Here we come to the final. By air guns, able to call if you do not respect, the surprise one fact of its existence. Meanwhile, They fought with varying degrees of success.
In general, the arms race in the air - it's a very peculiar case. And progress is stepped very far, because just at the end of the 30s it was considered normal armament two machine guns caliber rifle. And just a 6-7 years four guns of 20 mm is no surprise. Killed - yes, but not surprised. It has become the norm.
But Opik development, I still think of those monsters, whose brilliant engineers still managed to cram into jets. Or is it a plane going around the cannon? Hard to tell, because - to take off!
long thought, as a sort of his heroines. He decided, without further special, arrange them in ascending caliber.
40-mm gun Vickers Class S. United Kingdom
Need to mark, what the British were pioneers in the installation of large-caliber (standards on aviation) guns in planes. Hard to tell, in whom they were going to shoot these missiles in 1936 year, but it was then, "Vickers" and "Rolls Royce" were tasked to develop a 40-mm gun to be mounted on a plane.
The contest has won the gun "Vickers", and it began to mass-produce and install aircraft.
The most interesting, that the first gun was mounted on the bombers. "Wellington" and B-17. And these aircraft operated by enemy submarines, and, quite successfully. 40-mm projectile itself showed very good.
AT 1940 year, when I showed Wehrmacht, what may be able to tank troops if properly managed,, in the military understand, that the 40-mm armor-piercing shell - is, that can be countered and tanks. In principle, it is logical, reservation «Panzer» I and II was completely his ability.
Engineers from «Hawker Aircraft» were able to make changes to the design "Hurricane" fighter, allowing S to place the cannon under each wing.
To do this, the whole plant has been designed to accommodate the gun and the store, who stubbornly refuse placed in a thick wing "Hurricane". But Designer II. Haygson coped.
Generally speaking, all thought, that the "Mustang" will be much better, than the "Hurricane", but the wing F-51 required a more global improvements.
When testing was not without incidents. Test pilot was not ready to, that when fired from two guns aircraft actually stop and fall into a nosedive. To solve this problem led to the recommendation to the pilots during the opening of fire to choose the aircraft control stick back.
S aiming guns carried out through a conventional reflex sight Mk.II, but in addition to, airplanes were two Browning machine gun sighting 0.5, Charges tracer bullets.
first division, Hurricane Mk.IID received with 40-mm cannons, He became the sixth squadron, stationed on the Egyptian air base Shandar. Baptism of fire "Hurricane» Mk.IID passed 7 June, as a result, two tanks were destroyed and several trucks. Altogether during the operations in Africa, the pilots of the 6th Squadron fire 40-mm guns were put out of action 144 tanka, of which 47 completely destroyed, and more 200 units of light armored vehicles.
clear, they were light tanks with anti-armor.
But it was paid, and, brutally. Suspension of these guns has reduced the already not a great rate of "Hurricane" on 60-70 kmh. turned, that "Hurricanes" is quite calmly beat the Germans technique, and the German Bf-109F calmly knocked "Hurricane."
Since adopting rockets Hurricane Mk.IID started shooting with an armed unit. A number of aircraft were transferred to the Far East to Burma, where they were used very effectively 20 squadron.
The Vickers S gun was actually used on a large scale only in battles in North Africa and Asia., where there were enough lightly armored targets for her shells. Gradually abandoned in favor of rockets, but statistics showed, that during the fighting in the Asia-Pacific Region, the average accuracy of shooting was 25% (Compare — volley accuracy of 60 rockets when attacking targets such as a tank was 5%).
Accuracy when firing high-explosive shells was twice as high, than when firing armor-piercing. This is due to the fact, that high-explosive shells were more similar to that used for zeroing Browning machine guns 0.5 ballistics.
dignity: large projectile weight, more damaging impact, high precision single shooting, guns were placed a couple, i.e, One shot - two shells.
disadvantages: huge recoil when firing long, low initial speed, low rate, too small ammunition (15 rounds on the barrel).
45-mm gun NA-45. the USSR
To begin with let us recall two good designers, without which there could not be a lot of things in our aviation Munitions.
Yakov Taubin and Mikhail Nikitich Baburin, falsely accused denunciations of colleagues and shot. But the potential, they laid in their projects, developed in OKB-16, subsequently allowed to create a whole family of large-caliber air guns, arming Soviet aircraft in subsequent 30 years.
Yakov Taubin
Mikhail Nikitich Baburin
AT previous article on large-caliber air guns we noted a very successful design NS-37 cannon, which was finalizing gun PTB-37 Taubina and Baburin. A modified the gun. E. Nudelman and A. FROM. Suranov, on them, and they gave the name of the gun.
