Aircraft of World War II

me262A-1aU1

johnbr — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:27:17 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: The Me 262A-1/U1 differed from the standard A-1a in nose mounted armament. It featured two 20mm MG 151 cannon with 146 rounds each, two 30mm MK 103 cannon with 72 rounds each, and two 30mm MK 108 cannon with 66 rounds each. The MK 103 had a longer barrel and a higher muzzle velocity than the MK 108. The Me 262A-1a/U1 was an attempt to overcome the limitations of the usual quartet of 30mm MK 108 cannon. The MK 108 was prone to jamming and also had a low muzzle velocity. However the combination of three different cannon was also problematic and only three examples of the Me 262A-1a/U1 were built.

Chinese_anti-aircraft_crew_in_exercise_with_a_spotlight_China_circa_1939_no

johnbr — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:55:08 -0500

by: johnbr

German_Army_Commander_Colonel_General_Ernst_Busch_inspects_an_anti-aircraft

johnbr — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:46:07 -0500

by: johnbr

Description: The 88 "family" [edit] Guns using the early 88�571R mm cartridge 8.8 cm Flak 18 New semi-automatic breech, high velocity gun. Entered production in Germany in 1933. Used the Sonderanh�nger 201 trailer. Weight 7 tonnes. Rate of fire 15 to 20 rounds per minute. Later, fitted with a gun shield to protect the crew when engaging ground targets. Produced by Krupp. Mod 1938 II: Approximately 50 guns modified so a single man could adjust elevation and traverse. 8.8 cm Flak 36 Entered service 1936�37. It used the redesigned trailer Sonderanh�nger 202 enabling faster time to action from the move. The SdAnh 202 had twin wheels on two similar carriages. Could engage ground targets from its traveling position. Weight 7 tonnes. Rate of fire 15 to 20 rounds per minute. Produced by Krupp. Later, fitted with a shield to protect the crew when engaging ground targets. 8.8 cm KwK 36: Main gun of the PzKw VI Ausf. E (Tiger I) tank. Despite its designation, some classify it as a parallel development with very similar specifications rather than a derivative of the Flak 36. 8.8 cm Flak 37: An updated version of the Flak 36, the main difference being �bertragungser 37 (a data transmission system). Produced by Krupp. [edit] Guns using the 88�855R mm cartridge 8.8 cm Flak 41: A gun developed and produced by Rheinmetall-Borsig. A 71 caliber barrel and a 855 mm cartridge case.[11] Fitted to the existing Sonderanh�nger 202 as standard. Entered service 1943. [edit] Guns using the 88�822R mm cartridge 8.8 cm Ger�t 42: a new Krupp design to compete with Flak 41; did not enter service as an anti-aircraft gun. Further development of the weapon led to the Pak 43 anti-tank gun. 8.8 cm Pak 43: Anti-tank model developed from Krupp's 8.8 cm Ger�t 42. New gun carriage, the Sonderanh�nger 204. Developed by Krupp and manufactured in different versions, including KwK 43, by at least Dortmund Hoerder-H�ttenverein, Henschel, Weserh�tte and Fr. Garny. A 71 caliber barrel and a 822 mm cartridge case.[11] 8.8 cm Pak 43/41: Pak 43 mounted on single axle split-trail field gun carriage produced as a stop-gap measure due to scarcity of materials. Weight 4.9 tonnes. 8.8 cm Pak 43/1: Pak 43 as mounted in the Nashorn tank destroyer. 8.8 cm Pak 43/2 Pak 43 as mounted in the Ferdinand/Elefant tank destroyer. On occasion referred to as "StuK 43/1". 8.8 cm Pak 43/3 and 43/4: Pak 43 as mounted in the Jagdpanther tank destroyer. Falling wedge breech block. 8.8 cm KwK 43: Pak 43 modified as a tank gun. Main gun of the Tiger II heavy tank. Falling wedge breech block.

German_ferry_artillery_support_Siebel

johnbr — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:12:33 -0500

by: johnbr

Description: German ferry artillery support Siebel A German ferry artillery support "Siebel" at anchor carrying four 88 mm Flak 36 anti-aircraft and two 20 mm FlaK 38 anti-aircraft guns.

