Original German WWII FlaK 88 High Explosive Inert Shell with Steel Casing – WWII Marked and 1942 Dated Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This round is totally inert and deactivated following guidelines provided by the ATF. This example is offered in excellent condition with original paint and markings. Not available for export.

The 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41 is 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.

The name FlaK 88 applies to a series of related guns, the first one officially called the 8.8 cm Flak 18, the improved 8.8 cm Flak 36, and later the 8.8 cm Flak 37. Flak is a contraction of German Flugzeugabwehrkanone meaning “aircraft-defense cannon”, the original purpose of the weapon. In English, “flak” became a generic term for ground anti-aircraft fire. In informal use, the guns were universally known as the Acht-acht (“eight-eight”) by Germans and the “eighty-eight” by the Allies.

The versatile carriage allowed the 8.8 cm FlaK to be fired in a limited anti-tank mode when still on its wheels; it could be completely emplaced in only two and a half minutes. Its successful use as an improvised anti-tank gun led to the development of a tank gun based upon it: the 8.8 cm KwK 36, with the “KwK” abbreviation standing for Kampfwagen-Kanone (literally “battle vehicle cannon”, or “fighting vehicle cannon”), meant to be placed in a gun turret as the tank’s primary armament. This gun served as the main armament of the Tiger I heavy tank.

In addition to these Krupp designs, Rheinmetall later created a more powerful anti-aircraft gun, the 8.8 cm Flak 41, which was produced in relatively small numbers. Krupp responded with another prototype of the long-barreled 8.8 cm gun, which was further developed into the anti-tank and tank destroyer 8.8 cm PaK 43 gun used for the Elefant and Jagdpanther, and turret-mounted 8.8 cm KwK 43 heavy tank gun of the Tiger II.

This example is offered in very good condition, and measures 36 1/2 inches in overall length. It is marked in numerous places with German insertion stamps, manufacturer codes and technical designations. The shell did suffer surface oxidation, and cleaning it stripped off all of the original yellow paint, along with any stencils were on it. There are still however multiple markings stamped directly into the metal, which we are not able to identify. The aluminum tipped fuze is marked Zt. Z.S/30 (partly obscured) over hhj 1942, indicating manufacture by Gebr. Thiel-Seebach GmbH in Ruhla, Thuringia, a known maker of artillery fuzes.

The painted steel shell casing measures 22-1/4″ high and is maker marked on the base with asx 42 surrounding the empty ignition fuze housing, indicating 1942 production by Hoesch AG, Abteilung Werk Dortmund. This is a known maker of artillery shell casings of various sizes during the war. Under the fuze housing is is marked with 6347St. / 8,8cm FLak 18, and there is Waffenamt WaA367 off to the right. Definitely some great markings on this shell! The fuze unscrews from the top of the shell, and the shell also easily removes from the casing.

Complete rounds such as these with intact markings are extremely rare. Ready to add to your collection and display!