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Wirbelwind

By: Battlefront Miniatures

Type: Miniatures Pack

Product Line: Flames of War - WWII - German - Tanks

Late

Last Stocked on 9/19/2022

Product Info

Title
Wirbelwind
Sub-category
Publish Year
2010
Dimensions
3x5x1"
NKG Part #
2147440399
MFG. Part #
BFMGE165
Type
Miniatures Pack
Material
Metal & Resin

Description

The Wirbelwind (Whirlwind) was the second production vehicle to mount an anti-aircraft gun on the chassis of the Panzer IV tank. It was designed to satisfy a need for a Flakpanzer with an armored turret, twin guns, and the capacity to engage targets at ranges of under 2,000 meters. The first Flak panzer based on the Panzer IV, the Möbelwagen, lacked both a turret and the twin guns.

A prototype Wirbelwind was ready by May 1944, when General Heinz Guderian, inspected a display of all current anti-aircraft tanks. The simple design and speed with which the Wirbelwind could begin production convinced Guderian to order production.

The Wirbelwind went further that the specified twin guns and carried a quadruple 2cm Flakvierling 39 gun. It was mounted in a angular open topped turret. The gunner sat behind the gun, while one loader was placed on each side, with responsibility for two of the four guns.

As with the Möbelwagen, the Wirbelwind was issued to the Flugabwehrzug, or anti-aircraft platoons of the Panzer regiments in the Panzer divisions.

Wirbelwinds can be fielded in a German Panzerkampfgruppe from Stalin’s Europe to protect your panzers.