Original Item: Only One Available. This round is totally inert and deactivated following guidelines provided by the ATF. This example is offered in excellent condition with original markings. Not Available for Export.

The 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41 is a German 88 mm anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun from World War II. It was widely used by Germany throughout the war, and was one of the most recognized German weapons of that conflict. Development of the original model led to a wide variety of guns. This example is one of the variants used aboard the Tiger I heavy tank. The bottom of the brass casing is heavily worn but is stamped …50 1936. The side of the fuze is stamped:

AZ23/28
44 cjg

This indicates 1944 manufacture by Bartelmuss und Suchy, Bielitz / Oberschlesien. The other side of the fuze has a screw with three positions, meant to be turned toward the desired setting. The three positions are marked as M, 0, and V0.1.

The yellow-painted projectile has III painted on one side. The projectile is stamped with several markings on the body under the yellow paint, such as 13 Ha. 5 42 and FFS. The driving band is stamped with VAARATON, but we are unsure of the meaning of these markings. 

The casing measures 22½” tall on its own, and with the projectile inserted, it measures roughly 36½” tall. The casing has heavy denting as shown.

The name FlaK 88 applies to a series of related guns, the first one officially called the 8.8 cm Flak 18, the improved 8.8 cm Flak 36, and later the 8.8 cm Flak 37. Flak is a contraction of German Flugzeugabwehrkanone meaning "aircraft-defense cannon", the original purpose of the weapon. In English, "flak" became a generic term for ground anti-aircraft fire. In informal use, the guns were universally known as the Acht-acht ("eight-eight") by Germans and the "eighty-eight" by the Allies.

The versatile carriage allowed the 8.8 cm FlaK to be fired in a limited anti-tank mode when still on its wheels; it could be completely emplaced in only two and a half minutes. Its successful use as an improvised anti-tank gun led to the development of a tank gun based upon it: the 8.8 cm KwK 36, with the "KwK" abbreviation standing for Kampfwagen-Kanone (literally "battle vehicle cannon", or "fighting vehicle cannon"), meant to be placed in a gun turret as the tank's primary armament. This gun served as the main armament of the Tiger I heavy tank.

In addition to these Krupp designs, Rheinmetall later created a more powerful anti-aircraft gun, the 8.8 cm Flak 41, which was produced in relatively small numbers. Krupp responded with another prototype of the long-barreled 8.8 cm gun, which was further developed into the anti-tank and tank destroyer 8.8 cm PaK 43 gun used for the Elefant and Jagdpanther, and turret-mounted 8.8 cm KwK 43 heavy tank gun of the Tiger II.

This would be perfect for any WWII ordnance collection. Ready to add to your collection and display!