Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind"

Ostwind
Parallel to the development of the Wirbelwind antiaircraft tank, a self-propelled antiaircraft tank armed with a 3.7 cm calibre gun was also developed, which was given the battle name "Ostwind" (East Wind). The chassis of the medium tank Pz.Kpfw. IV ausf. J. The machine received a turret welded from 16 mm thick armoured plates (not the erroneously stated 25 mm), the plan of which was a hexagon (it was nicknamed "Keksdose" - a biscuit box) and in it was lafeted an anti-aircraft gun Flak 43. The final form of the turret had an orbital bearing diameter the same as the tank's Pz.Kpfw. VI "Tiger" (1900 mm).
Tabularly, the crew was to be 7 men, in practice a 5 man crew was mostly applied. For sighting, a ZF 1x40 optical sight made by Josef Schneider was used.
The first prototype was presented on 3/1944. On 6/1944 gunnery tests took place and after passing them the type was accepted into armament in 9/1944. Originally an order for 100 Ostwind anti-aircraft tanks was placed with Deutsche Eisenwerke A.G., Werk Stahlindustrie Duisburg. However, the commissioned production plan called for only 75 units. Serial production was to give 35 Ostwinds in 11/1944, in 12/1944 - 30 pcs, in 1/1945 - 10 pcs. Thus, the delivery of 100 turrets was with a surplus of 25 turrets. These were to serve as spare parts. However, due to the critical situation, the production was not started and got into a slide.


On 22/12/1944 Wa J Ru (WuG 6) reported the status of the planned contract as follows:
Supplementary: Deutsche Röhrenwerke - 100 pieces according to contract SS 4902-0210-8818/44
Carriage: Krupp-Gruson 90 pieces according to contract SS 4902-0210-8914/43
Completion: Niebelungenwerke - 90 pieces according to contract SS 4902-0210-8406/44
Platform and turret assembly: Deutsche Eisenwerke-Stahlindustrie - 100 pcs under contract SS 4902-0210-8965/44 (10 pcs of which were for spare parts)
3.7 cm Flak 43 was to be produced by Dürkopp-Werken-Bielefeld


Production plans were again postponed to the next period, when 80 pcs were expected to be produced (30 pcs in 2/1945, 40 pcs in 3/1945 and 10 pcs in 4/1945).

In reality, however, production was handled by two manufacturers. Ostbau Sagan was to use refurbished chassis of damaged tanks, Stahlindustrie was to build Ostwinds on new chassis supplied by Krupp.
Due to constant delays, only seven Ostwinds were produced by Stahlindustrie Werk in Duisburg in 3/1945. Due to the advance of the Allied armies, the production facilities of the Stahlindustrie firm were evacuated to Teplice.
Ostbau Sagan was to produce a total of 22 Ostwinds between 12/1944 and 3/1945 on the various available tank platforms.


By 30/3/1945, a regulation was issued on the composition of the individual Pz.Fla-Kp.z.b.V. The 1st platoon was to consist of six Kugelblitzs, the 2nd platoon of six Ostwinds and the 3rd platoon of 3. Platoon of four Wirbelwinds.


Ostwind II
The further development of the "Ostwind" design resulted in the "Ostwind II" project. It was to have a modified turret and was to house a pair of 3.7 cm Flak 43 guns. This set was to be called Flakzwiling 43 (44 ?) and was the work of Gustloff Werke. In 1/1945, one prototype was reportedly made (other data says two pieces), which supposedly still managed to make it to the firing tests at the Panzerflak Ersatz und Ausbildungs test unit in Ohrdruf. Production of this version was not started. Overall, the rearmament of the Ostwinds with several types of guns (3.7 cm Flak 43, 3.7 cm Flak 44 and 3 cm MK 103) was considered.
In the publication work of Mr. Francev (Kořistní zbrojněná vozidla ve výzbroji čs. Army (Part 3)) states that in the VTV (Tank Troop Command) report of 10/1947, among the German equipment collected from all over the country, there is an anti-aircraft tank with a twin 3.7 cm gun on a platform Pz.Kpfw. IV. Given that production of the German Deutsche Eisenwerke AG-Werk Stahindustrie was moved from Duisburg to a subsidiary plant in Teplice at the end of the war, so it is possible, the hypothetical Ostwind II prototype has also made its way to Czech territory.

Ivo Pejčoch - Obrněná technika 2, illustrations Václav Leimer, I.Pejčoch, ARES publishing house,1st edition, Prague 1999, ISBN 80-86158-07-1
Thomas L. Jentz, Hillary Louis Doyle - Flak Selbstfahrlaffeten and Flakpanzers - SdKfz.10/4 to 8,8cm Flak auf WFW, Panzer Tracts edition no. 12, Darlington Productions inc., Darlington, Marryland 1998, no ISBN
Vladimir Francev - Prey Armoured Vehicles in the Armament of the Czechoslovak Army (Part 3)
Thomas L. Jentz, Hillary Louis Doyle - Panzer Tracts No. 12-1 - Flakpanzerkampfwagen IV and other Flakpanzer projects development and production from 1942 to 1945, year of publication 2010, ISBN-10: 0981538274, ISBN-13: 978-0981538273

Jeden zo siedmych vyrobených sériových Ostwindov. Vozidlo bolo odfotografované v Nových Benátkach v Čechách po skončení vojny. Vozidlo malo patriť schwere Panzer-Abteilung 507. Vozidlo bolo zanechané jednotkou 16.4.1945 alebo 17.4.1945.

Detlev Terlisten, Heiner F. Duske - Nuts & Bolts Vol. 25 - Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind (Sd.Kfz. 161/4), Ostwind and Kugelblitz, rok vydania 2010

Ostwind in the Czechoslovak army
One unfinished platform Pz.Kpfw. IV found in 1945 at the railway station in Košt'any was to undergo repairs at ČKD Praha-Libeň. It was an unfinished platform of the Ostwind anti-aircraft tank. The platform, marked with the utility number 298/D, was given the Czechoslovak military registration number 79.866 upon completion. The vehicle was handed over to the Tank Apprenticeship Test Section in , but testing did not begin until the section was disbanded in 1950. The intention to repair other stored captured anti-aircraft tanks was also abandoned. The vehicle was disbanded by decree of the MNO on 27 May 1950. The turret was handed over for scrapping, the 3.7 cm gun ended up in the armoury in Prague-Vršovice. The chassis were still registered for some time in the Tank Training School. They were sent to his crew in Vyškov, where they were still registered in 9/1950.
An interesting feature was a vehicle in the inventory of captured equipment, for which a double mounted 3.7 cm gun is listed (Flakzwilling 43). Is it possible that it was a modified Ostwind II ?

armada.vojenstvi.cz

Brettmühle, 8/1946

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