Flak problem

Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:17 pm

Can anyone come up with an answer to a problem that has that has vexed me since 1944? I've had wild guesses, improbable theories, but zip that rings true.
Problem: What is the elapsed time for an 88 flak shell to rise to 25000 feet? Educated guesses accepted.

Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:38 pm

Muzzle velocity was 2600 to 2700 fps depending on the ammo and barrel. So, a rough order approximation, negating all of the time-of-flight physics and calculations, between 9 and 12 seconds.

Tue Nov 20, 2007 2:58 pm

Some of the later 88's had a muzzle velocity of up to 3280 fps. I'm sure someone here will figure it out. However, if there is a prize, (hopefully not that ugly pony), I want to place my guess at 11 seconds for surface to 25,000 agl.

Steve G

Tue Nov 20, 2007 3:17 pm

This link has good info, from a contributor on armyairforces.com

http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs ... pter10.htm

Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:03 pm

What was the highest altitude reached by the best flak guns?

Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:12 pm

I read that the German Flak41 had an effective ceiling of 37,000. More than enough since few missions were flown higher than 30,000. Don't know what the Japanese had for the high flying B-29's.

Steve G

Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:02 pm

What happened to all the pieces of flak after they exploded? There must have been millions of flak peices that desended on Europe. Are the pieces still being found today?

Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:16 pm

you can bet on it, but after so many years in the dirt with oxidation or rust factored in they would be almost be indistinguishable to recognize, but then..... there are collectable gems out their that surface now & then as well.

Sun Nov 25, 2007 1:39 pm

1.- Loads of thanks to you guys for all the effort and research expended on this 60 year old problem.
2.- While we don't seem to have come up with a conclusive precise answer, I hope we can all accept the consensus which seems to be 20 to 30 seconds for an 88 shell to rise to 25000 feet including gravity, wind, air resistance, and what the gunners had for breakfast.
3.- If you will forgive me, I am going to start a new thread explaining for the first time ever why I have been seeking the answer to this problem for over 60 years dating back to when we were in Bassingbourn.