8.8cm M1917 K-Flak

[David]

By 1916 the firms of Krupp and Ehrhardt-Rheinmetall were given contracts to develop mobile heavy anti-aircraft guns for army use. Both firms fielded prototypes in the spring of 1917. Krupp sold the Army 3 versions; 8cm, 8.8cm, and 10.5cm, while Rheinmetall built only in 8,8cm. (This piece was developed from what was originally a Naval weapon: the Krupp M1913 8,8cm SK L/45.)

Their official normenclature was 8.8cm K-Flak. (Only six 10.5cm pieces were made.) Some 78 of the Krupp 8cm versions were fielded, while more than 100 of the 8.8cm guns left the Krupp factories. The Ehrhardt records suffered destruction during WW2 bombings, but it is thought Rheinmetall produced some 60 examples of the 8.8cm gun. The two guns differed cosmetically, but both designs were pedestal mounted on 4-wheeled trailers, and pulled by Tractors - hence the name: K-Flak, K standing for Kraftwagen, i.e. Motorcar. Most historians today credit Krupp with development of the 88 Flak18 of WW2 Fame, but if you examine photos of the two WW1 pieces, you will find that the Rheinmetall version more closely resembles the WW2 gun.

The closest photo above shows the Rheinmetall 8.8cm version. Note these were left behind after the armistice in Metz. It is intirely possible that these are the guns depicted in the book "Fritz", as the author finished the war assigned to the air defense of this fortress city, and his batterie used the Rheinmetall guns. The AEF did not "capture" them as claimed.

The technical data of the gun was as follows:
Muzzle velocity: 718 m/sec
Maximum Vertical Range: 6263 meters
Maximum Elevation: +70˚
Azimuth: 360˚
The gun below can be seen in the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, in Maryland, USA.