- Yes
- No
I would like to suggest this oddball of a field / workshop modification, a Pz IV Ausf.H (or F) where the superstructure was taken off and a elevated 8,8 cm Flak 36 L/56 was placed on it.
In game it would be similar to the 12 cm Chi Ha LG, however with a higher fire rate and less armor, the whole crew would be exposed, including driver and possible radio crew member.
The history is pretty much unknown of this specific vehicle, however it appears that at least 2 were build, one captured in the Netherlands and the other (on the pictures) at the Pilsen Airfield in Czechoslovakia.
While there are a couple of pictures of it, it doesn’t really show the whole of it, as it appears to have been already scavenged or in the process, because lots of parts were missing, such as the right track, muffler, tools. It could also have had a gunshield before, which would offer some protection.
Where the ammo is stored is also not clear, it could have been stored instead of the Radiomen in the hull to the right, overall that doesn’t affect the possibility, as like the Chi Ha LG, Gaijin could take some artistic freedom for the ammo storage, as well as with the Ammo crate it will certainly be enough.
As written above it is simply a Pz IV Ausf.H, where the Turret and superstructure (except Engine compartment) was removed and a Flak 36 placed in the middle, creating a mobile AA/AT platform. Unlike the dedicated platform VFW this does not have a workspace platform/walls extension and by the pictures less protection. A makeshift travel lock was fixed to the back hull.
History of the Gun:
The 8,8 cm Flak 36 was a prewar development, for the Heer, Luftwaffe and Marine, based on the Flak 16, which in return was developed on the earlier already in WW1 used 8,8 cm SK L/45 gun, which also found its way on the Benz Gaggenau Typ 5 Plattformwagen mit 8,8 cm SK L/45.
While the L/45 was still used in limited numbers at the start of the war, the L/56 would take on the roll of a legendary Dual Purpose gun.
Development started by German developers, at the Swedish company Bofors, to be outside of the Versailles treaty. The Company Krupp AG, bought parts of Bofors in the late 1920s. Where at first the 7,5 cm Flak L/60 was created, which would be used in low numbers by Germany, but would split in 2 directions, upscaled to the 8,8 cm Flak L/56 and with longer barrel as the 7,5 cm KwK 42 L/70.
Though the L/60 gun found interest with the Swedes, Japanese, Spanish and more in one form or another.
The 8,8 cm Flak as found in game has a wide array of ammo (actually more than in game, including the ammo of the Tiger I E, as well as more AA rounds, such as the 8,8 cm Br.Schrap.Gr. for 8,8 cm Flak 37 L/56.
The Pz IV was one of the main tanks of the German army, in production from before till the end of the war, it found itself in a wide array of different forms, armaments and platforms and rolls.
The Gun:
8,8 cm Flak 36 L/56
-3° to +85°, 360° traverse.
4-5 sec reload, unknown ammo amount.
Ammo Types: Apcbc, Apcr, He, Heat (Click to show)
Ap:
Pzgr. (Apcbc) 9,5 kg 160g Fp.02 and Np.10 (215,04g) 810 m/s 154mm/10m
Pzgr.39 (Apcbc) 10,2 kg 64g Fp.02 and Np.10 (108,8g) 773m/s 165mm/10m
Pzgr.40 (Apcr) 7,3 kg 35x140mm 1,93 kg core 930m/s 211mm/10m
Gr.39 Hl (Heat) 7,64 kg 650g H.10 (1,1kg) 600 m/s 110mm/all
He:
Sprgr. L/4,5 (He-TF (No Tracer)) 9 kg 900g Fp.02 and Np.10 820m/s 18mm/10m 13mm/all
Br.Schr.Gr. (Shrapnell Incendary-TF (No Tracer)) 9kg Filler see inside Spoiler 820m/s
Expelling Charge: 56g Smokeless powder
Bursting Charge: 114g Amatol
Incendiary Pellets: 72x of 30mm x 15mm
Made of Barium Nitrate, Magnesium Alloy, Aluminium Alloy, Acid Insoluble
The Vehicle:
Pz IV Ausf.H Hull
Armor: 80/30/20mm / Front/Side/back (50mm front if Ausf.F)
Crew:5 (Driver, 4 gun crew, like in game)
Speed: 38 km/h or more, duo to weight loss
Engine: 300 Ps / 3000 RPM HL120TRM
Source:
Panzer Wrecks Lee Archer and William Auerbach
Munition der 8,8 cm Flak
W127 Dokumentation der Heeres- Waffen, Gerät und Fahrzeuge
Pictures from the internet and EBay