and fighters 221 aircraft (3.6%). It should be borne in mind that almost all shot down airplanes were four-dimensional strategic bombers. Thus, knocking down 120 cars, German anti-aircraft people destroyed over 1000 enemy pilots. Moreover, hundreds of aircraft received damage and dozens of them crashed over the sea or when landing. Of the damaged bombers, sitting on their airfields, many aircraft were not subject to recovery.

With the approach of Soviet troops to Berlin, 342 heavy anti-aircraft guns and 249 lungs were included in the city defense.

In early April 1945, almost all anti-aircraft artillery was removed from the standpoint and placed in the strip of the external defensive zone. Inside the rings urban district railway There were only three anti-aircraft tower and two heavy anti-aircraft batteries (in Tempelgof and on Ebersveldstrasse).

Anti-aircraft strike groups were mainly designed for shooting direct vending, in particular along tanks, and were located at the main roads and intersections. The anti-aircraft batteries had the main task Leading far-fire according to pre-prepared data and with the help of observation points. For the placement of anti-aircraft batteries, the old positions of anti-aircraft artillery were partially used (period 1941-1942), as well as stadiums, sports grounds, parks, etc. The need for concrete bases for anti-aircraft guns sometimes limited the choice of position of the position.

Considering that the delivery of ammunition during the fighting will be complicated, to the position of each battery, an average of up to 3000-3600 shells was brought in advance. The ratio of various types was approximately this: with remote fuses of 60%, with shock fuses 10%, armor-piercing 30%.

Anti-aircraft strike groups were provided at the rate of 200-300 shells on the gun, and the armor-piercing shells accounted for up to 50% of the total number of shells.

The scale of artillery fire characterizes the fact that only on April 22, 1945, anti-aircraft guns were released on the Soviet troops 16,40 shells, and the next day - 16,824 projectiles. For two days, April 24 and 25, the German anti-aircraft artillery released 24,812 shells.

The loss of anti-aircraft artillery over these days has increased even more: on April 25, all anti-aircraft strike groups and 22 heavy batteries were lost to the outcome of the day. It remained partially combatable only 17 batteries, including tower.

On April 28, only 6 batteries of anti-aircraft artillery with 18 trunks and 3 separate implements operated on April 28. On April 30, there were only 3 combat-ready heavy batteries with 13 barrels, but as reported by the last combat report of the division headquarters, dated May 1, 1945, "... Seven barrels are temporarily not used, since the staff is engaged in a terrestrial struggle."

15-cm Experienced anti-aircraft guns

The development of these products was launched in 1936. Gerat 50 was developed by Krupp, and Gerat 55 is the Rainmetall company. Both firms presented prototypes for testing in 1938

The ballistic data 15-cm of anti-aircraft guns did not exceed 12,8-cm ballistic data, and Gerat 50 and Gerat 55 were adopted. In 1940, it was decided to start work on a 15-cm gun with better ballistic characteristics.

Gerat 50 krupp systems had a bonded in the treasury and middle part of the trunk. Bonding three-layer. The first layer, the "front" pipe was in the middle and dung part, in the middle part of the trunk began in front of her Lein, who ended at the rear skate. The rear liner formed the charging canor. The second layer is a pipe that fastens the front pipe and both Leerner in the middle and government part. The third layer is the casing on which the venge is screwed. Shutter semi-automatic wedge.

Vertical and horizontal guidance was carried out using a Jenny electro-hydraulic coupl. Feed and charging are fully automated, the drives of these electrical installations. Roller type rate. The store contained 10 unitary cartridges, which were one on the right and to the left of the shealing tray and four in two cartridge boxes. Replenishment of the store on the cartridges with the help of a special lift.

In a marginal position, the system was transported on four carts: 1st - with a cross-tree faucet (base); 2nd - with a table and the bottom faucet; 3rd - with upper flaw and cradle; 4th - with a barrel.

Gerat 55, Rainmetall firms had a similar device, but was transported on three wagons: bases, boilers and trunk.

Kruppa manufactured and prototype 15-cm GERAT 50 guns mounted on a tumbbell on the railway platform. After the war, only photos of this installation were found, and all the documentation was lost. (Mounting data 15 CM Gerat 50 are shown in the Application "Anti-aircraft artillery".)

