The best results I’ve seen for AckAck explosions would be from Wondertouch Illusion. There’s a huge library of presets available, many of which would be ready to go with a couple of tweaks. If I remember correctly, AA explosions were somewhat round, with a bright white flash in the center, followed by a quick spread of grey/black smoke (not that I was there – but I’ve watched my share of combat footage) that then spread or smeared due to wind conditions. Here’s a link to Wondertouch:
https://www.wondertouch.com/
I’m sure it can be done in Particular, but at a greater cost of setup time. I don’t remember seeing any explosion type presets. Good luck!
Joe Bourke
Creative Director / Multimedia Specialist
B&S Exhibits and Multimedia
bs-exhibits.com