hello I am new here and I am very interested in ww2. I thought it would be usefull to learn somethings about tanks and armor but I have a few (probably stupid)questions... 1) what does this mean? Armor (max.): 35 mm 2)I read that some tanks have a detonating charge how does this work? 3) what is a Flak? and what is a Pak that is all I hope someone can help me because I would really like to now that.
1: Armor is a defensive covering, as of metal, wood, or leather, worn to protect the body against weapons. With WW2 era-tanks, this armor will almost always be steel. "35 mm" refers to its thickness. 2: Some tanks might have "reactive armor" (ERA). http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/2005470.asp 3: "FlaK" is short for Flugabwehrkanone, which means "Anti Aircraft Gun." "Pak" is short for (AFAIK) "Panzer-kanone" (this is probably wrong) but it does refer to Anti-Tank guns in general, such as seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PaK
Welcome to the forum, Vassili. I will have to correct Panzerman on his abbreviations just so that you don't get the wrong idea. Flak means "Flugzeugabwehrkanone", anti-aircraft gun in German. The word has become common in English as well. Pak means "Panzerabwehrkanone", anti-tank gun in German.
Hi Vassilli, and welcome! I'm not sure quite what is being referred to. Could you possibly write out the sentance that this appears in?
after a long (but fun) seach throug german tanks I found this one... Sonderschleper B IV SdKfz 301 Armament: 500 kg detonating charge Crew: 1 Armor (max.): - Speed (max.): 38 - 40 km/hr Dimensions: ??? Weight: 4.9 ton how does the detonating charge work?
now I remember what FLAK was I am sure i read it somewhere but I couldn't remember... thanks for the help guys
You are speaking, I believe, of the SdKfz 301 Borgward B IV heavy remote-control demolition layer. Here is a picture of it, next to a Pzkfwg V Panther. And here, a rather large image: http://www.afvnews.ca/-media/sd301ab.gif From the site Afvnews.ca: Directly after the Polish campaign, the German Army recognized the need for remotely controlled vehicles to clear gaps in minefields. Borgward was given a contract on 21 Nov/39 to develop their "B1", a fully tracked, radio controlled vehicle weighing 1.5 tons with a 4 cyl engine that could be used to tow mine detonating rollers. A total of 50 of these Minenraumwagen (SdKfz 300) were produced between Jan. and May 1940. Borgward was issued a second contract on 3 Apr/40 to develop the "B2", a slightly larger vehicle of 2.3 tons with a 49hp engine. The first unit to be issued the B2 was Minenraum Abteilung 1, formed in 1940 with 2 companies. However, it does not appear that it saw action in France or in the East. In Oct./41 Borgward got another contract to design a radio controlled vehicle that could carry an explosive charge of 500 kg. Known as the B IV, it was officially designated by the Waffen amt as the Sprengladungstrager (SdKfz 301). It weighed 3.5 tons and was powered by a 6 cyl, 49hp engine. Twelve trial vehicles were completed by Apr./42 and full production began in May/42. Minenraum Abt. 1 was reorganized and designated Pz.Abt. (Funklenk) 300. The unit now consisted of 3 companies with an official organization published in KStN 1171f, dated Jan.1/43 as follows: The article was written by Thomas L. Jentz, so I believe it is undeniably accurate. http://www.afvnews.ca/zimmerit.html Scroll downwards to find it.
'Flugzeug' is aircraft. Besides, German nomenclature isn't logical. Therefore, you must always have an example if you have to state a name.
As mentioned above - there is no logic in German nomenclature. Flugabwehrkanone is mentioned in H.Dv.481/541 as part of the name 8,8 cm Flugabwehrkanone 18 (8,8 cm Flak 18) and 8,8 cm Flugabwehrkanone 36 (8,8 cm Flak 36).