In 1940, Luftwaffe issued new tactical and technical requirements and an order to the new 15-cm anti-aircraft guns with the best than Gerat 50, Ballistics. Kruppa worked on Gerat 60, and Rainmetallal - over Gerat 65.

In early 1942, an experienced Gerat 65 gun was made. The weight of the projectile is 42 kg, the initial speed is 960 m / s. Installations Gerat 60 and 65 were transported by MEILLER tractors on two triaxial wagons.

In October 1942, Rainmetall was created by a 15-cm anti-aircraft gun Gerat 65F. The tool had a conical trunk and a shooter with a sweep plot. The prototype of the gun was completed by August 1943. The Gerat 65F sample had the following ballistic data: the initial speed of the projectile is 1200 m / s; Atomicability at an altitude of 18,000 m; service time of the projectile to a height of 18,000 m 25 s; Learning trunk 86 shots.

Low barrel vitality and a number of technical deficiencies of the system dragged her finishes, and she did not admit it.

In 1943-1944 Krupp and Rainmetall firms have developed a project with a heavy duty 15-cm gun with a barrel length of 100 calibres. Normal fragmentary shell weighed 40-43 kg and had an initial speed of 1250 m / s. In 1946, the documentation for this sample was captured in the "Artillery and Mining Group" Turingia of the Ministry of Arms and sent to the USSR.

Designed in Germany anti-aircraft guns and more large calibers - 17 cm and 24 cm. So, in 1941, work on stationary 24-cm anti-aircraft plants were resumed (Gerat 80 and Gerat 85), but then the release of the drawings and the calculations did not go. Works on 24-cm installations were discontinued on August 17, 1943

An anti-aircraft shooting on the aircraft of the Allies was led by 15-cm guns of coastal batteries. However, these were not special anti-aircraft guns, but ship guns. Rumors about the anti-aircraft shooting of large-caliber German coastal guns found a ridiculous reflection in the Soviet secret material of 1947. "Anti-airflow defense of Berlin during the Second World War": "Finally, 150 mm anti-aircraft guns were applied on some coastal installations at the initial rate of the projectile 1035 m / s. . According to some information, the maximum height of the valid fire has reached 10,800 m. The weight of the projectile is about 40 kg, the rate of fire 6-8 shots per minute. "

27.04.2015

P. Popov, Major General of Engineering and Technical Service, Laureate of State Prize

The appearance of the first military airships and airplanes artilleryrs of different countries met in different ways. The French and Germans, for example, considered: to combat new goals, ordinary field guns are quite suitable, installed on positions so that it is possible to shoot at large elevation angles. The Italians stood for universal guns that could easily successfully fire and terrestrial and air targets. The Russian artillery officers used to understand that the development of airship and aviation would inevitably require special anti-aircraft guns. After several children, the French and the Germans recognized the justice of this point of view, and by the beginning of World War II, such guns were in service with the Russian, French and German armies. England, Italy and the United States had to create anti-aircraft guns already during the war.

All the first anti-aircraft guns of the middle caliber, 75-77 mm are designed under the lungs of light guns and installed on cars. They shot a shrapnel by making up to 20 shots per minute. Among them, the accuracy of work, simplicity and originality of building a sighting device, a domestic 76-mm anti-aircraft gun of the 1914 sample, created by the F. Lender designer on the task of the artillery committee, was distinguished.

The moral impact on the pilots who refused to fulfill the combat task when the aircraft fell into the gap zone, and a rather high percentage of shot down enemy airplanes (20-25% of the number of cars destroyed in the air) have proven anti-aircraft artillery as an effective means of combating an air opponent. And when airplanes of various tactical appointments appear at the end of the first world warriors with the increased maneuverable properties, the rapid improvement and cultivation of anti-aircraft artillery begins. The appearance of low-fat aircraft demanded tools with such a pointing speed and rapidity, which can be achieved only in the automatic system of small caliber. To defeat strategic bomber flying at high altitudes, it took artillery with such an inception in height and with such a powerful shell that could only be achieved in large-caliber guns. So, in addition to the former secondary gallerine anti-aircraft artillery, small and large caliber artillery occurs.

