Excelent edition
The Germans produced an incredible number of light Fliegerabwehrkanone or "Flak" guns to protect their troops in the field. Light Flak typically consisted of 20mm towed cannons that could be set up quickly around troop and armoured groups for anti-aricraft protection. These guns were light, fast firing and quite effective against aircraft at low altitudes. They eventually were found all throughout the German held countries to provide protection for railroads, bridges, towns, important cross-roads and anywhere the Germans felt they needed protection. They made it quite dangerous to fly low over certain areas, such as coast lines in a slow bomber, as they would fire at almost anything flying in their area.
The 20mm Flak guns were served by four men and were typically towed behind a vehicle. Some were set up in Flak wagons and light tank body. Designed by Rheinmetall, the 2.0cm Flak 30 initially entered production for the Kriegsmarine in 1934 and was not accepted for service by the Luftwaffe until 1935. The Flak 30 design was that of an oversized machine gun that operated with an open bolt - it was in fact a direct descendant of the MG-30. Ammunition was fed by box magazine, and the gun's two triggers allowed the crew to fire the gun in single shot or full-automatic mode.
Flak 30 had seen service in the Spanish Civil War. The 2.0cm Flak 38 was developed as a result of the German experience in the Polish Campaign. While the 2.0cm Flak 30 had performed adequately in ground attack and air-defense roles, it was thought to have too poor rate of fire for continued frontline service. Minor changes to the bolt mechanism and spring return of the Flak 30 resulted in the Flak 38 and a much increased rate of fire: the Flak 38 had a cyclic rate of fire of 420-480 rounds per minute, and an effective rate of fire of 180-220 rounds per minute. The Flak 38 also used the same two-wheel trailer as the Flak 30 for increased mobility. The Flak 38 began replacing the Flak 30 in the field in 1940, and was still robust enough to be found in action in great numbers at the end of the war. The weapon presented here is a single-barreled version of the Flak 38, which was also available as a Flak-Zwilling with two barrels, and a Flak-Vierling with four barrels. The Flak 38 was been towed by various types of trucks. In an emergency, the weapon could be fired from its u-shaped trailer, although it took only seconds to pull the locking pin and let the gun platform slide onto the ground. Apparently, there are pictures of the Flak 38 on a low carriage for use as an anti-tank gun. It is very likely that this gun had substantial anti-tank capabilities or at least stocks of good ammunition to commend it for that role. The Flak 38 gun was also popular during the early Russian campaign for firing at Soviet T-26 and BT tanks.
