2 cm L.112.5 Flak 38 Anti-Aircraft Gun

2 cm L.112.5 FlaK 38 of the German Wehrmacht.

The 2 cm Flak 38 was developed from the earlier FlaK 30 which had seen service in the Spanish Civil War. FlaK 38 fired 420 rounds per minute, compared to only 280 rounds for the FlaK 30. The increased rate of fire made a difference in anti-aircraft fire where a low-flying target could only be engaged for a brief moment. The weapon shown here is a single-barreled version of the FlaK 38, which was also available as a FlaK-Zwilling with two barrels, and a FlaK-Vierling with four barrels. The resin model has been sprayed RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb, using Humbrol 94 with 30 % white added. The camouflage pattern of »Red Brown RAL 8017«, and »Olive Green RAL 6003« was painted on afterwards, again using 30 % white for aerial perspective. The FlaK 38 is being towed by an Opel Blitz truck. In an emergency, the weapon could be fired from its u-shaped trailer, although it took only seconds to pull the locking pin and let the gun platform slide onto the ground.

Apparently, there are pictures of the FlaK 38 on a low carriage for use as an anti-tank gun by Volkssturm militia units. It is very likely that this gun had substantial anti-tank capabilities or at least stocks of good ammunition to commend it for that role. A gun of this type can be seen in the film "Private Ryan". The FlaK 38 gun was also popular during the early Russian campaign for firing at Soviet T-26 and B.T. tanks. There are photos of Sd.Kfz. 221 light armoured cars mounting this weapon, instead of the light machine gun they had previously been armed with exclusively.

  • 2 cm FlaK 38
    • 2 cm FlaK 38 with Sd.Ah. 51 trailer, 1:35 Tamiya 377
    • 2 cm FlaK 38, 1:72 Fine Scale Factory WZ27
    • 2 cm FlaK 38 with brass barrel, 1:72 Fine Scale Factory WZ41
    • 2 cm FlaK 38 with Sd.Ah. 51 trailer, 1:72 Armo 72072
    • 2 cm FlaK 38 with Kfz. 69 AU/Horch V8-108, 1:72 Mars 7242
    • 2 cm FlaK 38, 1:76 Nitto
    • 2 cm FlaK 38, 1:76 MMS G3
    • 2 cm FlaK 38, 1:76 Milicast G112x
    • 2 cm FlaK 38 with Sd.Ah. 51 trailer, 1:76 Milicast G112
    • 2 cm FlaK 38 with Sd.Ah. 51 & Kfz. 69 Horch, 1:76 Milicast G117
    • 2 cm FlaK 38 with Sd.Ah. 51 & Kfz. 70 Horch, 1:76 Milicast G244
    • 2 cm FlaK 38, 1:87 Trident 80186
    • 2 cm FlaK 38, 1:87 Schatton 8712
    • 2 cm FlaK 38, 15 mm Forged in Battle G-85
    • 2 cm FlaK 38 on Sd.Ah. 51 trailer, 1:285 GHQ G96
  • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38
    • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38 with Brass Barrels 1:72 Schatton 7233
    • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38 with Sd.Ah. 52 trailer 1:72 Armo 72073
    • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38, 1:76 MMS Models G11
    • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38 with Sd.Ah. 52 trailer, 1:72 ESCI 8612
    • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38 with Sd.Ah. 52 trailer, 1:76 Milicast G186
    • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38 with Sd.Ah. 52 & Opel Blitz, 1:76 Milicast G233
    • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38 with Sd.Ah. 52 & Opel Maultier, 1:76 Milicast G236
    • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38 with Sd.Ah. 52, 1:87 Wespe Models 87100
    • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38, 15 mm Forged in Battle G-86
    • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38 with Sd.Ah. 52 trailer, 1:285 GHQ G123
  • Upgrade Sets
    • 2 cm Flak 38 Brass Barrels, 1:72 Micro RealistiXX
    • 2 cm Flak/KWK 38 Brass Barrels for ESCI, Hasegawa, Revell, Flak-Vierling, Sd.Kfz. 222, Sd.Kfz. 140/1, Sd.Kfz. 250/9, Sd.Kfz. 250/1, Sd.Kfz. 250/3, Sd.Kfz. 231, Sd.Kfz. 232, Sd.Kfz. 234/1, Sd.Kfz. 251/17, Sd.Kfz. 251/23, Möbelwagen, Wirbelwind, Luchs, 1:72 Schatton 7201

