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Description
Overview:
In Spring 1944 Josef von Glatter-Götz in conjunction with Daimler Benz presented to Guderian plans for the 'Kugelblitz'- a Flakpanzer mounting twin 3cm flak-guns in a fully enclosed rotating turret. The General approved of the design and suggested further development. Project maturation progressed slowly. The original goal had Kugelblitz production start in September 1944, but due to a variety of delays, the firms only produced a total of three to five vehicles by the war's end. No documents appear to have survived the war to determine if or when these Kugelblitz saw action.
Production:
Documents confirmed Daimler Benz produced only three Kugelblitz - one in October 1944 and another two in March 1945, other documents show an additional two manufactured early in 1945.
Design:
The most striking feature of the Kugelblitz was its turret design - essentially a large 20mm thick armored ball housing with two entrance hatches for the loader/ gunner, and commander located on the roof. This structure in turn hung from two attachments in a 60mm high protective mantle. Designers mounted the protective mantle and turret-ball on a 190cm diameter turret ring taken from the Tiger tank and fixed the twin 3cm MK 103/38 flak gun within the turret front. The crew could elevate the guns by rotating the turret-ball forward or backward. The turret, hydraulically powered, could traverse up to 60 degrees per second (360 degrees in just six seconds). The 3cm MK-103/28 main armament had a rate of fire of 450 rounds per minute, maximum effective range of 5,700 meters (horizontal) and a ceiling of about 2,000m (vertical). The larger turret-ball and protective mantle forced designers to rework the hull, squaring off the superstructure in order to eliminate the gradual slope of the Pzkpfw-IV's chassis front roof, in addition both the driver and radio-operator's entrance hatches were moved forward and set at an angle to further provide room for the oversized turret. Other than these modifications, designers made no changes to the chassis. This overall arrangement of the ball-turret, most of which hung within the hull, allowed for a low total height of 2.4m.
Series Modifications:
Unknown, however manufacturers would have fit series Kugelblitz with a commander's cupola that had a periscope and angle telescope/ rangefinder installed.
Combat:
Unknown.

Description
Overview:
In Spring 1944 Josef von Glatter-Götz in conjunction with Daimler Benz presented to Guderian plans for the 'Kugelblitz'- a Flakpanzer mounting twin 3cm flak-guns in a fully enclosed rotating turret. The General approved of the design and suggested further development. Project maturation progressed slowly. The original goal had Kugelblitz production start in September 1944, but due to a variety of delays, the firms only produced a total of three to five vehicles by the war's end. No documents appear to have survived the war to determine if or when these Kugelblitz saw action.
Production:
Documents confirmed Daimler Benz produced only three Kugelblitz - one in October 1944 and another two in March 1945, other documents show an additional two manufactured early in 1945.
Design:
The most striking feature of the Kugelblitz was its turret design - essentially a large 20mm thick armored ball housing with two entrance hatches for the loader/ gunner, and commander located on the roof. This structure in turn hung from two attachments in a 60mm high protective mantle. Designers mounted the protective mantle and turret-ball on a 190cm diameter turret ring taken from the Tiger tank and fixed the twin 3cm MK 103/38 flak gun within the turret front. The crew could elevate the guns by rotating the turret-ball forward or backward. The turret, hydraulically powered, could traverse up to 60 degrees per second (360 degrees in just six seconds). The 3cm MK-103/28 main armament had a rate of fire of 450 rounds per minute, maximum effective range of 5,700 meters (horizontal) and a ceiling of about 2,000m (vertical). The larger turret-ball and protective mantle forced designers to rework the hull, squaring off the superstructure in order to eliminate the gradual slope of the Pzkpfw-IV's chassis front roof, in addition both the driver and radio-operator's entrance hatches were moved forward and set at an angle to further provide room for the oversized turret. Other than these modifications, designers made no changes to the chassis. This overall arrangement of the ball-turret, most of which hung within the hull, allowed for a low total height of 2.4m.
Series Modifications:
Unknown, however manufacturers would have fit series Kugelblitz with a commander's cupola that had a periscope and angle telescope/ rangefinder installed.
Combat:
Unknown.