Anti_aircraft_Greman_88mm

johnbr — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:10:31 -0500

by: johnbr

dewerfaewfraaewfr

johnbr — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 09:40:57 -0500

by: johnbr

Description: At least four different designs were considered, this is the 15 cm Ger�t 50 with on mount autoloader refilled manually in-between bursts, of the others less is known as they were later and didn't get as far. With a weapon like this a totally fixed position makes a bit of sense, for 128mm, you could still tow that if you wanted in two pieces and railroad cars provided ample mobility for defending industrial centers. Certainly more mobility than a gun on a tower! The 15cm guns weighed more than Panzer IV tanks and could never have been more than 're-locatable'. 15 cm Flak Ger�t 50 15 cm Flak Ger�t 55 15 cm Flak Ger�t 60 15 cm Flak Ger�t 60F German title: Ger�t 50 Calibre: 149.1 mm Barrel length: 7753 (L/52) Rifled barrel length: 6113 mm Shipping Weight: 44,600 kg (shipment in 4 parts) Weight own weapons (without chassis): 32 000 kg Bearing: -1 � 30 '+90 � Traverse: 360 � Muzzle velocity: 890 m / s Missile Weight: 40 kg Range: 16,300 m (height) Rate of fire: 10 rounds per minute Manufacturer: Krupp AG, Essen The design was commissioned as a backup project Rheinmetall (Ger�t 55) in 1936. Work was halted in January 1940.

r4m3

johnbr — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 17:55:32 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: The 55mm R4M Orkan (Tornado) folding fin missile was a formidable weapon fitted to Me 262s late in the war. Twenty-Four R4Ms were mounted on special wooden racks mounted under the wings. Each rack held twelve missiles which were about 2 ft. 8 ins. long and weighed 8.8 lbs. When fired, the missile traveled up to 1,700 ft/sec and packed a 1.1 lb. impact fused warhead. The warhead was typically white with the rest of the body and fins being a gray or dark metallic color. The R4Ms were usually fired in four salvos of six missiles each at intervals of 0.07 seconds from a range of 600 meters. The R4M was unguided and the pilot simply used the usual Revi gunsite for aiming. When launched, the spring loaded fins would unfolded rearward. This enabled the R4M to be extremely compact until fired when the fins unfolded to provide stabilization. Seven of the fins were kept folded in place with a spring steel wire. The eighth fin then folded to hold the wire in place. When loaded from back to front in the launcher, the eighth (top) fin was kept in place by the launch rail. Once free of the rail when fired, the top fin would spring free and release the other seven fins. The launchers were aimed with a slight upward angle of 8 degrees. When the rockets were fired from a range of 600 meters, they had the same ballistics as the Mk 108 cannons. The warhead was a 55 mm HE shell filled with Hexogen. A single hit was all that was needed to bring down a four engined bomber.

r4m5

johnbr — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 17:55:32 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: Specifications [ Edit ] Manufacturer HEMAF, Osterode, DWM, L�beck Performance Velocity (Vmax) 525 m / s Speed to 1000 m 125 m / s Burn time about 0.8 s Feed rate (max) 245 kp Combat range up to 1.5 km Drive Solid rocket motor Weight Total mass 3.85 kg Propellant 0.815 kg Warhead 0.52 kg Igniter Impact fuze Dimension Length 812 mm Diameter 55 mm Spann tail in flight 242 mm Price 1944 2 batteries of 500 ℛ ℳ 1945 2 batteries of 750 ℛ ℳ

