Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
I tend to think it may have made a major impact as far as increasing German losses. The 303 caliber is a relatively poor performer when judged as a rifle, being bettered by the 30.06 by quite a margine, when used against aircraft its shortcomings would be hugely magnified. I think had all Spitfires and Hurricanes been instead using 6 50's then German losses would have increased and British losses decreased. The British fighters could have stayed out of effective range of the German bombers defensive armament and still have a much more effective punch. How many German aircraft got home because the pathetic 303 stopped before it penatrated a fuel tank, control cable, engine block or pilot? The 50, on the other hand would have punctured the tank, severed the control cable, busted the engine block or killed the pilot. Any thoughts?
1. ..as far as the Spit goes, the Mk IIa had 8 303's while the Mk IIb had 2 20mm and 4 303's, so I don't think 6 50's would have decreased performance of that aircraft.
2. The Hurricanes job was intercept bombers(supposedly) while the Spits engaged the fighters so a slight decrease in top speed shouldn't have bothered it either, if in fact it did slow it down.
3. I have certainly never read about British pilots getting the multiple kills on one mission that American pilots were able to score against the Japanese.
i think it's wrong the ammos is not only the round that go out from gunsThis would give approximately 55kg of .50 ammo (325 rds per gun)
If you only mounted 4 50's instead of 6, wouldn't that leave more room for ammo?
I also found a book that talked about the Spits that had 20's during the BoB. One pilot said that 60 round magazines only gave them 6 seconds of firing time and they never got to fire all 60 rounds due to jamming so they traded them in for some all 303 armed aircraft.