Wirbelwind

Infobox Weapon|is_vehicle=yes
name=Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"


caption="Wirbelwind" at CFB Borden
origin=Nazi Germany
type=Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun
crew=5
length= 5.89 m (19.32 ft)
width= 2.88 m (9.44 ft)
height= 2.76 m (9 ft)
weight= 22 tonnes (48,501 lbs)
armour= 10 - 80 mm (.39 - 3.14 in)
primary_armament= 4x2 cm FlaK 38 cannons in Flakvierling 38 L/112.5 mount with 3,200 rounds
secondary_armament=1x7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34 with 1,350 rounds
engine=12-cylinder Maybach HL 120 TRM
engine_power= 272 hp (202.83 kW)
suspension=leaf spring
speed= 40 km/h (25 mph)
pw_ratio= 12.36 hp/tonne
vehicle_range= 200 km (124 mi)

The Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" (Whirlwind in German) was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the Panzer IV tank. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier self-propelled anti-aircraft gun Möbelwagen.

In the first years of the war, the Wehrmacht had less interest in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, but as the allies developed air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns increased.

The Panzer IV's turret was removed and replaced with an open-top, nine-sided turret which housed a quadruple 2 cm Flakvierling 38 L/112.5. A closed-top design would have been preferable, but this was not possible due to the heavy smoke generated by the four anti-aircraft guns. Production of the tank was carried out by Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia.

As the 2 cm shells used proved less effective against aircraft than the 3.7 cm shells the Wirbelwind was eventually replaced by the Ostwind which was equipped with a single 3.7 cm FlaK 43. [http://www.achtungpanzer.com/flak4.htm]

The armor and rapid fire from the four guns of the Wirbelwind was also very effective against infantry. One Wirbelwind could take out large numbers of enemy infantry.

It is believed that either 87 or 105 Wirbelwinds were produced during the war, but due to discrepancies between the recorded production numbers at Ostbau Werke and Wehrmacht service records, the exact number will probably never be known. In any case, there were too few of them to have any major influence on the war.

External links

* [http://www.panzerworld.net/flakpanzeriv.html Panzerworld Wirbelwind specifications]
* [http://www.achtungpanzer.com/flak4.htm Achtung Panzer article on Flakpanzer IV]
* [http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzer_IV_variants.pdf Surviving Panzer IV variants] - A PDF file presenting surviving Panzer IV variants