Group: soc.history.war.world-war-ii
From: Bill Shatzer
Date: Friday, March 07, 2008 4:18 PM
Subject: Re: Biggest and most effective ballistic weapon for an aircraft in WW2

YMC wrote:

> wrote in message news:ea984c71-a6b5-4ec5-9079-
>
>>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.

> But were they effective?

The weapon itself was reasonably effective, the aircraft less so. The
weight of the gun severely limited the speed and maneuverability of the
aircraft, leaving them overly vulnerable to enemy countermeasures.

But, under conditions of local air superiority, they obtained a measure
of success.

Cheers,