The eighty eight was a weapon in the German army in World War
Two. Actually an anti-aircraft weapon firing an
88 mm shell, the
88 had a major advantage in range over many Allied artillery pieces. German
gun crews fighting in the Spanish Civil war turned the
gun on approaching tanks that had broken through their lines - unsure how effective they would be. Germans quickly converted the
gun to anti-tank use, putting the
gun into their vaunted Tiger Tanks. Allied tanks were knocked out before they were able to get close enough to use their weapons. The eighty eight had a self ejecting shell and were deployed in numerous configurations including tanks, self propelled guns, and a four legged
gun that was towed behind a vehicle. They were less effective at close range.
