Difference between revisions of "Flakpanzer 38"

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=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
−
 
−
The Flakpanzer 38(t) has thin but highly sloped front armour that resists 7-8 mm machine bullets and even 12.7 mm machine gun rounds. The gun shield will shrug off smaller rifle-calibre rounds but not 12.7 mm bullets and larger. Like its predecessor, the [[Flakpanzer I]], it maintains a crew of two and is also hull-breakable.
 
−
 
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
  
Line 34: Line 31:
 
|15 mm
 
|15 mm
 
|10-15 mm (40°)
 
|10-15 mm (40°)
−
|8mm
+
|8 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Turret
 
|Turret
 
|7 mm ''Turret front''
 
|7 mm ''Turret front''
 
7 mm ''Gun mantlet''
 
7 mm ''Gun mantlet''
−
|0mm
+
|0 mm
−
|0mm
+
|0 mm
−
|0mm
+
|0 mm
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
The Flakpanzer 38(t) has thin but highly sloped front armour that resists 7-8 mm machine bullets and even 12.7 mm machine gun rounds. The gun shield will shrug off smaller rifle-calibre rounds but not 12.7 mm bullets and larger. Like its predecessor, the [[Flakpanzer I]], it maintains a crew of two and is also hull-breakable.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
Line 56: Line 55:
 
{{main|FlaK38 (20 mm)}}
 
{{main|FlaK38 (20 mm)}}
  
−
The gun is the same as its predecessor, the FlaK 38. It has sufficient HE shells for planes, 46 mm penetration AP-I, and 64 mm penetration APCR. The belt size is identical. Reload between clips is long. The gun can pen most things the tank encounters, barring Valentines, Matildas, B1 bis, B1 ter, and T-28E.
+
The gun is the same as its predecessor, the FlaK38. It has sufficient HE shells for planes, 46 mm penetration AP-I, and 64 mm penetration HVAP. The belt size is identical. Reload between clips is long. The gun can pen most things the tank encounters, barring Valentines, Matildas, B1 bis, B1 ter, and T-28E.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
Line 74: Line 73:
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
=== Ammunition ===
+
==== Ammunition ====
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
+
 
−
! colspan="7" |Penetration statistics
+
* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
 +
* '''Sprgr.:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
 +
* '''PzGr:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
 +
* '''PzGr.40:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="7" | Penetration statistics
 
|-
 
|-
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" |Ammunition
+
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Belts
−
! colspan="6" |'''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
+
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 
|-
 
|-
−
!10 m!!100 m!!500 m!!1,000 m!!1,500 m!!2,000 m
+
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
|-
 
|-
−
|Default||36||34||26||19||14||10
+
| Default || 36 || 34 || 26 || 19 || 14 || 10
 
|-
 
|-
−
|Sprgr.||2||2||2||2||2||2
+
| Sprgr. || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2
 
|-
 
|-
−
|PzGr||36||34||26||19||14||10
+
| PzGr || 36 || 34 || 26 || 19 || 14 || 10
 
|-
 
|-
−
|PzGr 40||64||63||26||19||14||10
+
| PzGr.40 || 64 || 63 || 26 || 19 || 14 || 10
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="10" | Belt details
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 +
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 +
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 +
|-
 +
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 +
|-
 +
| Sprgr. || HEFI-T || 900 || 0.115 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 10.2 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 +
|-
 +
| PzGr || API-T || 780 || 0.147 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
−
[[File:Ammo racks.png|thumb]]
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
<!-- [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] -->
+
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
Line 102: Line 125:
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
|54 (mags)||1 (+53)||Yes
+
| '''54''' || 1&nbsp;''(+53)'' || Yes
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 108: Line 131:
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
−
At the start of the match, you can camp around the spawn point and wait until the enemy planes show up, this is the safest way, but it's passive and not efficient in terms of getting kills. So if you are brave / skilled enough, use it as a light tank as it has 42 km/h top speed. The 20mm cannon is very deadly against any light and fast vehicles, it can finish up their crew easily when penetrated. However you must be very careful as the Flakpanzer 38 only has 2 crew, and losing one means death. Unfortunately, the gunner is the most exposed and unprotected crew and is extremely vulnerable to everything: artillery, MG fire, planes, small bombs, rockets, etc. Do whatever you can to stay alive, as this vehicle has more potential as the match progresses. Pick on those soft targets and avoid heavily armored ones to ensure effective penetration and killing.  
+
At the start of the match, you can camp around the spawn point and wait until the enemy planes show up, this is the safest way, but it's passive and not efficient in terms of getting kills. So if you are brave / skilled enough, use it as a light tank as it has 42 km/h top speed. The 20 mm cannon is very deadly against any light and fast vehicles, it can finish up their crew easily when penetrated. However you must be very careful as the Flakpanzer 38 only has 2 crew, and losing one means death. Unfortunately, the gunner is the most exposed and unprotected crew and is extremely vulnerable to everything: artillery, MG fire, planes, small bombs, rockets, etc. Do whatever you can to stay alive, as this vehicle has more potential as the match progresses. Pick on those soft targets and avoid heavily armoured ones to ensure effective penetration and killing.
  