Relatively easy and rapid-fire weapon of its class, with excellent ballistics was able to pair hit destroy any enemy aircraft and confidently deal with armored vehicles, at least, early period.
However, the development on the level of armor 1943 Year made ineffective weapon. In connection with this state of affairs in early July 1943 It issued a decree on the development of ICT-caliber cannons 45 mm.
Today, of course, very easy to evaluate everything that happened a few decades ago. And it is very convenient. It is easy and clear today, during the war it was given blood and sweat. Today, I am very easy to record the decision in dispute. And then, and even at a wavelength of success IL-2 with guns Shpitalniy W-37 caliber and 37mm guns Nudelman and Suranova same caliber ... Apparently, just do not have time to properly assess the full impact of the installation of these guns. Not before it, and today it is being understood and accuracy.
meanwhile, physics has not been canceled, even in time of war, and if it is clear today, the higher the energy of the cartridge, folding the mass of the munition, and its initial velocity, the higher recoil, acting on the airframe of the carrier. But then you needed a weapon, capable of hitting an adversary.
And Nudelman and Suranov were able. They were able to process their NS-37 chambered for 45x186. The prototype of the 45-mm gun 111-P-45 appeared less, than a month after the job to develop it. clear, that the lion's share of the gun sites was preserved from NA-37, what, the truth can not be said about the results.
Initially, underwent processing only the barrel with the chamber and the receiver re-engineered belt links. However, the first tests showed, that the recoil force of the gun was 7 to 7,5 tonnes. In doubt, that there will be a plane, able to withstand such an impulse. Quickly made a muzzle brake.
The version with a muzzle brake was designated NS-45M, but in view of, that she went to the series, letter «M» in the designation usually dropped.
As in the case of the 37-mm gun NS-37, majority carriers 45mm guns were assumed Il-2 and Yak-9 fighter.
Since IL-2 did not work at all. Although the idea was quite, guns installed in the wing root, more precisely, underneath, together with a fair ammunition in 50 rounds. And then there was the imposition of wing vibrations and trunks when shooting.
Targeted shooting at ground targets was not possible due to strong vibration like the gun itself, so wings. A similar situation, although to a lesser extent, evolved with the 37 mm version of the silt, by then discontinued, therefore, the work of equipping the attack aircraft with 45 mm guns lost all meaning. A few shots and in return a plane with flying wings - it is doubtful.
With the Yak-9, miracles began immediately. The inner diameter of the motor shaft M-105PF, through which the gun barrel, was 55 mm. A diameter of NA-45 was trunk ... 59 millimeters!
And so that you can skip the gun barrel inside the shaft, its thickness was reduced from 7 millimeters to 4.
by the way, it even reduced the weight of the gun. NS-45 weighed 152 kg, and NS-37 — 171 kg. clear, that you have to pay for everything. Naturally, fell resource of the trunk, plus long, but lightweight barrel was "playing" with the shooting, which affected the accuracy.
special tool ball bearing was installed to reduce this harmful things on the hub, centering the shaft relative to the gun axis of the hollow shaft gear.
In general, it turned out. And in a series (albeit a small) went to the Yak-9K, but it was not possible to repeat the success of the Yak-9T with the NS-37 gun.
When firing from an NS-45 cannon, the recoil affected the aircraft significantly more, than with caliber 37 mm. The greater the speed of flight and the angle of dive, the smaller the influence exerted on the plane returns. When shooting at a lower speed 350 km / h plane abruptly turned around, and the pilot while in his seat to make sharp movement back and forth.
Sighting shooting was possible and effective at speeds, large 350 kmh, and with short queues in 2-3 shot. Large recoil force NS-45 cannon had a significant impact on the aircraft structure, leading to oil leaks and water through the various seals and cracks in pipelines and the radiators.
Nevertheless, test, generally, They were found to be satisfactory in the period April — July 1944 Year troop series was built from 53 Yak-9K.
Military trials held 44 Yak-9K. it was carried out 340 combat sorties common touch 402 no 03 min, took 51 air battle. Opponents were FW-190A-8, Me-109G-2 и G-6. it was shot down 12 enemy fighters (meetings with the bombers was not), of them 8 FW-190A-8 and 4 Me-109G-2; their losses — As a one-9K.
The average consumption caliber ammunition 45 mm on a downed enemy aircraft was 10 shells.