antiaircraft_defence_sweden_1940

johnbr — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 07:10:03 -0500

by: johnbr

British-Searchlight

johnbr — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 00:14:55 -0500

by: johnbr

Bendix_Upper_Turret_Type_A9B

johnbr — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:08:03 -0500

by: johnbr

German_Radar

johnbr — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:27:20 -0500

by: johnbr

Description: German ww2 Radar

German_Radar_pt3

johnbr — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:27:20 -0500

by: johnbr

Description: German ww2 Radar

German_Radar_pt_2

johnbr — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:27:20 -0500

by: johnbr

Description: German ww2 Radar

1944-SCR-268_Radar

johnbr — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:52:59 -0500

by: johnbr

Description: Probably the most significant research between the wars pertained to radar, an offshoot of radio. Radar is an acronym for radio detection and ranging and was not actually coined until 1940 by the USN. The origin of Army radar research dated back to WWI when Major William R. Blair conducted experiments in sound ranging for the purposes of locating approaching aircraft by the use of their engines. In the 1930s Blair became director of the Signal Corps labs at Fort Monmouth and began investigating the pulse-echo method of detection in the Signal Corps labs. In December 1936, Signal Corps engineers conducted the first field test of the radar equipment at the Newark, New Jersey, airport where it detected an airplane seven miles away. By May 1937, Signal Corps demonstrated its still crude radar, the SCR-268, a short-range radar set, for Secretary of War Harry H. Woodring; BG Hap Arnold, Assistant Chief of the Army Air Corps; and others. The Secretary and BG Arnold were impressed and the latter urged development of a long-range version for use as an early warning device. With high-level support, the Signal Corps received money needed to continue its developmental program. The Signal Corps application of radar to coastal defense was an extension of its long-standing work in the development of electrical systems for that purpose, which began in the 1890s. Because the National policy remained one of isolationism, American military planners envisioned any future war as defensive. Hence the Signal Corps developed the SCR-268, designed to control searchlights and anti-aircraft guns, and subsequently designed for the Air Corps two sets for long-range aircraft detection: SCR-270, mobile set with a range of 120 miles, and the SCR-271, a fixed-radar with similar capabilities. By early December 1941 the aircraft warning system on Oahu had not yet been fully operational. The Signal Corps had provided SCR-270 and SCR-271 radar sets earlier in the year, but construction of fixed sites had been delayed and radar protection was limited to six mobile stations operating on a part-time basis to test crews and equipment.

1940s-SCR-270

johnbr — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:52:03 -0500

First_Radar_SCR-268

johnbr — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:52:03 -0500

German Ground to air Rockets.

johnbr — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 19:49:30 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: German Ground to air Rockets.

x41in9

johnbr — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:55:06 -0400

by: johnbr

20mm_Luftaust

johnbr — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:18:59 -0400

by: johnbr

20mm_Luftaust_1

johnbr — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:18:59 -0400

by: johnbr

20mm_rocket_Luftaust

johnbr — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:18:59 -0400

by: johnbr

multiple-rocket-launcher-fohn

johnbr — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:47:06 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: This multiple rocket launcher, used for antiaircraft barrage purposes and known as the �F�hn� is of different design from any other weapon of its type used by the Germans. Launching sites were located along river fronts, indicating the use of this weapon against river crossings. There are 35 individual launchers, each 31 inches long and approximately 7.3 cm square, assembled in 5 horizontal and 7 vertical rows. The rockets are fired by hammer type firing pins mounted on horizontal shafts. All 35 of the pins are actuated by a single trigger. The whole assembly measures 32 inches from top to bottom, and 23 inches from side to side. A simple clamp at the rear of the racks holds the rockets in position until firing takes place. The frame of the assembly is made of 3/16-inch metal. A trunnion, set in each side of this framework, rests upon arms extending up from the pedestal base. The weapon, with its pedestal base, is used with either a mobile or fixed mount. When used as a mobile mount, the launcher is fitted with a circular metal folding platform mounted on a 2-wheeled trailer. The fixed launchers are not provided with the folding platform, and it is believed that they are normally set up more or less permanently on sheet iron platforms. The sight, trigger mechanism, and elevating and traversing mechanisms are mounted on the inside of a metal protective shield located on the left side of the launcher. Elevation is from -10� to 90�. The upper part of the front wall of the shield is made of transparent plastic for sighting purposes. The 7.3 cm Raketen Sprenggranate, used with the launcher, is a spin stabilized rocket fitted with a nose percussion fuze and a self-destroying delay element ignited by the burning propellant. SPECIFICATIONS Traverse 360� Elevation 90� Depression -10� Ammunition 7.3 cm R. Sprgr. (H.E.) Weight of complete round 6 lbs. Weight of propellant 1.19 lb. Weight of explosive charge 0.62 lb. Type of explosive �95″ (RDX/TNT/WAX = 55/40/5)

214608

johnbr — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:29:38 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: german ww2 anti aircraft gungerman 10 5cm flak 38

w33_10903036

johnbr — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:17:36 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: German Army Commander Colonel General Ernst Busch inspects an anti-aircraft gun position, somewhere in Germany, on Sept. 3, 1941. (AP Photo) #

w34_01311142

johnbr — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:03:24 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: 34This photograph was taken on Jan. 31, 1941, during a nigthtime air raid carried out by the Royal Air Force above Brest, France. It gives a graphic impression of what flak and anti-aircraft fire looks like from the air. In the period of three to four seconds during which the shutter remained open, the camera clearly captured the furious gunfire. The fine lines of light show the paths of tracer shells, and the broader lines are those of heavier guns. Factories and other buildings can be seen below. (AP Photo/British Official Air Ministry

w33_10119027

johnbr — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:01:04 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: German Anti-Aircraft guns belch smoke somewhere along the Channel coast of France, on January 19, 1941. (AP Photo

w04_06211280

johnbr — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:23:54 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: Warships of the British Mediterranean Fleet bombarded Fort Cupuzzo at Bardia, Libya, on June 21, 1940. On board one of the battleships was an official photographer who recorded pictures during the bombardment. Anti-aircraft pom-pom guns stand ready for action. (AP Photo) #

w19_05021168

johnbr — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:22:34 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: Chinese soldiers man a sound detector which directs the firing of 3-inch anti-aircraft guns, around the city of Chongqing, China, on May 2, 1941. (AP Photo) #

