| 2 cm Flakvierling 38 | |
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| General Historical Information | |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Effective range | 2200 metres |
| Rate of Fire | 800 rpm |
| General Ingame Information | |
| Debut in FHSW | Debut in FH mod |
| Used by | Germany |
| Used in vehicles | Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" s.Sp. Flakwagen |
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Germany produced hundreds of 20mm FlaK 30 light antiaircraft cannons, but these suffered from the drawback of having a relatively low rate of fire of 120 rounds per minute (rpm). One method of improving this situation was to develop the 2cm FlaK 38, which had a rate of fire of 220 rpm. However, this was still insufficient, and so Rheinmetall combined four 20mm cannons onto a single mount. The resulting weapon, known as the Flakvierling 38, then produced a practical rate of fire of 800 rpm. Produced from 1940 onwards by Mauser, the 1509kg weapon was usually operated by a crew of eight men. Of course, the 2cm Flakvierling 38 could be employed against ground targets as effectively as against low-flying aircraft too.
The mount was normally transported on an Sd.Ah.52 trailer towed by vehicles such as 3/5t trucks and Sd.Kfz.11 half tracks as well as mobile AA vehicles such as the Sd.Kfz.7/1 half-track and Panzer IV based Wirbelwind plus some local one off installations.
As well as Wehrmacht use, the Flakvierling 38 was also used by the Kriegsmarine fitted to U-boats and ships as well as on trains, fixed installations such as around harbours and on flak towers and was very well respected by Allied pilots due to the high rate of fire.
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