2 cm flak 38 with crew

At the beginning of world war ii, the german armys anti-aircraft defense relied on specialized motorized companies, each equipped with 12 automatic anti-aircraft guns. However, as the luftwaffe lost air superiority, the need to protect units from enemy attack aircraft and fighter-bombers intensified. Many wehrmacht combat formations began incorporating anti-aircraft units armed with heavy 88-mm guns, complemented by 20-mm automatic cannons—the 2 cm flak 38. The 2 cm flak 38 anti-aircraft gun entered service in the second half of 1940, deployed to both wehrmacht and luftwaffe ground units. Over time, these small-caliber anti-aircraft guns grew in number, becoming the primary means of close-range air defense. By may 1944, the wehrmachts ground forces boasted 6,355 single-barreled and 925 quadruple-barreled 20-mm guns. While the full combat crew for the 2 cm flak 38 consisted of five personnel, combat conditions often saw four or even three soldiers effectively operating the gun and fulfilling various tasks