Wirbelwind - Revision history

U38088265: /* Description */

2023-11-25T10:06:36Z

‎Description

U74396666: Minor updates

2023-11-20T16:02:13Z

Minor updates

U74396666: Minor updates

2023-11-20T14:55:44Z

Minor updates

U74396666: Minor updates

2023-11-20T14:35:02Z

Minor updates

U74396666: Minor updates

2023-11-20T12:10:09Z

Minor updates

U74396666: Minor updates

2023-11-20T12:04:01Z

Minor updates

U74396666: New Description Project - Germany Priority: Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"

2023-11-20T12:00:24Z

New Description Project - Germany Priority: Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"

U44629479: Edits

2023-03-31T16:08:38Z

Edits

U128413528: /* Pros and cons */

2023-03-31T15:45:25Z

‎Pros and cons

U94063503: Undo revision 159784 by U94063503 (talk)

2023-03-28T13:10:01Z

Undo revision 159784 by U94063503 (talk)

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 The '''Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 161/4''') is the first variant of the [[Flakpanzer IV (Disambiguation)|Flakpanzer IV self-propelled anti-aircraft gun family]]. The German military forces were less interested in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns in the early years of World War II, but as the Allies gained air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns grew. SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind concept in the early summer of 1944. He presented the idea to SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment, and Adolf Hitler approved it. The Panzer IV medium tank chassis was used to mount an open-top, nine-sided turret housing a quadruple mount of 20 mm Flugzeugabwehrkanone 38 autocannon (Flakvierling 38). A closed-top design would have been preferable, but due to the heavy smoke generated by the main armament, this was not possible. The turret's shape earned it the nickname Keksdose ("biscuit tin"). Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia, was primarily responsible for its construction.
-Introduced in [[Update 1.43]], the Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" is one of the best self-propelled anti-air vehicles in its class. Given its high fire rate, this machine effectively spews out a stream of fragmentation rounds, and any plane unfortunate enough to be hit by the waves of shells will burst into flames if not complete destruction. However, crews inside the turret are only marginally protected by thin armour, so it is critical to keep an eye out for enemy aircraft strafing. Lastly, armour-piercing ammunition belts are also available to destroy lightly armoured targets.
+Introduced in [[Update 1.43]], the Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" is one of the best self-propelled anti-air vehicles in its class. Given its high fire rate, this machine effectively spews out a stream of fragmentation rounds, and any plane unfortunate enough to be hit by the waves of shells will burst into flames if not being completely destroyed. However, crews inside the turret are only marginally protected by thin armour, so it is critical to keep an eye out for enemy aircraft strafing. Lastly, armour-piercing ammunition belts are also available to destroy lightly armoured targets.
 == General info ==

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 161/4''') is the first variant of the [[Flakpanzer IV (Disambiguation)|Flakpanzer IV self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle family]]. The German military forces were less interested in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns in the early years of World War II, but as the Allies gained air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns grew. SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind concept in the early summer of 1944. He presented the idea to SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment, and Adolf Hitler approved it. The Panzer IV medium tank chassis was used to mount an open-top, nine-sided turret housing a quadruple mount of 20 mm Flugzeugabwehrkanone 38 autocannon (Flakvierling 38). A closed-top design would have been preferable, but due to the heavy smoke generated by the main armament, this was not possible. The turret's shape earned it the nickname Keksdose ("biscuit tin"). Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia, was primarily responsible for its construction.
+The '''Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 161/4''') is the first variant of the [[Flakpanzer IV (Disambiguation)|Flakpanzer IV self-propelled anti-aircraft gun family]]. The German military forces were less interested in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns in the early years of World War II, but as the Allies gained air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns grew. SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind concept in the early summer of 1944. He presented the idea to SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment, and Adolf Hitler approved it. The Panzer IV medium tank chassis was used to mount an open-top, nine-sided turret housing a quadruple mount of 20 mm Flugzeugabwehrkanone 38 autocannon (Flakvierling 38). A closed-top design would have been preferable, but due to the heavy smoke generated by the main armament, this was not possible. The turret's shape earned it the nickname Keksdose ("biscuit tin"). Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia, was primarily responsible for its construction.
 Introduced in [[Update 1.43]], the Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" is one of the best self-propelled anti-air vehicles in its class. Given its high fire rate, this machine effectively spews out a stream of fragmentation rounds, and any plane unfortunate enough to be hit by the waves of shells will burst into flames if not complete destruction. However, crews inside the turret are only marginally protected by thin armour, so it is critical to keep an eye out for enemy aircraft strafing. Lastly, armour-piercing ammunition belts are also available to destroy lightly armoured targets.