-ExplorePAHistory-a0k0q6-a_349

johnbr — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:20:21 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: In one of the most successful collaborations of the York Plan, the Blaw-Knox Company combined the resources of its Naval Ordnance Plant with a neighboring plant to manufacture 8-inch anti-aircraft guns. Based in Pittsburgh, Blaw-Knox manufactured steel structures and construction equipment before the war. During WWII, the company cast armor for naval vessels, turrets for tanks, anti-aircraft gun mounts, rockets, and a wide range of other products. For its excellence in the war effort, Blaw-Knox won seven Army-Navy "E" awards.

anti-aircraft_machine-gun_Ussr

johnbr — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:17:01 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: Soviet anti-aircraft machine-gun crew. Guns 'Maxim' installed on folding tripod design zenith MN Kondakova sample 1928. The tripod has a swivel gun, central tube and three tubular telescoping legs. Elevation gun on a tripod up to 88 degrees. Before World War II in a machine-gun company of an infantry battalion on staff was supposed to have one a tripod.

00036wm

johnbr — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:14:27 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: Usa 90mm aa

Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-H27779_Berlin_Flakturm_am_Zoo

johnbr — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 22:18:33 -0400

by: johnbr

German_12_8_cm_Flak_40_-_static_mount

johnbr — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 22:15:36 -0400

by: johnbr

hs117diag

johnbr — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 23:55:38 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: BMW were given the initial contract to supply an engine for Schmetterling, and chose the fuel/oxidant mixture employing nitric acid, on which they had been working for some time. This they considered gave superior results to the Walterwerke peroxide systems (although ironically, Dr. Schmidt of Walterwerke in Kiel proposed a nitric acid system in his HWK 109-729 alternative motor for Schmetterling). Description. BMW's 109-558 motor used a combination of "Salbei" (the Nitric Acid oxidant) and "Tonka 500"* as the fuel. BMW dedicated a large amount of development work to different combinations of amines, xylidines and anilines which comprised their Tonka fuel series. So far, research has shown that the Tonka fuel was used in advance of the "Visol" fuel which BMW were also working on, but as BMW worked on so many fuel combinations and formulae, the situation is difficult to clarify, and the author is happy to concede to correspondents who wish to contradict this view. Compressed air is used to force propellants into the combustion chamber in the correct ratio, and as these are hypergolic, and undergo spontaneous combustion when brought into intimate contact, a consistency in the ratios is important. To control the propellant flow, BMW designed a sophisticated tank system, driven by compressed air. -: Top of Page :- -: Back to Hs.117 Page :- Operation. The tank system consists of three tanks. The forward tank, made of welded sheet steel contains the air propellant under pressure. Six and three quarter pounds of air, charged at 220 atmospheres is held here. At the rear of the tank is a connection containing a diaphragm, punctured by by an electrically fired cartridge. On starting the motor, air was led from the air tank, via a reducing valve to 40 atmospheres onto the head of each propellant tank. At the upstream end of the tanks a metal diaphragm holds back the air, but can be ruptured at 40 atmospheres. The diaphragms are to protect the propellants from the air during storage and handling, and to make sure that no fluids flow until pressure is equal in both tanks. The second tank containing 126lb of the oxidant is an aluminium casting, bored to take a closely fitting piston without rings, with a clearance of 0.012 inches. Filled, the liquid forces the piston against the head of the cylinder. On admission of the compressed air, the cylinder is forced down, pressing the liquid out of the tank. The design of the piston is to prevent air being introduced into the lines when the missile is manouvering. The rearmost tank is similar to the nitric acid tank, but contains 30lb of the liquid fuel. As described, BMW tried a number of fuels, but Tonka 500 was the one most frequently used. Between the two tanks a distance piece carries a casting for the wings and the device for blowing off the solid rocket boosts. Pipes carry the propellants to the combustion chamber and are fitted with filling orifices to enable them to be filled before the Schmetterling was fired. This was to promote the most rapid starting of the motor. The combustion chamber consists of a steel, convergent-divergent venturi, with an aluminium cooling jacket around the throat, and an outer casting of aluminium. The combustion chamber head is a cast aluminium cover plate with a steel valve chest. The combustion chamber has two sets of injection holes to lead fuel to the burner. One set is permanently open, the second set can be moved from closed to open under the control of the Mach Controller. There are twice as many oxidant jets as fuel jets, to maintain the 2:1 ratio for correct combustion. The Tonka 500 fuel reaches the jets through a light alloy pipe from the fuel tank. Passing through holes in the fuel valve which are permanently open to a single, central jet discharging axially into the burner. Oxidant is delivered to the outer casing of the combustion chamber at the entrance to which is a bursting disc. The acid then flows through the cooling jacket surrounding the combustion chamber, forward to the combustion head. Fluid is directed into the burner through two fixed, diametrically opposite holes, impinging the central fuel jet at an angle of 45o. The variable flow system for altering the speed of the missile in flight consists of a ring of 12 fuel jets and 24 oxidant jets terminating in drilled holes at the face plate of the combustion chamber head. The valves consist of two drilled, shaped plates which sit covering the fuel and oxidant jet holes, held by spring pressure, geared to a common spindle. The valve plates can be rotated by a small electric motor, governed by the Mach number regulator. This movement affects pairs of fuel jets (and corrspondingly, four oxidant jets), which are opened or closed, as required. The BMW-Henschel Mach controller consists of a barograph needle which opens or closes an electrical circuit connected to two magnetic relays. The barograph needle is balanced centrally between two pressure capsules, one of which is connected to a static pressure pitot, the other of which is deformed as a function of total dynamic pressure. If the ideal speed of Mach 0.77 is exceeded (for example) the deflected needle causes a metal strip to make a contact on one side. The contact closes a relay which starts a geared electric motor taking a 24 volt supply from the distribution board in the nose of the missile, turning in one direction. The motor drives the valves in the combustion chamber head so as to close fuel and oxidant jets, reducing the motor's thrust. If the speed of the missile falls, the pressure system moves the needle in the opposite direction, operates the other relay and causes the electric motor to rotate in the counter direction. Fuel and oxidant jets are uncovered, and the motor's thrust increased. Discussion. Specification Weight Dry 166 lb Impulse at Mean Thrust 22,100 lb sec Duration (Mean Thrust) 48 sec

