Sd.Kfz.3b with Flak 38

Truppenluftschutzwagen

The 2 cm Flak 38 anti-aircraft gun began entering service with the Wehrmacht in the second half of 1940. With its reliable design and high rate of fire (up to 480 rounds per minute), it was an effective means of close-range air defense in the Wehrmacht, and its production continued until the end of World War II. In addition to targeting aircraft, the gun could also be used against lightly armored targets. To increase mobility, anti-aircraft guns were often mounted on various vehicles, both wheeled and semi-tracked. One such vehicle was the semi-tracked version of the widely used Wehrmacht truck, the V3000S, which was designated as Sd.Kfz.3b (also known as the V3000S/SSM). The anti-aircraft guns were mounted in the vehicle’s bed and could be placed either on special platforms or without them. For firing, the sides of the vehicle’s body were either folded down or completely removed. Vehicles equipped in this way became self-propelled anti-aircraft installations, which the German Army used for air defense tasks across all fronts during World War II.