−
When shooting planes, avoid opening fire when the plane is far away from you. This will only waste your ammo and give your position away to both the plane and the tanks. Instead you have two tactics: one is to passively wait until the plane flies close and is unaware of you, then suddenly open fire. The other tactic is a bit risky. First find a good cover so you are not likely to get shot from tanks. Then regardless of the plane's distance from you, fire some random shells at it to get their attention. Once they know you're there, a lot of pilots will turn towards you and try to kill you, knowing that SPAAs usually have weak protection. When they're flying head-on towards you, use the fast fire rate and spray a stream of shells in their path and wait for them to crash into your shells, then quickly move away to dodge the bullets. Tip: aim slightly above the plane to compensate for the shell drop, as the distance between you and the plane is usually greater than you think.  
+
When shooting planes, avoid opening fire when the plane is far away from you. This will only waste your ammo and give your position away to both the plane and the tanks. Instead you have two tactics: one is to passively wait until the plane flies close and is unaware of you, then suddenly open fire. The other tactic is a bit risky. First find a good cover so you are not likely to get shot from tanks. Then regardless of the plane's distance from you, fire some random shells at it to get their attention. Once they know you're there, a lot of pilots will turn towards you and try to kill you, knowing that SPAAs usually have weak protection. When they're flying head-on towards you, use the fast fire rate and spray a stream of shells in their path and wait for them to crash into your shells, then quickly move away to dodge the bullets. Tip: aim slightly above the plane to compensate for the shell drop, as the distance between you and the plane is usually greater than you think.
  
−
In the late stages of the match you should be even more careful, as at this time most people will take out their SPAAs, and those fast-firing guns are your biggest threat. Try and be more aware of the surrounding situations, avoid running into anyone. Use the mobility to flank and the small profile to ambush.  
+
In the late stages of the match you should be even more careful, as at this time most people will take out their SPAAs, and those fast-firing guns are your biggest threat. Try and be more aware of the surrounding situations, avoid running into anyone. Use the mobility to flank and the small profile to ambush.
  
 
=== Modules ===
 
=== Modules ===
Line 158: Line 181:
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
−
* Great penetrating cannon with PzGr 40 belt
+
* Great firepower: wonderful combination of rapid firerate, adequate velocity, 20 round mag and various belt types- Sprgr. belt is destructive against low tier aircraft, while PzGr 40 is very deadly against armoured targets (eg. [[M3A3 (Italy)|M3A3]], [[T-60]] or even the [[B1 bis]])
−
* Fast fire rate
+
* Fast turret traverse allows it to keep up with close/fast targets easily, while the great gun elevation and depression means it can fight in any terrain
−
* Fast turret traverse
+
* Small frontal profile allows it to hide behind cover or bushes easily, which mitigates against its lack of protection
−
* Great mobility
+
* Decent top speed of 42 km/h means it can get to certain positions alongside light tanks, which is great for ambushing
−
* Hull shrugs off up to 12.7 mm machine gun rounds
+
* Thin turret armour can make some shells over-penetrate, dealing little damage
 +
* Hull armour can resist 12.7 mm bullets, commonly used on US tanks like [[M13 MGMC]] and [[M8 Greyhound (Family)|M8 Greyhound]]
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Low-survivability due to two crew and hull-breakability
+
* Extremely poor survivability: only two crew protected by hull-breakable thin armour makes it easily to get destroyed- common threats include artillery strike, nearby bombs, strafing planes, MGs (eg. [[M13 MGMC|M13]], [[GAZ-AAA (DShK)|GAZ-AAA]]) and HEAT (eg. [[M8 General Scott (Family)|M8]], [[Chi-Ha (China)|Chi-Ha]])
−
* Long reload between clips is very punishing if you spray too much
+
* Rather long reload time requires strict trigger control
−
* Open-topped and vulnerable to planes using any weapon
+
* The PzGr 40 belt is mixed with low-penetrating belts, reducing its anti-tank capability as half of the shells sometimes won't be able to penetrate
−
* Best penetrating PzGr 40 belt is mixed with standard PzGr ammunition
+
* Slow reverse speed of only 6 km/h can get the player killed due to not being able to retreat from danger quickly
−
* Not a long-range SPAA
 