Japanese_25mm_Anti-aircraft_gun_-_Guam

johnbr — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 16:31:19 -0400

by: johnbr

enzian

johnbr — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 19:36:13 -0400

by: johnbr

090617-F-1234P-035

johnbr — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:44:48 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: Fast FACs The Soviet shoulder-launched SA-7b Grail surface to air missile (SAM) proved very effective against low-flying aircraft. This heat-seeking SAM forced FACs to fly much higher to stay out of range. Since the OV-10�s twin engines produced a large amount of heat, the OV-10 FACs had to fly above 9,500 feet. A communist soldier using an SA-7 Grail. (U.S. Air Force photo)

090605-F-1234P-016

johnbr — Sun, 15 May 2011 20:41:23 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: SA-2 surface to air missile North Vietnamese SAM crew in front of SA-2 launcher. (U.S. Air Force photo)

SA-2 surface to air missile

johnbr — Sun, 15 May 2011 20:39:34 -0400

by: johnbr

Description: SA-2 surface to air missile SA-2 missile in flight over Kep fighter base near Hanoi. U.S. pilots described the 35-foot long missiles as �flying telephone poles.� (U.S. Air Force photo)

Bofors

Hobilar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:10:40 -0500

by: Hobilar

88mm AA-gun WWII - Finnish Army

mineman65 — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 18:26:28 -0400

by: mineman65

windcannon

xavier — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:00:51 -0400

by: xavier

Flakvierling 38

102first_hussars — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 03:42:29 -0400

by: 102first_hussars

Description: 2-cm (20-mm) Flakvierling 38 on fixed support, showing ammunition feed

88 flak

102first_hussars — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 03:42:29 -0400

by: 102first_hussars

Description: 8.8-cm (88-mm) dual-purpose gun in action

1 comment

20mm flak

Administrator — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 18:31:05 -0500

by: Administrator

40mm Bofors

Administrator — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 18:31:03 -0500

by: Administrator

1 comment

3.7 cm Flak 18

Administrator — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 18:31:02 -0500

by: Administrator

Description: Shown here is an 3.7 cm (1.45 in) Flak 18 AA gun with its crew in Poland, 1939. Taken from Weapons and Warfare Pt 4.

1 comment

bofers anti aircraft gun

Administrator — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 18:31:02 -0500

by: Administrator

Description: this example is preserved by the shuttleworth collection,

Flak 36 (88mm)

Administrator — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 18:31:01 -0500

by: Administrator