June 12-13, 2019 Edged Weapon, Armor, & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/12/2019
Exceptional functioning steel scale model of a German WWII 88mm Flak 37 anti-aircraft gun, marked as manufactured by "Ernst Merling" in "Bamberg, Germany" with a serial number of "011". That serial number appears on several components. The right side of the breech is marked "Mod. 1937, Cal. 88, GEW.".t appears to be a desk piece gift, and it might fire a 5mm blank. This marvelous piece of machining has a 12" smooth bore stepped barrel with recoiling breech block mounted on rails, with dummy recoil cylinders in the lower front. It has functioning hand wheel elevation that will elevate 90 degrees from horizontal to vertical and a traversing hand wheel that will rotate the entire cannon on its base 360 degrees. The base is 5 - 1/2" diameter solid machined steel, with a pedestal to mount the weapon. The right side of the frame has a functioning azimuth indicator. Top of breechblock has a small articulated handle that functions as the trigger. The removable cartridge holder with striker is 1-7/8" long with a knurled head, and is secured into the breechblock with three lugs. Right side of cartridge holder has a small Luger-type striker which engages the sear which is attached to the trigger/handle. The nose of this device is removable for single shot loading of blank cartridges. The 88mm Flak gun was so versatile that it was used from 1937-1945, also as an anti-tank gun, and was feared by WWII Allied armor crews. CONDITION: Retains most of its original metal finish on the gun itself, with the base being a freckled silver/brown patina. Mechanically sound. Overall very good to excellent.