Service Data:
In Service: 1944 to 1945
Production Data:
Manufacturer: Deutsche
Eisenwerke
Chassis No: 93201
Number built: 240
Technical Data:
Type: Anti-Aircraft Vehicle
Crew: 6 men
Length: 5.92 m
Width: 2.95 m
Height: 2.73 m
Weight: 24,000 kg
Fuel Capacity: 470 liters
Engine: 1 ×
Maybach
HL 120 TRM 12 cylinder liquid cooled Vee petrol engine
producing up to 300 hp at 3,000 rpm
Gearbox: 6 forward 1 reverse
Speed: road 38 km/h cross country km/h
Range: road 200 km cross country km
Armament:
1 ×
3.7
cm Flak 43 L/89
1 ×
7.92
mm MG 34 machine gun
Ammunition:
main 416 rounds
secondary 600 rounds
Armour: 10 mm to 80 mm
Electronics: FuG 2 and FuG 5
Operators: Heer
Variants:
10.5
cm K18 auf Panzer IVa
10.5
cm le.F.H.18/1 L/28 IVb
10.5
cm le.F.H.18/1 (Sf) auf Gw IVb
10.5
cm le Pz.H 18/40/2 auf Gw III/IV
Bergepanzer
IV
Brückenleger
IV
Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind
Flakpanzer IV Ostwind
Heuschrecke
10
Hornisse
/ Nashorn
Hummel
Munitionspanzer
IV
Munitionsträger
Hummel
Munitionsschlepper
für Karl Gerät
Flakpanzer IV
Möbelwagen 2 cm
Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen 3.7 cm
Infanterie
Sturmsteg Panzer IV
Jagdpanzer
IV
Leichte
Flakpanzer IV Kugelblitz
Panzerbefehlswagen
IV
Panzerbeobachtungwagen
IV
Panzerfähre
Panzer
IV /70 A
Panzer
IV /70(V)
Panzer
IV als Tauchpanzer
Panzer IV Ausf.
A
Panzer IV Ausf.
B
Panzer IV Ausf.
C
Panzer
IV mit Minenrollern
Panzer IV Ausf.
D
Panzer IV Ausf.
E
Panzer
IV mit Schachtellaufwerk
Panzer IV Ausf.
F
Panzer IV Ausf.
F2
Panzer IV Ausf.
G
Panzer IV Ausf.
H
Panzer IV Ausf.
J
Panzer
IV mit Nebelwerfer
Sonderausführung
des Panzer IV
StuG IV
Sturmpanzer
IV Brummbär
Other: Anti-Aircraft
Vehicles
Articles:
History:
The Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen 3.7 cm (Furniture Van) because
of its boxy turret when closed or 3.7 cm Flak auf Fahrgestell
Panzerkampfwagen IV Selbstfahrlafette Sd.Kfz. 161/3 or abbreviated
to 3.7 cm Flak auf Fgst Pz.Kpfw. IV (Sf) Sd.Kfz. 161/3 was
a self-propelled antiaircraft built from the chassis of the
Panzer IV. It was used by the Wehrmacht Panzer divisions during
the Second World War.
A second design with an upgraded single
3.7
cm Flakvierling 43 L/89 was authorised as a short term
solution until better Flakpanzers could be created. 240 of
the 3.7 cm Flakpanzer IV were built. This design was designated
Flakpanzer IV, and the first production models were put into
service on the Western Front in April 1944.
These were fitted with an open top superstructure that allowed
for the gun mount. Around this, four hinged 20 mm armored
plates were placed. These plates had two standard operating
positions, they could be lowered for full 360 degree traverse,
allowing flat or l low level firing, or they could be half
closed, being fastened together to hang slightly open. In
this position, they had notches that allowed the gun full
rotation, but only for firing at airborne targets. Nevertheless,
both of these positions left the crew highly vulnerable. The
fully closed position was only used for transport, when the
plates would give the crew some protection from small arms
fire and shrapnel.
Though the Möbelwagen was intended to be a stopgap, it
served the anti-aircraft platoons of the Panzer Divisions
exceedingly well on the Western Front. Despite fewer than
300 were produced, and it was eventually succeeded by the
first true Flakpanzers,
Wirbelwind,
Ostwind, and
Kugelblitz
all of which provided the crew with armored protection and
full rotation when firing at either ground or air targets.
Gallery:
Heer Comments
Sources:
German Military Vehicles.
ISBN-10: 087349783X
Armoured Fighting Vehicles of Germany World War II.
ISBN-10: 0214203077
Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World Two.
ISBN-10: 1854095188
For a complete list of
sources