Even during the war years, there was an idea that combat missions of small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery can be solved by guns of two calibers - 20 mm and 37-40-mm. And at the turn of the 20s and 30s, several dozens of prototypes of the instruments of these calibers are created in different countries. 20-mm guns were characterized by a tempo of the machine (the largest number of shots per minute allowed by the device's device) - 250-300 shots per minute and weighing in a margin of 700-800 kg. For 37-40-mm guns, the tempo of the machine gun was 120-160 shots per minute, and the weight is 2500-3000 kg. The guns were shot by fragantic tracing and armor-piercing shells, were highly shaped and could be applied to reflect the attacks of the enemy's armored forces.

In the years between the two wars, work continued both above the weapons of the secondary-caliper anti-aircraft artillery. At the best 75-76-mm guns of this period, reaching in height accounted for about 9500 m, and rapidity - up to 20 shots per minute. In this class, a desire to increase the calibers to 80 was manifested; 83.5; 85; 88 and 90 mm. The reach of these guns in height increased to 10-11 thousand m. The guns of the last three calibers were the main tools for the secondary-caliper anti-aircraft artillery of the USSR. Germany and the United States during the Second World War. All of them were intended for use in combat order of troops, were relatively light, maneuverable, quickly made to battle and shot fragmentation grenades with remote fuses.

England and France became the first countries that were used in the first world war for the anti-air defense of their capitals heavy field weapons, adapted for shooting on airships and airplanes. In France, these were 105-mm, and in England - 4-inch (101.6-mm) guns. So the calibers of the guns, called in the anti-aircraft artillery large, were predetermined. By the end of war in France and Germany, special 105-mm anti-aircraft guns appeared. In the 1930s, new 105-mm anti-aircraft guns were created in France, in the US, Sweden and Japan, and 102-mm in England and Italy. The maximum reach of the best of 105-mm implements of this period is 12 thousand m, the elevation angle is. 80 °, rapidity - up to 15 shots per minute. It is on the guns of large-caliber anti-aircraft artillery for the first time the power electric motors for the tip and a complex energy service, which posted the beginning of electrification of anti-aircraft guns.

The initial speed of the projectile is the most important ballistic characteristics of the gun - predetermines the speed of delivery of the projectile to the target. And all the development of anti-aircraft artillery passed under the sign of a steady increase in the initial speed. You can do this in two ways: increasing the weight of the powder charge and reduce the weight of the projectile. The first path leads to a rapid focus of the stem walls, the second is effective in limited limits. That is why ultimately the initial speed increased much slower than we would like to zenitchikov. In the 1930s, a speed of 800-820 m / s are typical for anti-aircraft guns, but even these relatively moderate speeds managed to achieve only because the prefabricated trunks appeared, which allowed the items that served. In some structures, the inner tube was replaced by the whole entirely, in others - only the most worried part of it. The physico-chemical method of reducing the trunk of the trunk was found later.

As far as the anti-aircraft guns are perfect by themselves, the battery success is unthinkable without a device instantly producing installations for firing. By the end of the 20s, some foreign firms created samples of such instruments for controlling artillery anti-aircraft fire - Poazo, which were attached to every anti-aircraft battery. The creation of PUAZO and automatic sights, stereoscopic rangefinders, synchronous transmissions and telephone in-scale communication was completed by the development of all material and technical elements of anti-aircraft batteries typical of the beginning of World War II.

In this war, the Soviet Union entered into three types of modern anti-aircraft guns.

1. 85 mm Anti-aircraft gun arr. 1939 Digging a shell of 9.2 kg with an initial speed of 800 m / s, with extremely reaching at an altitude of 10500 m and speed-fire up to 20 shots per minute, this gun was the best among the weapons of the middle-caliper artillery of those years. Next German 88-mm anti-aircraft gun arr. 36 g. I was inferior in the weighing of the projectile, it was heavier in a marching position and demanded more time to transfer to a combat position.

2. 37 mm Automatic anti-aircraft gun arr. 1939 Digging a shell of 0.732 kg with an initial speed of 900 m / s, this gun could fire for targets moving at a speed of up to 140 m / s. The tempo of the machine - 180 shots per minute. The 37-mm anti-aircraft gun arrived in service with the German army. 36 g. I went out in significant indicators, the weight of the projectile of it is 0.635 kg, the initial speed is 820 m / s, the pace of the machine - 160 shots per minute.

