Flak 88 Owners' Workshop Manual: 8.8cm Flugzeugabwehrkanone (Models 18/36/37/41) (Haynes Manuals) Hardcover – March 27, 2018

Although Haynes has published quite a few books on armored fighting vehicles, this is the first one they've published on an artillery piece. The Flak 88 seems like a good place to start; the gun was ubiquitous and feared, and despite its iconic status, hasn't developed the kind of cult following that tanks such as the Panther and Tiger have.A brief introduction covers the evolution of 8.8 cm flak guns in interwar Germany, the development of the Flak 18, 36, 37, and 41, and some of the vehicles and artillery pieces that mounted the 8.8 cm gun. The next two chapters feature the technical meat of the book, describing the design, main components, and operation of the gun, along with the different types of ammunition it used. Chapter four describes the human side of things - setting up and handling the gun, the roles of the crew, and the difficulties involved in operating in extreme weather conditions. The next two chapters look at the 88 at war, chapter five focusing on the anti-aircraft side of things, chapter six on anti-tank operations. Both chapters cover tactics, unit organization, and the effectiveness of the gun, and feature a number of first-hand accounts. The final chapter describes the SdKfz prime movers, along with information on some of the troubleshooting and maintenance procedures crews would have used on a daily basis.Although the format is typical Haynes, it feels a lot more "organic" than many of their books. Although many Haynes books take a more segregated approach, operational, technical, and historical details are blended together to a greater extent this time around. Along with the first-hand accounts, you'll find procedures on how to open the breech mechanism and place the weapon in firing position, advice on keeping sand and frost out of the gun, and explanations of how the traverse and elevation receivers functioned. Visually, the book features gritty wartime images, diagrams from wartime technical manuals, and many excellent closeup photos of a beautifully preserved Flak 37.Unfortunately, this book does kind of a fall victim to the "if only there was a few more pages..." syndrome. Fire control is only briefly touched upon, and although there's some rudimentary information on the Kommandogerat 36 director system, the subject isn't really treated with the relevance it deserves. Penetration and ballistic tables are also sorely lacking; we get a basic idea of the gun's muzzle velocity, range, and ceiling, but not a lot in the way of hard data. It's a shame because this is one of the better WWII vehicle "manuals" Haynes has published recently.Although it's not a five-star masterpiece, this book does provide a lot of excellent technical detail and manages to provide an even-handed description of the gun's strengths and weaknesses. While I'm certainly not an expert on the 88, and can't really vouch for this book's accuracy, I enjoyed this book despite some nagging omissions.

Very happy with purchase. Brand new book. Answered nearly all of my questions regarding 88mm AA guns. For more excellent photo histories of AA guns see Muller & Piekalkiewicz's Schiffer books.

Great technical description and well illustrated

Another great book in this series.

Like all Haynes manuals I have read, very educational, informative and interesting. Great info for modellers and even re-enactors.

If you are like my son and me and you need to know exactly where the controls are on WWII weapons, a book like this is the place to go. After putting together "interlocking brick" toy Flak 37, my son kept asking where the trigger was and I turned to the book. For anyone interested in WWII, especially German engineering, this book will help explain Germany's love of the 88--arguably the best anti-everything gun that was built. The book might surprise you with the origins of the gun, and it's little details like that which make this book (and the others of its line) so good.

Volumes in medium format, richly illustrated, deal with the topic in a monothematic way. In about 200 pages they offer enthusiasts an excellent overview on the subject, even if some volumes, in relation to the subject, are more in-depth than others. Especially if you buy them on offer at less than half the cover price (about £ 20) they are a bargain

Interesting reading about a weapon that was a legend in its time.

My partner loves this book

As expected the Haynes manual on the 88 proved every bit as good as the others from the series that I already own. Great photos, both historical and contemporary for exacting details. Definitely recommend!

Wonderful book! Great source of reference for model makers as well! Book came in a little damaged unfortunately..