Nevertheless, War came to an end, and military trials four dozen Yak-9K was decided to limit. In the series, he did not go. This ended the military service and NA-45, most of the released (194 PC) guns remained unclaimed.
dignity: good ballistics, destructive projectile, low weight, decent ammunition.
disadvantages: return, low resource trunk, the complexity of installation and maintenance.
57-But aerogun mm-401. Japan
The ancestor of this monster, too, was a 37-mm gun. But-203 was so successful design, that on orders over Dr. Kawamura decided to pump up their offspring to gauge steroid 57 millimeters.
It happened in 1943 year, when it turned to develop a system for a low-power cartridge 57h121R for 57-mm tank gun Type 97. Scheme automation new 57 mm cannons fully repeated earlier But-caliber 203 37 mm.
Even outwardly guns were very similar, The difference was the presence at No-401 muzzle brake.
Power gun But-401 was carried out of the closed store drum, similar, applied on 37-mm Ho-203. Magazine capacity was 17 rounds.
Unfortunately, despite the good for this caliber mass-dimensional parameters (total weight 150 kg), But-401 inherited from the predecessor and all the negative characteristics, of which there were a lot.
A short barrel and a small charge of the cartridge gave a parabolic trajectory and a low initial velocity of the projectile. And the rate of fire at 80 rounds per minute was, so to speak, very low. Plus the impact was great and churning sight.
So all these disadvantages determined the use of the gun exclusively for assault operations, when in one run it was possible to make only one aimed shot.
The exact number of manufactured No-401 guns is unknown, approximate amount is determined in the area 500 pieces.
The only plane, which was designed for this system, became a heavy twin-engine attack aircraft Kawasaki Ki-102 Otsu, in which No-401 was compactly located in the bow, only slightly speaking for the dimensions of the aircraft.
These cars in 1944-45 It was built by 215 pcs, but they were hardly used in battles. They were cared for to counteract the expected landing of the allies on the Japanese islands. Later, some of these storm troopers rearmed with new 37mm cannon Ho-204, turning it into a heavy interceptor.
dignity: low weight, good ammunition
disadvantages: low rate, disgusting ballistics, weak cartridge for such a heavy projectile.
Molins 6-pounder Class-M. United Kingdom
At the beginning 1943 , the Air Force Command beginning to discuss the replacement of 40-mm anti-tank guns Vickers S, Mounted on a Hurricane IID planes. Armor are getting fatter, 40 mm cannon shells became less and less dangerous for her.
For the sake of replacement, it was designed by a group of specialists led by G.F.. Wallace is truly a monstrous gun Molins.
On tests, the gun showed a very good side, and the only, what could interfere with its use on airplanes — these are possible problems with the automatic machine for feeding and loading from overloads (from 3,5 g), arising during maneuvering.
On the other hand, who will shoot from such a gun, maneuvering so actively?
clear, that no re-equipment of the Hurricanes was discussed, since the gun weighed almost a ton. Plus the return was "all" 4,5 tons. Although, basically, for such a tool and not so much.
Because we decided to stuff this gun in «Mosquito», good, still his nose was empty. Or almost empty.
It is worth recalling, that the Mosquito was a wooden plane, was based on balsa. Lightweight and durable. But 4,5 tons of returns is 4,5 tons of recoil.
Static tests were performed., and balsa withstood. So there were anti-submarine "Mosquito" with a 57-mm gun in the nose of the fuselage.
Molins placed at a slight angle down and on 100 mm to the right of the longitudinal axis, while the barrel of the gun protruded from the fuselage on 610 mm. The return spring was under the barrel.
And even did not have to throw machine guns. There were different options., with four, two machine guns 0.303 Double Ammunition Browning. A machine gun is generally a useful thing, You can throw tracers for shooting, can anti-aircraft gunners explain, that we should run into the cracks ...
It was interesting that the cartridge collection system was implemented, which were not thrown out, since they could really damage the tail of the plane. Sleeves remained inside the aircraft, in the catcher.
Onboard warehouse with shells
For aiming, the Mk.IIIa reflex sight was installed..
Molins gun received its official name «Airborne 6-pounder Class M», and the Mosquito, armed with this colossus they began to call "Tse-Tse".
Mixed anti-submarine was formed 248 squadron, which was armed with the "Bofayters" and "Mosquito - Tse-Tse".
The first combat mission Mk.XVIII took place 24 October 1943 of the year. Mosquito searched for enemy submarines, and 7 November the first year, the first combat clash. A pair of "Mosquito" found a submarine in the water. Having received several hits in the wheelhouse, the boat plunged, surrounded by black smoke.