3. 25 mm Automatic anti-aircraft gun arr. 1940. The weight of the projectile is 0.288 kg, the initial speed is 910 m s, the rate of the machine - 250 shots per minute, weight in combat and marginal positions - 1200 kg. The corresponding indicators of the German 20-mm anti-aircraft gun arr. 38 g. - 0.115 kg; 900 m / s; 430 shots per minute; 750 kg.

All Soviet anti-aircraft guns of the Great Patriotic War were more perfect and powerful than German. In artillery, the power of the gun is estimated by the coefficient representing the ratio of the kinetic energy of the projectile in a dula to Cuba Caliber. This coefficient among our zenith guns was 490, 595, 778, respectively, and in German - 453, 430, 598. And our 25-mm arr. 1940 turned out to be the first anti-aircraft gun in which the coefficient exceeded 750.

Second World War, confirming the effectiveness of existing anti-aircraft weapons, caused its further improvement. The Germans created a 37-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun arr. 43 g. With the pace of 240 shots per minute. They also appeared complex settings - Paired installations of 37-mm arrows of arr. 43 and quadrupid installations of 20-mm gears of arr. 38 g. With the total technical rapidity of 480 and 1680 shots per minute.

Combat experience has shown that the range (height) of a valid fire of 37-mm automatic anti-aircraft guns does not exceed 2500-3000 m, and 20 mm - 1000 m. In the desire to increase the range of small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery began to create automatic anti-aircraft guns of large calibers. The Germans had such a 50-mm gun of the arr. 41 at the initial speed of 840 m / s, weighing the projectile 2.19 kg and the pace of 130 shots per minute. Later out literary sources Work became known, not communicated to the end in Germany over 55 mm caliber (1000 m / s, 2.2 kg, 130 shots per minute) and in Sweden over 57-mm caliber (850 m / s, 3.0 kg, 120 shots per minute). Thus, the gun anti-aircraft production came closely to the invasion of automation in the region of medium calibers: the queue was the task of creating an anti-aircraft machine 75-76-mm caliber.

A serious innovation in anti-aircraft weapons was the guns of new major calibers. American 120-mm appeared (4.7 inches) and the German 128-mm anti-aircraft guns with characteristics, respectively; The initial speed is 945 m / s and 880 m / s, the weight of the projectile is 22.7 kg and 25.43 kg, rapidity - 12 and 10 shots per minute, maximum reach of height - 14 km and 12 km. These were electrified tools with power electric motors to the fuses installer, the rate and to each mechanism of guidance. The four-refinery batteries of 120-mm American cannons were serviced by an electric generator with a capacity of 60 kW, and the German 128-mm is 48 kW.

In American 120-mm cannons, management of all electric motors was automatic remote from Poise. So the modern anti-aircraft gun was the fruit of the creative Commonwealth of german engineers and electrical engineers and hydraulic machines and devices.

Later, the studies of the Germans in the field of creating an anti-aircraft gun of a caliber of 240 mM with an initial velocity of 1020 m / s were known with an initial rate of 1020 m / s, the weight of 205 kg, the speed-strinstness of 8 shots per minute and maximum reach at an altitude of 36 km. Since in the land anti-aircraft guns, the electric motor came, in essence, the technical obstacles disappeared to create such an instrument, if it had a need.

During World War II, a new frontier was determined in increasing the initial rates of anti-aircraft guns. In the US, a 120-mm anti-aircraft gun was adopted at an initial rate of 945 m / s, and in Germany - 88 mm arr. 41, with an initial speed of 1000 m / s, the weight of the projectile is 9.4 kg and the maximum reach at a height of 15 thousand m. At the same time, the Germans conducted work on the creation of other anti-aircraft guns at the same initial speed.

During the war, we have begun and soon after it completed the creation of three new anti-aircraft large automatic systems. These were complexes with modern powerful 57-mm automatic, 100 mm and 130 mm anti-aircraft guns. The latter overlap the height of over 20 km.

However, how powerful were boring anti-aircraft complexes, Only with their help can not be solved by all the modern tasks of the fight against the air enemy. The low probability of lesion of modern air targets, especially flying at large altitudes, caused the emergence of anti-aircraft controlled reactive shells.