Ostwind
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| Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind" | |
|---|---|
| General characteristics | |
| Crew | 6 |
| Length | 5.92 m |
| Width | 2.95 m |
| Height | 3.00 m |
| Weight | 25 tonnes |
| Armour and armament | |
| Armour | 10 - 80 mm |
| Main armament | 1x 3.7 cm FlaK 43 L/89 1000 rounds |
| Secondary armament | 1× 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34 1350 rounds |
| Mobility | |
| Power plant | 12-cylinder Maybach HL 120 TRM 300 hp |
| Suspension | leaf spring |
| Road speed | 38 km/h |
| Power/weight | 12.5 hp/tonne |
| Range | 200 km |
The Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind" was an anti-aircraft vehicle based on the Panzer IV. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier AA tank Wirbelwind.
The Panzer IV's turret was removed and replaced with an open-top, hexagonal turret which housed a single 3.7 cm FlaK 43. In addition to its intended role as an anti-aircraft weapon, the fast-firing gun was highly effective against light vehicles and minor fortifications. A closed-top design would have been preferable, but this was not possible due to the heavy smoke generated by the gun. Production of the tank was carried out by Deutsche Eisenwerke at Duisburg.
The Ostwind's main improvement over the Wirbelwind was its increased range. It also had slightly better armoring on its turret, as well as a second MG34.
Approximately 45 of these vehicles were built.
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| German armored fighting vehicles of World War II | |
|---|---|
| Tanks | |
| Panzer I | Panzer II | Panzer III | Panzer IV | Panther | Tiger I, II | Panzer 35(t) | Panzer 38(t) | |
| Self-propelled artillery | |
| Wespe | Hummel | Grille | Panzerwerfer | sIG 33 | Wurfrahmen 40 | |
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| StuG III | StuG IV | StuH 42 | Brummbär | Sturmtiger | |
| Tank destroyers | |
| Panzerjäger I | Marder I , II , III | Hetzer | Jagdpanzer IV | Jagdpanther | Nashorn | Jagdtiger | Elefant | |
| Half-tracks | Armored cars |
| SdKfz 4 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 250 | 251 | 252 | 253 | 254 | Sdkfz 221/22/23 | Sdkfz 231/32/34/63 | ADGZ |
| Self propelled anti-aircraft | |
| Flakpanzer IV: Möbelwagen, Wirbelwind, Ostwind, Kugelblitz | Flakpanzer 38(t) | |
| Prototypes | |
| Maus | E- series | Panther II | Waffenträger | Neubaufahrzeug | |
| Proposed designs | |
| Panzer VII 'Löwe' | Panzer IX | Panzer X | Ratte | Monster | |
| German armored fighting vehicle production during World War II | |