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 161/4''') is the first variant of the [[Pz.IV (Family)|Panzer IV medium tank]] based self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle family. The German military forces were less interested in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns in the early years of World War II, but as the Allies gained air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns grew. SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind concept in the early summer of 1944. He presented the idea to SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment, and Adolf Hitler approved it. The Panzer IV medium tank chassis was used to mount an open-top, nine-sided turret housing a quadruple mount of 20 mm Flugzeugabwehrkanone 38 autocannon (Flakvierling 38). A closed-top design would have been preferable, but due to the heavy smoke generated by the main armament, this was not possible. The turret's shape earned it the nickname Keksdose ("biscuit tin"). Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia, was primarily responsible for its construction.
+The '''Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 161/4''') is the first variant of the [[Flakpanzer IV (Disambiguation)|Flakpanzer IV self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle family]]. The German military forces were less interested in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns in the early years of World War II, but as the Allies gained air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns grew. SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind concept in the early summer of 1944. He presented the idea to SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment, and Adolf Hitler approved it. The Panzer IV medium tank chassis was used to mount an open-top, nine-sided turret housing a quadruple mount of 20 mm Flugzeugabwehrkanone 38 autocannon (Flakvierling 38). A closed-top design would have been preferable, but due to the heavy smoke generated by the main armament, this was not possible. The turret's shape earned it the nickname Keksdose ("biscuit tin"). Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia, was primarily responsible for its construction.
 Introduced in [[Update 1.43]], the Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" is one of the best self-propelled anti-air vehicles in its class. Given its high fire rate, this machine effectively spews out a stream of fragmentation rounds, and any plane unfortunate enough to be hit by the waves of shells will burst into flames if not complete destruction. However, crews inside the turret are only marginally protected by thin armour, so it is critical to keep an eye out for enemy aircraft strafing. Lastly, armour-piercing ammunition belts are also available to destroy lightly armoured targets.

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 161/4''') is the first variant of the [[Pz.IV (Family)|Panzer IV medium tank family]] based self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle family. The German military forces were less interested in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns in the early years of World War II, but as the Allies gained air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns grew. SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind concept in the early summer of 1944. He presented the idea to SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment, and Adolf Hitler approved it. The Panzer IV medium tank chassis was used to mount an open-top, nine-sided turret housing a quadruple mount of 20 mm Flugzeugabwehrkanone 38 autocannon (Flakvierling 38). A closed-top design would have been preferable, but due to the heavy smoke generated by the main armament, this was not possible. The turret's shape earned it the nickname Keksdose ("biscuit tin"). Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia, was primarily responsible for its construction.
+The '''Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 161/4''') is the first variant of the [[Pz.IV (Family)|Panzer IV medium tank]] based self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle family. The German military forces were less interested in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns in the early years of World War II, but as the Allies gained air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns grew. SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind concept in the early summer of 1944. He presented the idea to SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment, and Adolf Hitler approved it. The Panzer IV medium tank chassis was used to mount an open-top, nine-sided turret housing a quadruple mount of 20 mm Flugzeugabwehrkanone 38 autocannon (Flakvierling 38). A closed-top design would have been preferable, but due to the heavy smoke generated by the main armament, this was not possible. The turret's shape earned it the nickname Keksdose ("biscuit tin"). Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia, was primarily responsible for its construction.
 Introduced in [[Update 1.43]], the Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" is one of the best self-propelled anti-air vehicles in its class. Given its high fire rate, this machine effectively spews out a stream of fragmentation rounds, and any plane unfortunate enough to be hit by the waves of shells will burst into flames if not complete destruction. However, crews inside the turret are only marginally protected by thin armour, so it is critical to keep an eye out for enemy aircraft strafing. Lastly, armour-piercing ammunition belts are also available to destroy lightly armoured targets.

