ack-ack
Sky defense guns
Ack-ack is military slang for antiaircraft fire or antiaircraft guns.
The term originated from the World War I–era phonetic alphabet where "ack" represented the letter A, so "ack-ack" spelled out "AA" for antiaircraft.
The bombers flew through heavy ack-ack over the target.
The word appears mainly in historical accounts of 20th-century warfare.
Intense hostile reaction
- tracerPath-marking projectile
- skywardToward the firmament
- batteriesPortable energy storage units
- AAATop credit rating
pom-pom · elevation · azimuth · range · caliber · emplacement · crew · gunner
Simultaneous weapons discharge
- volleySimultaneous firing burst
- curtainFabric hung for privacy
- shrapnelScattered explosion fragments
- fusilladeRapid series of shots
bombardment · saturation · defensive · concentrated · sustained · ceiling · umbrella · screen
Short, separated note style
- rapid-fireIn swift succession
- rattlingProducing rapid knocks
- thunderousExtremely loud, resounding
- deafeningOverwhelmingly loud
boom · blast · cacophony · din · bursts · pounding · hammering · repetitive
flak
Intense hostile reaction
AAA · pom-pom · elevation · azimuth · range · caliber · emplacement · crew · gunner · searchlight
salvo
Simultaneous weapons discharge
fusillade · bombardment · saturation · defensive · concentrated · sustained · ceiling · umbrella · screen · intensive
staccato
Short, separated note style
- rapid-fireIn swift succession
- rattlingProducing rapid knocks
- thunderousExtremely loud, resounding
deafening · boom · blast · cacophony · din · bursts · pounding · hammering · repetitive · percussive
- air raidsair raid, air strike, bombing, raid, bomb
- WWI Slangdoughboy, Tommy, Hun, Fritz, Jerry
- air defensesurface-to-air missile, air defense, Stinger, surface-to-air missiles, Aegis
- Anti-Aircraftflak, AAA, air defense, Vulcan, Patriot missiles
- artillerycannons, cannon, howitzers, howitzer, mortars
- RAFRAF, Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster, Battle of Britain
ack-ackair-to-ground
From aircraft to surface
strafing · dive bombing · aerial bombardment · bombing run · close air support
ack-ackfighter aircraft
Military plane for combat
interceptor · combat aircraft · warplane · attack helicopter · gunship