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The 2cm Flak 38 and its four barrelled version the Flakvierling 38 were the most numerous German anti-aircraft guns of the Second World War, and an effective weapon against low flying Allied aircraft. This book provides an impressive selection of photographs of these two weapons, almost all taken from soldier’s private collections rather than from official photographs. As a result the vast majority of these pictures are unfamiliar, and they tend to give a more realistic view of how these guns were used than the official photographs.
We start with a brief historical introduction to these weapons, looking at why they were developed, giving a brief description of them, the ammo they fired, and the crew needed to operate them. This only takes up a few pages at the start of the book, but provides an invaluable context to the pictures that follow.
We then move onto the pictures, starting with 2cm Flak 38 and finishing with the Flakvierling 38. The range of pictures is very impressive, covering just about every theatre these guns were used in, and a wide range of settings. We see guns located in purpose-built concrete gun pits, with storage built into the walls, on top of Flak towers, in dirt pits and even in exposed positions on open fields.
One key strength of the book is the excellent captions. In most cases we are told where and when the picture was taken, and are then pointed to key details in the picture. In many cases these are things I wouldn’t have noticed – particular bits of the gun that are clearly visible, unusual selections of equipment, even if the crew look experienced. Just the pictures would have made the book valuable for modellers, but the quality of the captions gives it value to a wider audience interested in the wider history of the war, showing how one particular weapon system was used.
Author: Alan Ranger
Edition: Paperback
Pages: 72
Publisher: MMP
Year: 2023