Flakpanzer IV “Whirlwind”, DE, WWII

The Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" was one of the first specialized mobile anti-aircraft solutions of the German Wehrmacht in World War II. It was based on the chassis of the Panzer IV and was equipped with a 2-cm Flakvierling 38 in an open, rotating ten-sided turret . This high rate of fire made it particularly effective against Allied low-flying aircraft and could also fire on infantry and lightly armored vehicles.

The "Wirbelwind" was developed to provide Panzer divisions with better protection against enemy air attacks. However, the relatively low penetration power of the 2 cm guns meant that from 1945 onwards it was replaced by the Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind" with a more powerful 3.7 cm anti-aircraft gun.

Application areas:

• Western Front: Defense against Allied low-flying aircraft after the invasion of Normandy.
• Eastern Front: Protection of German tank units against Soviet attack aircraft.
• Protection of strategic positions: Stationary use in rear areas for air defense.

For which country:

• Germany

Classification:

• special vehicles

Possible uses in tabletop games:

• Bolt Action: Ideal for scenarios with Allied air strikes.
• Flames of War: A valuable addition to anti-aircraft defense in armored divisions.
• Chain of Command: Effective for defense scenarios against air support.

Technical data:

• Crew: 5 (commander, driver, gunner, 2 loaders)
• Length: 5.92 m
• Width: 2.88 m
• Height: 2.76 m
• Weight: 22.5 tons
• Armor:
  • Front: 50 mm
  • Pages: 30 mm
• Armament:
  • Main armament: 2-cm Flakvierling 38 (quadruple coupled)
  • Secondary armament: 7.92 mm MG34
• Ammunition: 2-cm explosive grenades, anti-tank grenades
• Engine: Maybach HL120 TRM, 300 HP
• Speed: Up to 38 km/h