Originally developed as an anti-aircraft weapon, the infamous "eighty-eight" or "88", as it became known by Allied troops, had a high muzzle velocity, allowing it to reach the higher ranges bombers were capable of. This feature also made it an exceptionally deadly anti-tank weapon, as many Allied tank crews learned to their peril. As such, the 88 was also deployed as a conventional artillery piece. As one infantryman noted, the 88 was "anti-everything" The 88 saw service on all fronts in which the Germans fought during WWII. Capable of penetrating armour plate up to 108mm thick at ranges of up to 1,100 yards, the 88's fearsome reputation grew immensely during its service in the Western Desert where it was one of the very few weapons capable of dealing with the British Matilda II infantry tanks. A similar scenario unfolded on the Eastern Front as the 88 was among the rare weapons able to tackle the Soviet T-34 and KV tanks.