But for the first time pilots were able to reliably drown a German submarine 25 Martha 1944 of the year, off the coast of france.
dignity: you just had to hit the target. The shell took over the rest.
disadvantages: gun weight, only armor-piercing shells were included, low rate.
75-mm M4 aircraft gun. USA
Oh really, and what was the little things? Probably, would be an opportunity, Americans would insert a 152-mm howitzer into an airplane. Well, so they had it all - the very best and not a cent less.
In general, Americans in this regard were well done. Yielding to the temptation to hit everything, what can you reach from the board, including ships, they brought this idea to more than just a series, and fired B-25 armed with 75-mm guns in a very decent amount.
It all started quite long before the war., at 1937 year. Probably, from the British got infected overseas. The terms of reference for the development of a cannon aircraft included weapons of no more than 75 mm, with moderate rate of fire and unitary cartridges.
As an aviation version of the 75-mm gun, serial M2 guns with a barrel length of 28,47 caliber and M3 with a barrel length of 37,5 calibres. Both guns are the development of the old French field gun Matériel de 75mm Mle 1897, which has been in service with the US Army.
Short-M2 want to arm the escort fighter, and long-barreled M3 put on a bomber. After reflection, left only M3.
characteristically, that the Americans, Having analyzed the tactics of using large-caliber aviation systems, came to the conclusion, that the large recoil of the gun will still not allow to aim more than one shot. Respectively, do not complicate the design of the gun with automatic reloading.
And 1943 year in theaters began to appear-25 armed with guns M4 or M5. Difference, generally, I was in the machine.
Generally, a really flying SAU. M4 was mounted on carriage under the seat of the second pilot, taking also part of the bomb bay. Almost three-meter trunk had to do something with.
aircrew, It consisted of two pilots, arrow, radio operator and navigator, and is appointed by the charging. Furthermore M4 gun in the forward fuselage installed two fixed guns 12.7 mm caliber ammunition for 400 shots on the barrel. The gun and the front machine guns were aimed at the target by the pilot. The aircraft was equipped with the N-3B optical sight and the A-1 bombing artillery sight. Besides, for zeroing can be used track coursework guns. When the target is under the fire of machine guns, produced gun trigger.
Average, in one combat call, they managed to fire a cannon three times. Theoretically, a well-trained crew could ensure the rate of fire of the M4 gun to 30 rounds per minute, but, usually, in practice, the rate of fire did not exceed 3 — 4 rds / min.
B-25G and B-25H gun attack aircraft, armed with 75-mm guns M4 and M5 proved to be very useful in the Pacific for attacks of small transport ships and Japanese submarines, in the hunt for tanks and anti-aircraft batteries. In Burma attacks at oil fields one from attack aircraft Laniva «Mitchell» releasing only 4 shell, He made a fire storm in the storage unit.
used gun «Mitchells» and in the Mediterranean in the hunt for navigation.
It happened, that the teeth and storming proved more serious purpose: 8 June 1944 year 30 miles from Manokwari, New Guinea, a group of two B-25H of the 345th Bombardment Group USA fire 75 mm cannons on the bottom let even a Japanese destroyer «Kharusi» displacement 1700 tonnes. For the destruction of the ship and the death of 74 members of his crew needed a successful hit only five 75-mm shells.
But in Europe, cannon attack aircraft did not take root. Better counteraction to the Luftwaffe and air defense affected. For them, the B-25 was just a target, since the rate fell to its 110 km / h, and not a quick attack (top speed dropped to 450 kmh) It becomes an easy target.
Nevertheless, Only B-25H were released about 1000 pcs.
dignity: any target in the teeth, powerful projectile with good ballistics.
disadvantages: slow firing rate due to manual reloading.
75-mm aviation gun VK-7.5. Germany
Well, the quintessence of destruction. German monster, created by the gloomy geniuses of the Rheinmetall-Borzig immediately after VK.5 (50-mm anti-tank gun adapted for aircraft).
Yes, this is the progenitor of VK 7.5.
If the main idea of developing a 50 mm gun was the desire to defeat enemy bombers beyond the range of their defensive weapons, then the 75 mm gun was seen as a weapon for assault operations.
The Americans, too, did not trifle in terms of caliber. Why did the Germans have to fall behind?
I would blame the Germans for some excess and gigantomania. But I can not help but admire their design ideas. Because to automate a conventional land anti-tank gun PaK-40 - this must be able to. And the Germans managed.
It was a semi-automatic weapon in ordinary life., with horizontal wedge shutter, and here also added new products. The gun used very powerful unitary cartridges of 75 × 714R, effective against any modern tanks of the allies of the anti-Hitler coalition.
