What is flak ammunition?

Flak is a contraction of German Flugabwehrkanone (also referred to as Fliegerabwehrkanone) meaning “aircraft-defense cannon”, the original purpose of the weapon. This gun served as the main armament of the Tiger I heavy tank.

Why is flak called flak?

Flak can refer to criticism — or worse, explosive shells from an antiaircraft weapon. Flak came into English as an abbreviation for the German word Fliegerabwehrkanone, meaning ‘aircraft-defense gun. ‘ (Yikes! No wonder they abbreviated it.)

Can flak jacket stop bullet?

Although flak jackets offered some basic protection against small caliber bullets and shell fragments (which was valued by their users), ultimately they proved to be less effective than hoped. Nevertheless, it did a good job of stopping shell blasts, rocket fragments, and slow speed bullets fired at a moderate range.

Are flak jackets bulletproof?

Contrary to popular belief, flak jackets are not interchangeable with bulletproof vests. Flak jackets were never designed or developed to provide protection against gunfire, though some can sustain the velocity of a bullet depending on the specific body armor and weapon.

How does flak work?

Flak, or Fliegerabwehrkanone, works by arming artillery class cannons for the use of Anti-Air duties. Flak as we know it ( the exploding ordinance variety ) works by using fuses. One may use a timed fuse in the shell. After so many seconds, the shell would detonate like a times bomb.

How did flak guns work in WW2?

When the flak batteries pinpointed an aircraft the guns were fired in salvos designed to burst in a sphere of 60 yards in diameter in which it was hoped to entrap the target. Each gun, usually of 88mm caliber, could project a shell to 20,000ft and could knock out an aircraft within 30 yards of the shell burst.

How many shells does a flak gun fire per minute?

Automatic fuze setters were used as an 88 could fire 15-20 shells per minute and even the 128mm could manage 12 per minute. When I say ‘sheer firepower’, in January 1944 20,625 flak guns were protecting the Reich, and even a German Flak officer estimated 4,000 x 88mm shells were needed to down one bomber.

What is the black smoke coming out of the shells?

Exiting that black smoke is the invisible shrapnel that will hit the aircraft. While smaller shells without fuzes will need to actually hit the aircraft to damage it, most all other AAA will have some type of fuzing. Thus the shell does not have to hit the aircraft – just be relatively close.