soc.history.war.world-war-ii

On Mar 6, 3:10 am, "YMC" wrote:
> What was the biggest and most effective ballistic weapon for an aircraft in
> WW2.
>
> I realize that some aircraft carried 75mm cannon - the B25 iirc and the
> Germans probably shoehorned an 88 into one of their fighter bombers - but
> what was the one that was most effective as opposed to being largely
> ineffectual and being better replaced with a smaller caliber.
>
> My guess would be the Mosquito's 57mm anti-ship gun.

Almost certainly the Henschell Hs 129 B2/R4 which mounted a 7.5cm PAK
40L autocanon with 12 rounds. It could knock out any tank in the
world. There was a Hs 293 R3/Wa which had a similar 7.5cm BK7.5 gun
with 26 rounds in a jetisonable pack. I believe this gun was also
mounted on a ju 88.