In general, one could not drive like that, and use shortened KwK tank guns as the initial sample 40, used less powerful cartridges 75x495R, more suitable for arming an aircraft.
But no, so if you do - so that in Valhalla welcomed with open arms. And 1942 year VK appeared 7.5, aka PaK 40L, i.e, for the luftwaffe. The name was later changed to BK 7.5, where the word "Bordkanonen" was hidden behind the letters "BK", side gun.
And from the tank gun, the electric ignition of the C / 22 or C / 22 St electro-fuse sleeve was borrowed, which was installed in a standard cartridge instead of a capsule.
Pneumatic Automatic Charger, generally, repeated structurally used on a 50-mm gun VK 5, using a pneumatic cylinder, who sent a cartridge to the gun chamber. However, the ammunition pattern was significantly different and varied depending on the carrier, on which the gun was mounted.
One of the first projects, on which it was planned to install the gun, was a Junkers Ju-88 bomber.
When the tests passed, and everyone understood, that the 88th - the car is strong and will not fall apart from the shooting of this monster, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. And they launched the gun into the series.
The electro-pneumatic charging system has just been finalized., the gun got a clip on 10 rounds. The truth is usually only loaded into it 8 rounds plus one in the breech of the gun. In flight, more cartridges could be loaded into the clip, what did the shooter of the lower rear machine gun turret.
In addition to the cartridges in the clip, the ammunition included 7 cartridges.
The automatic charging mechanism made it possible to achieve a technical rate of fire of about 30 rds / min., although in reality no more than two shots could be fired in one run.
Military tests of several released serial Ju.88P-1 took place in the fall 1943 years on the central section of the Eastern Front in the division of Versuchskommando fur Panzerbekamfung.
As the first fights showed, VK gun rate 7,5 was so low, that in one attack the pilot managed to make no more than two shots, although usually even a direct hit was enough to, to set fire to any tank.
Since information on the combat use of Ju 88P-1 is practically absent, we can conclude, that their successes were very modest.
Subsequently, from the use of VK guns 7.5 on the assault "Junkers" refused, preferring on subsequent submodifications «R» replace them with less powerful, but more rapid-fire VK 3.7 and VC 5.
In this way, on VK rifles 7.5 at the beginning 1944 year could put a bold cross, remembering her only in the context of one of the samples «miracle weapon» 3-go Reich, but they remembered her at the very end of the war, using the Henschel HS as the main offensive weapon of the attack aircraft 129.
I had to do something with Soviet tanks, especially with IPs. Yes, hitting a 75-mm shell from above guaranteed to disable any of our tanks, but… 700 kg of the installation turned "Henschel", even if deprived for the sake of relief of 20 mm guns into something, waddling hard at speed 250 km / h and miraculously kept the direction of flight after each shot.
129-th and in the best times was not an example of controllability and fluttering like a butterfly, and after installing VK 7.5 everything became completely sad.
Nevertheless, VK 7.5 decided to give a second chance and launch a new attack aircraft into mass production. The anti-tank attack aircraft received the index Hs.129B-3 / Wa and an unofficial nickname «can-opener» (Socket opener).
During July-October 1944 g. the Germans managed to release about 25 this type of aircraft, who were sent to the Eastern Front. they say, they took part in the battles for the Seelow Heights and even knocked out something there. Sort of 9 our tanks.
I do not presume to judge, how true is it. If to be honest, I'm sure, that if anyone knocked out the tanks, they were ground artillerymen. A "Henscheli", if they took off, with such speed and controllability, likely, were just shot down.
Do not forget, the spring of 1945. And the total advantage of our aviation. So - most likely, a tale from losers.
However, this does not detract from the fact, what the guys from "Rheinmetall-Borzig" have created. It was a good job, anyway. Especially when you consider, that VK 7.5 could fire the entire range of ammunition from the PaK anti-tank gun 40. It was only necessary to replace the percussion cap with a C / 22 or C / 22 St electric igniter sleeve.
dignity: incredible projectile power, good ballistics, magnificent armor penetration.
disadvantages: rate.
Yes, it’s not easy to evaluate the use and success of large-caliber air guns. As experience has shown, large caliber on planes did not take root (except ganshipy in the USA) and gave way to medium-caliber guns, with a less powerful shell, but higher rate of fire. Well, missile weapons played an important role. But these guns made their (albeit not very big) contribution to the history of artillery.
/Roman Skomorokhov, topwar.ru/
