Matrix Games Forums

after the most recent & rather hostile debate, let´s return to the "hardware" of war.

How come that the actually german term for anti-aircraft (gun) is such commonly referred as "flak"? As you all will know it derivates from the german FlaK (FlugabwehrKanone)). It seems that usual, so even the programmers of UV integrated it that way rather than the (shorter) AA.

Can anyone shed light on this issue?

Flak just became a generally accepted term for AA fire. Easier to say and shorten than to say "anti aircraft" I guess

and flak sounds much better then anti aircraft imho.[;)] british tank crews in africa and later in italy and france knew for sure what "88 flak" meant.

its a problem that only the "bad german words" are well known in the anglo-american world...words like "panzer", "blitzkrieg", "übermensch"....thats pity because german is such a wonderfull, clear and precice language.

ORIGINAL: bigbaba

and flak sounds much better then anti aircraft imho.[;)] british tank crews in africa and later in italy and france knew for sure what "88 flak" meant.

its a problem that only the "bad german words" are well known in the anglo-american world...words like "panzer", "blitzkrieg", "übermensch"....thats pity because german is such a wonderfull, clear and precice language.

As a German, I agree! Of course! But I see for others it´s rather difficult to get used to it. Especially due to grammar issues I think. And a lot of people I met insist on that german sounds "hard" / "strict" / "tough" / "rigorous" instead of soft or harmonic. So maybe that´s the reason that bold or cruel words are referred in german worldwide...?!

Sad though! [:(]

I remember my father telling me about the battle of the Catania plain (Eastern Sicily) in late summer '43 - a couple of '88's watching the only two roads across the flood plain held up the allied advance for weeks. Lost dozens of tanks and vehicles to them

ORIGINAL: borner

Flak just became a generally accepted term for AA fire. Easier to say and shorten than to say "anti aircraft" I guess

Or anti-aircraft artillery aka triple A.

ORIGINAL: borner

Easier to say and shorten than to say "anti aircraft" I guess

Would like to hear you guys saying "8.8cm Flugabwehrkanone" (8-8 AA gun) [:D] or maybe "Zerstörerführer" / "Zerstoererfuehrer" (destroyer flottilla leader) [:D][:D]

try it out...[;)]

Didn't the Brits call flak "ack-ack"?

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

Didn't the Brits call flak "ack-ack"?

you´re right. I guess either from the World War I phonetic alphabet for AA or from the "sound" it makes firing them... [;)]

In WW1, it was Archie, by WW2 it became ack-ack.

But Allied units were named Light/Heavy/Automatic anti-aircraft, I think AAA was a Krea or Vietnam term.

ORIGINAL: JeffK

In WW1, it was Archie, by WW2 it became ack-ack.

always thought A was "Apple" and then later "Able" in WW2. (Atomic Bomb tests ABLE & BAKER in 1946) [&:]

Or may be I got you wrong and you were referring to the AA itself...?!

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

Didn't the Brits call flak "ack-ack"?

british commanders in lybia called the 88 flak an "unfair weapon" when it was used in africa. read it in the book of januz piekalkiewitz about the africa war.[:D]

The Germans considered the use of the Priest 105 in direct fire against bunker as "unfair", I guess it all depends on which end of the stick you are on. [:D]

ORIGINAL: pbear

The Germans considered the use of the Priest 105 in direct fire against bunker as "unfair", I guess it all depends on which end of the stick you are on. [:D]

I can only wonder what Germans in bunkers thought abt taking direct fire from USN destroyers on D-day?

ORIGINAL: pbear

The Germans considered the use of the Priest 105 in direct fire against bunker as "unfair", I guess it all depends on which end of the stick you are on. [:D]

All's fair in love and war ... [:D]