Wirbelwind
The Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" (Whirlwind in English) was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the Panzer IV tank. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier Möbelwagen self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.
Also recorded as Flakpanzer IV/2cm Vierling · Flakvierling 38 on Flakpanzer IV · 20 mm Quad on Flakpanzer IV
Wirbelwind

Balcer · CC BY 2.5
- Field
- Flakpanzer IV and self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.
- Region
- Nazi Germany.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
The Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" (Whirlwind in English) was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the Panzer IV tank. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier Möbelwagen self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Wirbelwind. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
wikipedia incomplete · checked 25 September 2026
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
gnd · 300345038 · wikidata · Q697634 · wikipedia · Wirbelwind
In this article
History
History
In the first years of World War II, the German military forces had less interest in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, but as the Allies began to gain air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns increased. During the early summer of 1944, SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause with the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the concept of the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind. He presented the concept to SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment and it was approved by Adolf Hitler. The Panzer IV's turret was removed and replaced with an open-top, nine-sided turret that housed a 2 cm Flakvierling 38, a quadruple mount of 20 mm cannon. A closed-top design would have been preferable, but this was not possible due to the heavy smoke generated by the four anti-aircraft guns. The shape of the turret earned it the nickname Keksdose ("biscuit tin"). Production of the tank was carried out by Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia. While the turret's four barrels were capable of firing 2 cm shells at a high rate, it lacked range and was sometimes ineffective unless several shells hit an aircraft at once. Thus a more powerful successor, with an armament that hit harder and at longer range, was produced which eventually replaced it. Known as the Flakpanzer IV Ostwind ("East Wind"), the successor was equipped with a single 3.7 cm Flak 43. The combination of armor and rapid fire from the four guns of the Wirbelwind also made it very effective against lightly armoured ground targets such as trucks and armored cars; infantry were particularly vulnerable. Between 87 and 105 Wirbelwinds were converted from repaired Panzer IV chassis, but due to discrepancies between the recorded production numbers at Ostbau Werke and Wehrmacht service records, the actual number may never be known.
Surviving vehicles
Surviving vehicles
Militärhistorische Ausstellung Flugabwehr, Kiel (Germany) (Historical Military Anti-aircraft Exhibition)[1] Base Borden Military Museum The Wirbelwind at CFB Borden is currently undergoing a full running and firing restoration by the Borden military museum by military and volunteers.
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 300345038, Wirbelwind.
Unverified · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
reference work
- “Wirbelwind”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q697634: Wirbelwind
Unverified · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Achtungpanzer.com. Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind and Ostwind. 18 March 2013.
- 2.Chamberlain, Peter. Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War II. Cassell. 110–111. 1999. 978-1854095183.
- 3.Bishop, Chris. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of WWII: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,500 Weapons Systems, Including Tanks, Small Arms, Warplanes, Artillery, Ships, and Submarines. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. 166–167. 2002. 978-1-58663-762-0.
- 4.[Homepage]. Flakpanzer Restoration Project.
Bibliography printed in the source article · 1
- Doyle, Hilary Louis. Flakpanzer IV and Other Flakpanzer Projects. Panzerwrecks. 12-1. 2023. 978-1-915969-18-7.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 300345038, Wirbelwind.Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolvedauthority record
Unverified
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Militaria
6,095 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Winchester Short MagnumTerminology
- Winchester Super Short MagnumTerminology
- Wind DemonTerminology
- Winder musketTerminology
- wire-guided missileTerminology
- WIST-94Terminology
- WKW WilkTerminology
- WM-80Terminology
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own an object connected with Wirbelwind?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.