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| The Field Light Artillery Cannon (Where does the “K” come from?) was one of the original 1982 GI Joe accessories; in fact it was the first boxed Joe toy I bought. It was available in stores through 1983, and showed up in mail-order offers over the years. The FLAK is an anti-tank, anti-aircraft gun mounted on a circular base with stabilizer legs. This base allows the gun to swivel 360 degrees; however, the gun has limited up and down movement, meaning that it cannot hit short targets. One Joe operates the weapon from a gunner’s seat. It’s a neat weapon, but the Flak is limited to defensive use, due to its lack of wheels. The only real way to move the weapon is to load it in the open bed of an APC or lift it with a helicopter’s cable. That may be why the FLAK saw no use in the comic book, and isn’t mentioned much. While the toy is fairly sturdy, the most easily lost or broken parts on the FLAK are the stabilizer legs (I lost one) and the seat (mine broke). Also, the gun can get loose with play, and stays in the elevated anti-air position, like the one that appears in the photo. Keep these things in mind when buying a used FLAK |
ADDENDUM: FLAK is a German acronym. It stands for: "FLieger Abwehr Kannon." |
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