Self-Propelled Mountings

  • Kfz. 81 leichter FlaK-Kraftwagen (Horch)
    • 1:76 MMS 939
  • 2 cm FlaK 38 auf Sfl. Opel Blitz
    • 1:76 Milicast G115, (teilw. gep., 1941) with ammo trailer
  • 2 cm FlaK 38 auf Sfl. Opel Maultier
    • 1:35 Tamiya 380
  • 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38 auf Sfl. Opel Blitz
    • 1:72 ESCI 8366
    • 1:72 CDC 3176, Grau
    • 1:72 CDC 3178, Dunkelgelb
    • 1:72 CDC 3177, 3-Farb Tarn
    • 1:76 Milicast G139
    • 1:76 Milicast G234, (teilw. gep., 1941) with ammo trailer
  • Sd.Kfz. 10/4, 2 cm FlaK 38 auf Sfl. l.Zugkraftwagen 1 t
    • 1:87 Trident 80178
  • Sd.Kfz. 10/5, 2 cm FlaK 38 auf Sfl. l.Zugkraftwagen 1 t
    • 1:35 Tamiya 371
    • 1:76 Milicast G179, with ammunition trailer,
    • 1:76 Milicast G179A, armoured, with ammunition trailer
  • 2 cm Flak 38 auf Sfl. l.Zgkw. 3 t (Sd.Kfz. 11)
    • 1:72 Modell-Trans 72016
  • Sd.Kfz. 7/1, 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38 auf Sfl. m.Zugkraftwagen 8 t
    • 1:72 Atlantic 611
    • 1:72 Hasegawa MT14
    • 1:76 Milicast G197, with ammunition trailer
    • 1:76 Milicast G198, armoured, with ammunition trailer
    • 1:285 GHQ G95
  • 2 cm FlaK 38 auf Sfl. sWS (Gerät 71)
    • 1:76 Milicast G256, with ammunition trailer
    • 1:87 Roco 128
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/17, 2 cm FlaK 38 auf m.Schützenpanzerwagen
    • 1:72 Fine Scale Factory WZ24
    • 1:76 Milicast G171, Ausf. D
    • 1:87 Trident 90189
    • 1:285 GHQ G127, Ausf. C
  • Sd.Kfz. 221, leichter Panzerspähwagen mit 2 cm L.112.5 FlaK 30/38
    •  
  • Sd.Kfz. 234/- (1944), 2 cm FlaK-Vierling 38 auf Sfl. s.Panzerspähwagen (8-rad)
    • 1:76 Milicast G97
  • FlaK.Pz. I, Sd.Kfz. 101, 2 cm FlaK 38
    • 1:76 Milicast G111, Ausf. A (1941)
    • 1:76 Milicast G111, Ausf. B with ammunition trailer
  • FlaK.Pz. 38 (t) M, Sd.Kfz. 140 (Hetzer) 2 cm FlaK 38
    • 1:76 Milicast G113
    • 1:76 Ostmodels G3
    • 1:285 GHQ G60
  • FlaK.Pz. IV/20 (Wirbelwind)
    • 1:72 ESCI
    • 1:72 CDC 3200, Panzergrau
    • 1:72 CDC 3202, 2-Farb Tarn
    • 1:72 Matchbox DYM37582 (CDC 3201), 3-Farb Tarn
    • 1:76 Milicast G157, with Zimmerit
    • 1:285 GHQ G45
  • FlaK.Pz. IV/20 (Möbelwagen)
    • 1:76 Milicast G228, with Zimmerit
  • Landungsfähre Führungsboot mit 2 cm FlaK 38
    • 1:72 MGM 60/09

Accessories

  • FlaK 30 & FlaK 38 Crew (5 figures, 1941–45), 1:76 Milicast FIG3
  • Brass barrels (set of 4), 1:72 Micro RealistiXX
  • Brass barrels (set of 4), 1:87 Micro RealistiXX

Technical Specifications

  • Calibre: 20 mm
  • Barrel Length: L.112.5 (2252 mm)
  • Weight: 1520 kg
  • Elevation: -10° to +90°
  • Traverse: 360°
  • Rate of Fire: 420 rounds per barrel per minute
  • Ammunition: H.E./I high-explosive incendiary
  • Ammunition Weight: 120 g per round
  • Muzzle Velocity: 900 m/sec
  • Ceiling: 2000 m
  • Armour Penetration at 0-100 m:
    • 49 mm using Panzergranate (A.P.H.E.)
    • 57 mm using Panzergranate 39 (A.P.)
    • 81 mm using Panzergranate 39-1 (A.P.)
    • 106 mm using Panzergranate 40 (A.P.C.R.)

Bibliography

Historical Employment

  • German Army, April 1939 – May 1945

Related Films

  • Private Ryan, an award-winning war film directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Matt Damen, and Tom Sizemore. A single-barreled anti-tank gun conversion of the 2 cm L.112.5 FlaK 38 can be seen in the street-fighting scene near the bridge. The gun is mounted on a low anti-tank gun carriage with spoked wheels.

Museum Exhibits

The German 2 cm FlaK 38 was a reliable and accurate anti-aircraft gun which doubled as an anti-tank weapon in emergency situations. There are several scale models of the FlaK 38, including the many self-propelled versions which appeared in the course of the war.

German Miniatures of World-War Two