| A Nazi German soldier mans a Zwillingssockel (“Twin Base”) 36 Flugabwehrkanone (“Anti-aircraft gun”) consisting of 2 Maschinengewehr (“Machine gun”) MG34s on a cast iron base. You can see the adjustable sight that tracks with the guns on the Zwillingssockel 36. In 1942, especially after the Dieppe raid, the Nazi Germans began to fortify the Atlantic Wall. Zwillingssockel 36 were effective only against low-level intruding aircraft. With an effective firing range of 6,500 feet (1,980 meters), and a 7.92 millimeter (.31 caliber) round, the MG34 did not make a particularly effective antiaircraft weapon. It could be used effectively against landing troops, but the Zwillingssockel 36 prevented the guns from being depressed more than 20 degrees elevation. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0485.jpg |
| Image Size | 1.72 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 4680 x 3104 |
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| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | June 25, 1942 |
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| Country | France |
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| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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