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 161/4''') is the first variant of the [[Pz.IV (Family)|Panzer IV medium tank family]] based self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle family. The German military forces were less interested in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns in the early years of World War II, but as the Allies gained air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns grew. SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind concept in the early summer of 1944. He presented the idea to SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment, and Adolf Hitler approved it. The Panzer IV medium tank chassis was used to mount an open-top, nine-sided turret housing a quadruple mount of 20 mm Flakvierling 38 autocannon. A closed-top design would have been preferable, but due to the heavy smoke generated by the main armament, this was not possible. The turret's shape earned it the nickname Keksdose ("biscuit tin"). Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia, was primarily responsible for its construction.
+The '''Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 161/4''') is the first variant of the [[Pz.IV (Family)|Panzer IV medium tank family]] based self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle family. The German military forces were less interested in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns in the early years of World War II, but as the Allies gained air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns grew. SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind concept in the early summer of 1944. He presented the idea to SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment, and Adolf Hitler approved it. The Panzer IV medium tank chassis was used to mount an open-top, nine-sided turret housing a quadruple mount of 20 mm Flugzeugabwehrkanone 38 autocannon (Flakvierling 38). A closed-top design would have been preferable, but due to the heavy smoke generated by the main armament, this was not possible. The turret's shape earned it the nickname Keksdose ("biscuit tin"). Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia, was primarily responsible for its construction.
 Introduced in [[Update 1.43]], the Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" is one of the best self-propelled anti-air vehicles in its class. Given its high fire rate, this machine effectively spews out a stream of fragmentation rounds, and any plane unfortunate enough to be hit by the waves of shells will burst into flames if not complete destruction. However, crews inside the turret are only marginally protected by thin armour, so it is critical to keep an eye out for enemy aircraft strafing. Lastly, armour-piercing ammunition belts are also available to destroy lightly armoured targets.

@@ Line 138: / Line 138: @@
 '''Pros:'''
-* High rate of fire (1,800 rounds per minute combined!) allows it to spray shells in an aircraft's path and quickly take them down
+* Excellent hull armour for an AA vehicle, can resist low-penetrating tanks like [[M24]], T-34 (1942) and 75 mm M4
-* Impressive ammo capacity of 3,200 rounds (~2 minutes of continuous fire)
+* Turret armour is thick enough to protect the crew inside from light machine gun fire from enemy tanks
 * Excellent gun elevation and depression allows it to deal with targets regardless of their location
 * Powerful guns with various belts: HE belt will devastate planes at close range, while HVAP can go through side armour and quickly knock out the crew of common enemies like [[M4]], [[T-34 (1942)]] and [[Cromwell (Family)|Cromwell]]
 * Excellent turret traverse makes it possible to stay on aircraft
 '''Cons:'''
 * Weak turret protection: open top design makes vehicle vulnerable to strafing runs by enemy aircraft, especially those with .50 cals like the [[P-40 (Family)|P-40]], and the thin armour can get penetrated by other SPAA like [[M16 MGMC|M16]], [[ZSD63]] and [[GAZ-MM (72-K)|GAZ]] trucks
 * Especially vulnerable to HE and HEAT shells: even glancing shots could be lethal
-* Less effective at firing at distant aircraft
+* Less effective at firing at distant aircraft, 20 mm shells have difficulty dealing with bombers due to both durability and the typical altitude of targets
-* Reloading rate sub-par compared to other SPAAs at 5.6 seconds
+* Long reload time compared to other SPAAs at this BR
 * With continuous firing, a magazine is emptied very fast so strict trigger control is important
 == History ==

