How did WW2 Flak work?

Question

I don't mean the Flakvierling, or the Flak88 uber cannon, but the kind that fires shells that explode in little black poofs. They can be seen in many ww2 games, TV programs and movies.

I just wondred how they work? Do they actually explode when they come near a plane? Or is it more like a fuse is lit within the shell when it fires, and its up to luck if it blows near the planes or not?

Thanks,

-Bacon

Answer 1

What you're asking about the little black poofs is the ammo that is exploding , this has nothing to do with the caliber of the gun.
The Germans used on there ammo time fuses.

The guns where in battery's so that several gun will fire at the same area where the aircraft is in the sky. There is a control post that toke the direction , speed , altitude , wind etc in calculation and the results where put true to the cannons so the correct time could be put into the fuses. ( it's mathematics's ) .

The Germans never had a real proximity fuse this was a alley invention. The fuse was first used by the navy because if the fuse refused to work it would just fall in the water and so there was no risque the Germans get there hands on one . At the end of the war the proximity fuse was also used on land ( end 1944 on )

The calibers used by the Germans for putting up a flak barrage where mostly the 88, 105 and the most heavy 125 mm gun.

Answer 2

Adaptations of standard artillery systems were commonly used for most long-range anti-aircraft artillery, starting with standard pieces on new mountings, and evolving to custom guns with much higher performance prior to World War II. Their shells are usually fitted with different types of fuses (barometric, time-delay, or proximity) to send exploding metal fragments into the area of the target. The classic example of a large calibre, long-range anti-aircraft gun is the German 88 mm gun. Long-range weapons of this sort have for the most part been superseded by the effective anti-air missile systems that were introduced in the 1950s; however, because they are relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture compared to more modern systems, they are still employed in large numbers by many nations.

Answer 3

"Their shells are usually fitted with different types of fuses (barometric, time-delay, or proximity) to send exploding metal fragments into the area of the target."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flak