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
Line 183: Line 206:
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=spaa&vehicle=germ_flakpanzer_38t_Gepard Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|naeDoEwZ5Pg|'''German SPAAs''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:19 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|BawYltMDHtg|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==

Revision as of 21:08, 26 August 2020

Rank VI Israel | Premium | Golden Eagles
Merkava Mk.2D Pack
Flakpanzer 38
germ_flakpanzer_38t_gepard.png
Flakpanzer 38
Germany flag.png Germany
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
2.0 1.7 1.7
Class:
Research:2 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:2 100 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game
This page is about the German SPAA Flakpanzer 38. For other uses, see LT-38 (Family).

Description

GarageImage Flakpanzer 38.jpg


The Flakpanzer 38, 2 cm, Pz.Fgst.38 (t) Sf., officially named Flakpanzer 38(t) auf Selbstfahrlafette 38(t) Ausf M (Sd.Kfz. 140), is a rank I German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun with a battle rating of 2.0 (AB) and 1.7 (RB/SB). It is sometimes, incorrectly, referred to as the Gepard, which may lead to confusion with the unrelated Flakpanzer Gepard. It was introduced in Update 1.47 "Big Guns".

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 10 mm (65°) Front glacis

20 mm (14°) Lower glacis

15 mm 10-15 mm (40°) 8 mm
Turret 7 mm Turret front

7 mm Gun mantlet

0 mm 0 mm 0 mm

The Flakpanzer 38(t) has thin but highly sloped front armour that resists 7-8 mm machine bullets and even 12.7 mm machine gun rounds. The gun shield will shrug off smaller rifle-calibre rounds but not 12.7 mm bullets and larger. Like its predecessor, the Flakpanzer I, it maintains a crew of two and is also hull-breakable.

Mobility

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 46 7 9.8 213 286 21.73 29.18
Realistic 43 7 133 150 13.57 15.31

Top speed and power-to-weight ratio are much higher than the Flakpanzer I, topping out at 46 km/h forward, -6 km/h backwards, and a power-to-weight ratio in realistic and simulator battles of 15.31 hp/ton.

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: FlaK38 (20 mm)

The gun is the same as its predecessor, the FlaK38. It has sufficient HE shells for planes, 46 mm penetration AP-I, and 64 mm penetration HVAP. The belt size is identical. Reload between clips is long. The gun can pen most things the tank encounters, barring Valentines, Matildas, B1 bis, B1 ter, and T-28E.

20 mm FlaK38 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 1,080 (20) 480 -10°/+90° ±180° N/A 30.82 42.66 51.79 57.28 60.94 3.90 3.45 3.18 3.00
Realistic 20.83 24.50 29.75 32.90 35.00

Ammunition

  • Default: API-T · HEFI-T · HEFI-T · HEFI-T
  • Sprgr.: HEFI-T
  • PzGr: API-T
  • PzGr.40: HVAP-T · API-T
Penetration statistics
Belts Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
Default 36 34 26 19 14 10
Sprgr. 2 2 2 2 2 2
PzGr 36 34 26 19 14 10
PzGr.40 64 63 26 19 14 10
Belt details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
Mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive Mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
Sprgr. HEFI-T 900 0.115 0.3 0.1 10.2 79° 80° 81°
PzGr API-T 780 0.147 N/A N/A N/A 47° 60° 65°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Flakpanzer 38
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
54 1 (+53) Yes

Usage in battles

At the start of the match, you can camp around the spawn point and wait until the enemy planes show up, this is the safest way, but it's passive and not efficient in terms of getting kills. So if you are brave / skilled enough, use it as a light tank as it has 42 km/h top speed. The 20 mm cannon is very deadly against any light and fast vehicles, it can finish up their crew easily when penetrated. However you must be very careful as the Flakpanzer 38 only has 2 crew, and losing one means death. Unfortunately, the gunner is the most exposed and unprotected crew and is extremely vulnerable to everything: artillery, MG fire, planes, small bombs, rockets, etc. Do whatever you can to stay alive, as this vehicle has more potential as the match progresses. Pick on those soft targets and avoid heavily armoured ones to ensure effective penetration and killing.