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 '''Armour type:'''
 * Rolled homogeneous armour
@@ Line 71: / Line 72: @@
 ==== Ammunition ====
 * '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - These are adapted for the anti-air role with much less performance against enemy tanks. Focus on the AA role with this belt until others are researched. You can still damage and take out lightly armoured vehicles in self-defence as last resort.
 * '''Sprgr.:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - These are absolutely devastating in the anti-air role.
@@ Line 112: / Line 114: @@
 ;Anti-Aircraft:
 While in tank guns, dispersion (the MOA cone that is used to determine accuracy) is something that is ideally kept to a minimum, this vehicle benefits from it by having shots spread out in a sort of "shotgun" effect, rather than having four separate beams of projectiles. This means that if you can get your lead point right, your odds of shredding aircraft with even a momentary burst is exceptional compared to other types of AA present at the ranks that you will be operating this vehicle. Unfortunately, this rapid-fire ability is hindered by the 20 round magazine capacity for each cannon (for a total of 80 rounds), meaning that it is best to fire 3-5 round bursts to make effective use of what ammunition you have and your magazine size. This is one of the few areas the Wirbelwind is caught lacking, the others being an open crew compartment roof and the fact that your SPAA houses most of its crew in a thinly armoured turret.
@@ Line 117: / Line 120: @@
 ;Attack:
 It is highly discouraged to use the Wirbelwind aggressively since it can be hard to always get such a favourable engagement (and also it is not the SPAA's job to do so). However, should a player choose such an attack plan, they should consider either being supported by friendly tanks as an additional gun or cover, or flanking wide and make effective use of cover and concealment against thin-skinned vehicles. Use roads less-traveled to remain hidden. No matter which manoeuvre that is used, stay vigilant for enemy aircraft to avoid them spotting and pouncing on the Wirbelwind. Even if equipped with the PzGr 40 belt for anti-tank purposes, eighty 20 mm shells from the Wirbelwind can still mess up an aircraft's flight time.
@@ Line 122: / Line 126: @@
 ==== Against the Wirbelwind ====
 * '''Aircraft''': the Wirbelwind is an extremely popular SPAA in Ground Realistic battles and pose a huge threat to any plane, thus every pilot should know how to counter it. Aircraft with access to rockets (e.g. P-47D, IL-2) can practice firing off a salvo of rockets at long distances, this way the pilot can score hits/critical hits if not a kill without even entering the effective range of the 20 mm autocannons. Bomb-carrying planes, for example BTD-1, P-47D, will be more dangerous, as they usually need to get closer to drop the bombs accurately. The conventional method of shallow dive bombing will not work if the Wirbelwind knows your presence and starts spraying bursts towards you as you dive, 1-2 hits from it and your wing will snap off. Pilots can try flying low to the ground - at tree-top level if they can, to avoid getting spotted by the SPAA. On occasion, the opposing team, being usually the Allies, will have aircraft with huge cannons, like the XA-38 and Yak-9K. In this case, practising long-range shooting with these plane cannons can definitely help, since you want to finish your pass as quick as possible so you do not get too close to the Wirbelwind. Its armour can overall be easily penetrated by most aircraft armaments, except the frontal hull.
@@ Line 139: / Line 144: @@
 * Excellent turret traverse makes it possible to stay on aircraft
 * Excellent hull armour for an AA vehicle, can resist low-penetrating tanks like [[M24]], T-34 (1942) and 75 mm M4
-* Turret armour is thick enough to protect the crew inside from machine gun fire from enemy tanks
+* Turret armour is thick enough to protect the crew inside from light machine gun fire from enemy tanks
 * High driving speed able to move from cover to cover with little to no problem
@@ Line 145: / Line 150: @@
 * Weak turret protection: open top design makes vehicle vulnerable to strafing runs by enemy aircraft, especially those with .50 cals like the [[P-40 (Family)|P-40]], and the thin armour can get penetrated by other SPAA like [[M16 MGMC|M16]], [[ZSD63]] and [[GAZ-MM (72-K)|GAZ]] trucks
 * Less effective at firing at distant aircraft
 * Reloading rate sub-par compared to other SPAAs at 5.6 seconds
@@ Line 174: / Line 180: @@
 ;Skins
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_flakpanzer_IV_Wirbelwind Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
@@ Line 190: / Line 197: @@
 ;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
 * [[Flakpanzer IV]]
 ;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
 * [[Crusader AA Mk II]]
 * [[ZSD63]]

