Flachfeuergeschütz 40/1682

The Flachfeuergeschütz 40/1682, abbreviated as FlFeGe 40/82 is a gun developed by the Waffenschmiederei Ludwigshafen, in Sankt Ludwigshafen, that is designed to be used in a line-of-sight fire role. The gun can be mounted on donkey drawn carts, or placed on buildings such as defensive bunkers. The gun has a barrel length of 2.3 meters, the bore has a diameter of 40 millimetres. With a well trained crew the FlFeGe 40/82 can shoot 8 rounds per minute. The FlFeGe 40/82 was an iconic weapon in the early history of Sankt Ludwigshafen before motor vehicles were introduced in the nation.

Production of the gun was restarted in 1748 as the Exercitus Aemilia sought to strengthen its military tradition. Operation of the FlFeGe 40/82 is a skill that is taught to new recruits, starting in the year 1749 and the weapon has been given a prominent ceremonial role, as the weapon of choice for gun salutes. In the field, the FlFeGe 40/82 is used in densely forested areas of the Lanzerwald where there are no roads, so donkey drawn cannons are the only heavy weapons that can be brought along infantry.

The Flachfeuergeschütz 40/1716, used in the Panzergefechtswagen I, the first widely deployed main battle tank in Sankt Ludwigshafen, was based on the Flachfeuergeschütz 40/1682.