When shooting planes, avoid opening fire when the plane is far away from you. This will only waste your ammo and give your position away to both the plane and the tanks. Instead you have two tactics: one is to passively wait until the plane flies close and is unaware of you, then suddenly open fire. The other tactic is a bit risky. First find a good cover so you are not likely to get shot from tanks. Then regardless of the plane's distance from you, fire some random shells at it to get their attention. Once they know you're there, a lot of pilots will turn towards you and try to kill you, knowing that SPAAs usually have weak protection. When they're flying head-on towards you, use the fast fire rate and spray a stream of shells in their path and wait for them to crash into your shells, then quickly move away to dodge the bullets. Tip: aim slightly above the plane to compensate for the shell drop, as the distance between you and the plane is usually greater than you think.

In the late stages of the match you should be even more careful, as at this time most people will take out their SPAAs, and those fast-firing guns are your biggest threat. Try and be more aware of the surrounding situations, avoid running into anyone. Use the mobility to flank and the small profile to ambush.

Modules

Tier Mobility Protection Firepower
I Tracks Parts Horizontal Drive Sprgr.
II Suspension Brake System FPE Adjustment of Fire PzGr
III Filters Crew Replenishment Elevation Mechanism
IV Transmission Engine Artillery Support PzGr 40

For this vehicle, two very important modifications to keep an eye out for are the Sprgr. and PzGr 40 ammo belts. The first provides a boost to the vehicle's anti-air capabilities, being completely filled with high explosive shells, and the second turns the Flakpanzer into a deadly anti-tank machine with high-penetration HVAP rounds.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Great firepower: wonderful combination of rapid firerate, adequate velocity, 20 round mag and various belt types- Sprgr. belt is destructive against low tier aircraft, while PzGr 40 is very deadly against armoured targets (eg. M3A3, T-60 or even the B1 bis)
  • Fast turret traverse allows it to keep up with close/fast targets easily, while the great gun elevation and depression means it can fight in any terrain
  • Small frontal profile allows it to hide behind cover or bushes easily, which mitigates against its lack of protection
  • Decent top speed of 42 km/h means it can get to certain positions alongside light tanks, which is great for ambushing
  • Thin turret armour can make some shells over-penetrate, dealing little damage
  • Hull armour can resist 12.7 mm bullets, commonly used on US tanks like M13 MGMC and M8 Greyhound

Cons:

  • Extremely poor survivability: only two crew protected by hull-breakable thin armour makes it easily to get destroyed- common threats include artillery strike, nearby bombs, strafing planes, MGs (eg. M13, GAZ-AAA) and HEAT (eg. M8, Chi-Ha)
  • Rather long reload time requires strict trigger control
  • The PzGr 40 belt is mixed with low-penetrating belts, reducing its anti-tank capability as half of the shells sometimes won't be able to penetrate
  • Slow reverse speed of only 6 km/h can get the player killed due to not being able to retreat from danger quickly

History

In-game description

The Flakpanzer 38(t) self-propelled anti-air mount was a temporary transitional version that was used until the development of a real anti-air tank on the chassis of the Panzer IV was completed. The vehicle was produced from November, 1943 to February, 1944. The first 87Flakpanzer 38(t) AA vehicles appeared at the front in January, 1944 and made up Flugabwehrzug (AA platoons) in tank divisions and tank grenadier divisions (sometimes in Waffen SS divisions such as the Hitlerjugend 12th Waffen SS division in Norway in 1944).

In 1944-1945 Flakpanzer 38(t) AA vehicles were used actively on the Italian and Western Fronts, where they were effective against low-flying aircraft.

A total of 141 Flakpanzer 38(t) AA vehicles were released.

Media

Skins
Videos
German SPAAs discusses the Flakpanzer 38 at 1:19 - War Thunder Official Channel
Flakpanzer 38 Tank Review - NUSensei

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on the tank;
  • other literature.


Germany anti-aircraft vehicles
Wheeled  Sd.Kfz.222
Half-track  Sd.Kfz.251/21 · Sd.Kfz. 6/2
Flakpanzer IV  Wirbelwind · Ostwind · Ostwind II · Kugelblitz · Zerstörer 45
Other Flakpanzers  Flakpanzer I · Flakpanzer 38 · Flakpanzer 341
Wiesel AWC  Wiesel 1A4 · Ozelot
Radar SPAAG  Gepard · Gepard 1A2
Missile SPAA  FlaRakPz 1 · FlaRakRad

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