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 == General info ==
-=== Survivability and armor ===
+=== Survivability and armour ===
 {{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 <!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
-The armor surrounding the turret can provide a small amount of protection against plane machine guns, but the amount of armour on its turret is still low and it has an open top so it's best to destroy the attacking plane quickly or move out of the way.
+The armour surrounding the turret can provide a small amount of protection against plane machine guns, but the amount of armour on its turret is still low and it has an open top so it's best to destroy the attacking plane quickly or move out of the way.
-'''Armor type:'''
+'''Armour type:'''
+* Rolled homogeneous armour
 {| class="wikitable"
@@ Line 32: / Line 31: @@
 * Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
-* Some track links are placed on the front glacis, adding 15 mm armor at their area.
+* Some track links are placed on the front glacis, adding 15 mm armour at their area.
-* Belly armor is 10 mm thick.
+* Belly armour is 10 mm thick.
 === Mobility ===
@@ Line 72: / Line 71: @@
 ==== Ammunition ====
 * '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - These are adapted for the anti-air role with much less performance against enemy tanks. Focus on the AA role with this belt until others are researched. You can still damage and take out lightly armoured vehicles in self-defence as last resort.
 * '''Sprgr.:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - These are absolutely devastating in the anti-air role.
@@ Line 114: / Line 112: @@
 ;Anti-Aircraft:
 While in tank guns, dispersion (the MOA cone that is used to determine accuracy) is something that is ideally kept to a minimum, this vehicle benefits from it by having shots spread out in a sort of "shotgun" effect, rather than having four separate beams of projectiles. This means that if you can get your lead point right, your odds of shredding aircraft with even a momentary burst is exceptional compared to other types of AA present at the ranks that you will be operating this vehicle. Unfortunately, this rapid-fire ability is hindered by the 20 round magazine capacity for each cannon (for a total of 80 rounds), meaning that it is best to fire 3-5 round bursts to make effective use of what ammunition you have and your magazine size. This is one of the few areas the Wirbelwind is caught lacking, the others being an open crew compartment roof and the fact that your SPAA houses most of its crew in a thinly armoured turret.
@@ Line 120: / Line 117: @@
 ;Attack:
 It is highly discouraged to use the Wirbelwind aggressively since it can be hard to always get such a favourable engagement (and also it is not the SPAA's job to do so). However, should a player choose such an attack plan, they should consider either being supported by friendly tanks as an additional gun or cover, or flanking wide and make effective use of cover and concealment against thin-skinned vehicles. Use roads less-traveled to remain hidden. No matter which manoeuvre that is used, stay vigilant for enemy aircraft to avoid them spotting and pouncing on the Wirbelwind. Even if equipped with the PzGr 40 belt for anti-tank purposes, eighty 20 mm shells from the Wirbelwind can still mess up an aircraft's flight time.
@@ Line 126: / Line 122: @@
 ==== Against the Wirbelwind ====
 * '''Aircraft''': the Wirbelwind is an extremely popular SPAA in Ground Realistic battles and pose a huge threat to any plane, thus every pilot should know how to counter it. Aircraft with access to rockets (e.g. P-47D, IL-2) can practice firing off a salvo of rockets at long distances, this way the pilot can score hits/critical hits if not a kill without even entering the effective range of the 20 mm autocannons. Bomb-carrying planes, for example BTD-1, P-47D, will be more dangerous, as they usually need to get closer to drop the bombs accurately. The conventional method of shallow dive bombing will not work if the Wirbelwind knows your presence and starts spraying bursts towards you as you dive, 1-2 hits from it and your wing will snap off. Pilots can try flying low to the ground - at tree-top level if they can, to avoid getting spotted by the SPAA. On occasion, the opposing team, being usually the Allies, will have aircraft with huge cannons, like the XA-38 and Yak-9K. In this case, practising long-range shooting with these plane cannons can definitely help, since you want to finish your pass as quick as possible so you do not get too close to the Wirbelwind. Its armour can overall be easily penetrated by most aircraft armaments, except the frontal hull.
@@ Line 179: / Line 174: @@
 ;Skins
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_flakpanzer_IV_Wirbelwind Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
@@ Line 196: / Line 190: @@
 ;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
 * [[Flakpanzer IV]]
 ;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
 * [[Crusader AA Mk II]]
 * [[ZSD63]]