I would like to suggest the Do 26 C, which would be a relatively big and esthecial flying boat, with 4 engines, in a push pull configuration, which can already be seen on some planes in game.
But also an interesting forward armarment, consisting of a 20mm MG 204 in the forward turret, which was also mounted in the Bv 138 A-1 as well as planned for the Hs 124.
Overall the Do 26 is often called if not the most beautiful flying boat ever build.
A gun developed upon change of doctrin in the Spanish civil war, where the MG C/30 L (MG 201) was trailed, which can be found in game on the He 112 A-0.
This gun was very powerful, with a veloicty for the Ap ammo of 850-880m/s (with high pressure ammo and L/90 barrel). However while good against bombers and ground targets, it was seen as too slow firing, which resulted in the smaller MG 204 which only had an L/40 barrel and smaller 20x105mm ammo, but an increased firerate of 500 rpm. It was quickly adoped and even recived its official ammo document in the L.Dv.4000 line up, however was quickly found to be faulty, and replaced again, by the MG FF and later MG 151. A different developent around the ammo was the S-18/100 by Rheinmetall, it can also be found in-game on the Scaba, with the same APHE-T round, at however a slightly higher velocity, more on the ammo below.
On the plane, the frontal turret with this armarment, which was designed both for flexibel and fixed mounting, it wasnt just increased performance against planes, but primarily against sea and ground targets near the coast. Flying low or overhead, the frontal turret could effectively strave those targets, while not of this plane, there is relatively a lot of footage of He 111 and Ju 88s and other planes, which also got 20mm MG FF (and FF/M) flexible mounted can be seen to shoot at them.
The forward armarment of the MG 204, was aparently later replaced by an 20mm MG 151/20, since overall the MG 204 quickly left service again, due to being unreliable and still relatively slow firing. This could be represented by a modification to exchange the MG 204 to a MG 151/20, giving a trade off. Either average fire rate and relatively good ballistics and penetration, or higher fire rate and more effect, especially with Minengeschoss.
The Do 26 itself was designed as a full metal, flying boat, pre war for civilian usage, ordered by the Deutsche Lufthansa. They ordered 3 planes, for catapult start to be able to fly from Lissabon to New York with a crew of 4 with up to 500kg payload. Pre war they were given to Lufthansa under the designation Do 26 A, with their maiden flight of V1 in May 1938 together with the 2nd plane, V2 which flew in november 1938. The 3rd plane, V3, flew right befor the outbreak of the war, but didnt enter service with Lufthansa, it was under the designation Do 26 B equipped with a passenger cabin and with Jumo 205Ea engines equipped.
With the outbreak of the war direktly in 1939, the Luftwaffe confiscated all 3 aircraft, which were used in april 1940 along with the Do 24 and Bv 139.
3 new Do 26 V4-6, now called Do 26 C were directly for the Luftwaffe constructed, after all 3 inital planes were already destroyed, these were equipped with the more powerfull Jumo 205D engines with 880-890 PS. These were initally equipped with the aforementioned 20mm MG 204 and Mg 15 and later aparently instead a 20 mm MG 151/20, however at the end of 1941 the surviving 2 planes had their armarment removed and returned to transport operations under the designation of Do 26 D.
Pictures: (Click to show)
Not a Do 26, but the same turret and armarment, close up, see the destinct gun collar.
General Do 26 Photos of other unarmed variants:
Armarment:
Frontal turret 20mm MG 204, 360° traverse and -30 to +90° elevation, left and right side each 1x 7,92 mm MG 15 and to the back also another Mg 15 (Somewhere, tbh im not shure where)
20mm Mg 204 more info and ammo (Click to show)
Picture:(Click to show)
Caliber: 20mm
Ammo: 20x105mm
Fire Rate: 450 rpm (Unsyncronized)
Drum fed 20 rpg (Sattle drum)
Drum Fed 100 rpg
Muzzle velocity: 730/750 m/s
Weight: 28kg
Ammo Types: Ap-T, Aphe-T, Hef-T Sd.
AP:
Pzgr. L'Spur (Ap-T) 146g Solid 730m/s 32,72mm/10m
Pzsprgr. L'Spur (Aphe-T) 146g 1,4g Pent (2,38g TnTa) 730m/s 32mm/10m
HE:
Sprgr. L'Spur FF (He-T (Sd.)) 134g 3,7g Np.15 (6,29g TnTa) 750m/s
Mountings:
Pintel and intended for fixed
Flight Characteristics:
Length: 24,5m
Wingspan: 30m
Height: 6,85m
Wing area: 120m²
Empty weight: 13,050 kg
Max take off weight: 20,000 kg
Top Speed: 345 km/h
Engines: 4x Junkers Jumo 205D 6 Cylinder inline, Diesel with 750 PS maximum and 890 PS WEP as seen on the Bv 138 C-1 in game.
- Yes
- No
Source:
L.Dv.4000/3
Flying Guns of WW2
German Aircraft Of World War 2 in colour
Flugbuch Atlantik, Deutsche Katapultflüge 1927–1939
Dornier Do 26, Blohm & Voss 138 und Katapultschiffe im Einsatz 1934 – 1945
