The Flugabwehrkanone 38, or “Flak 38”, entered service as the standard anti-aircraft gun for the German military in 1939. Developed from the earlier C/30, built for the Kreigsmarine, this light gun was mounted on a small two-wheeled carriage that could fire in all directions at a rate over 200 rounds per minute. By the end of World War II, more than 40,000 Flak 38s would be manufactured.

The Flak 38 fired a 20mm high-explosive tracer round from a fifty-round drum magazine. It had an effective range of about 2200 meters, and could engage low-flying light and medium aircraft. Unfortunately for the design, improvements in aircraft speed and maneuverability limited the overall effectiveness of the design.