Feldartillerie, Sturmartillerie & Nebelwerfer in Normandy (1944)

In the 1944 Battle of Normandy, German artillery was a significant factor in the defense, particularly in coastal fortifications and on the field. German artillery was divided into terrestrial (Heeresartillerie) and naval (Marineartillerie) branches, with the latter often responsible for coastal batteries. German field artillery was a mix of various calibers, including the 88mm gun, Nebelwerfers (multi-barrel rocket launchers), and mortars. German artillery was also used in counter-attacks against Allied advances, particularly in the Falaise pocket. German forces also used captured artillery, including French and Soviet guns, in their defenses.

Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 720 - 21 June 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-DzDJmt5F8

88 Flak Guns Towed by Sd.Kfz.7

The 8,8-cm-Flak 36 / 37 anti-aircraft gun is towed by Krass-Maffei's 8-ton Sd.Kfz 7 tractor. This tool was effective weapons against air and ground targets. 1st Battery of the 33rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (1./Flak-Rgt.33 (gem.mot.)) Arrived in Cyrenaica on February 10-11, 1941 from France. The 33rd regiment was formed on October 1, 1939 in Hull as part of five batteries with 20 guns. In North Africa, the regiment included three 8,8-cm batteries guns and three batteries of light 2-cm guns Flak 38. During the French campaign in the Battle of Arras, one of the 8,8-cm batteries destroyed five heavy British Matilda tanks, which determined his future fate. 8,8-cm guns became the most important anti-tank weapon in the African campaign. Their shells with an initial speed of 810 m / s could penetrate at a distance of 500 m 110 mm armor mounted at an angle of 60 degrees. This was enough to penetrate 78 mm of the frontal armor of British tanks Matilda from a distance of 1,5 km. They themselves remained outside the reach of their guns, which also had no high-explosive shells.

Source :
https://en.topwar.ru/135723-rommel-v-afrike.html
https://warshistory.ru/raznoe-2/rommelya-formula-10.html

German Flak 88

One of the most well-known guns of World War II was the 8.8 cm Flak 36 anti-aircraft gun, often referred to as the “Eighty-eight” or German “Acht-acht“. It had its origins in World War 1, but the versions that saw action during WW2 were developed in the 1920’s and 30’s. During the Spanish Civil War, it was discovered that the gun was very effective against vehicles, tanks and other ground targets. It was mobile, but required an Sd.Kfz.7 half-track tractor to pull it. It could fire a 9.4 kilo grenade to an altitude of 9900 meters, posing a serious threat to Allied bombers. Used as an anti-tank gun, it could knock out most tanks at a range of up to 2 kilometers. The 8.8 cm gun was also the basis for the main gun of the Tiger tank, one of the most feared tanks of World War II. In the photo, eight of the 11-man crew are visible. Flak batteries were operated by the Luftwaffe, and the stationary batteries defending German cities were often crewed by boys aged 15-16 years old. One of many ironies of the war was that many of the crews serving these powerful guns weren’t old enough to buy a beer.

Source :
Björn Hellqvist photo collection
https://ww2inphotos.wordpress.com/2017/07/31/acht-acht/

SS Recruits Manhandling an 88mm Flak Gun in Training

SS recruits manhandling an 88mm Flak gun and ammunition limber as part of their training programme. The 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41 (commonly called the eighty-eight) was a German 88 mm anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun from World War II. It was widely used by Germany throughout the war, and was one of the most recognized German weapons of that conflict. Development of the original model led to a wide variety of guns.