AGO S.I

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I would like to suggest this AGO S.I which is another dedicated ground attack aircraft from WW1.
It would be especialy effective in a possible WW1-inter war mode, as with its flexible downward central mounted 20mm Becker M.II gun it would easily penetrate most roofs of the early tanks such as the british Mark Tanks, which only had around 5,5 mm.

In general, after in 1916 in verdun for the first time rather successfully planes were used for direct ground support, germany really saw the full importance and potential. As such in 1917 a special programm was started to develop a whole line of different dedicated ground attack aircraft of different designes. Such as the AGO S.I, which was overall armed with 2x 7,92 mm Mgs (LMG 14 Parabellum) and 1x 20mm Becker M.II.
1x Mg was in a ring mount at the back for defence and the most improtant part, the 20mm Becker was mounted to the center bottom in a ground attack mount, shooting flexible with full ground view.

Overall this plane was constructed as a wooden biplane, with realtively heavy armor reinforcement to protect from ground fire.

At the time the 20mm Gun could easily penetrate the thinn roofs of the tanks, while the 2x fixed downwars Mgs could effectively shoot at soft targets, while also damage tanks when loaded with the K-Geschoss which could penetrate ~16mm close up.

AGO Flugzeugwerke was a rather smaller aircraft construciton company, that had found moderate success with its first Type C two seater aicraft. While it was mostly known for its mass produced C.I plane, which was the only mass produced single engine pusher configuration aircraft and later the C.IV, its most successfull aircraft. Which was also the fastest Type C.
While overall a successfull plane, the crews quite disliked it, duo to some instabilitys and troubles with the landing gear, as the 2 wheels werent connected by a rod with eachother, to have greater aiming angles for the 20mm gun.

Overall 2 Prototypes were build, after that duo to war situation cancelled, as such detailed information is sadly very hard to come by.


Pictures:(Click to show)

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The Guns:
2x 7,92 mm Mg 14 Parabellum in the ring mount. 1 Fixed forwards.
1x 20mm Becker M.II in the middle downwards position, flexible.


2 cm Becker M.II
Pictures:(Click to show)

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One of the first modern type 20mm Cannon and served as the basis for the later Oerlikon 20mm FF guns. Using the API Blowback action. It was Intended as a AA and AT gun, on ground, vehicles and planes/airships. Later M3 variant was heavyer, reducing the fire rate to 250 rpm but velocity to 700m/s.
It was intended as 20mm, to not be a warcrime to have an explosive filling, overall the ammo layout was also quite modern, with multiple AP rounds, HE rounds as well as incendary rounds.

Caliber: 20mm

Ammo: 20x70mmRB Becker

Fire Rate: 325 rpm

Single Shot, Full auto, 15 rounds Magazin

Muzzle velocity: 490-500m/s

Weight: 30kg

Mounting: Main Tank gun, Fixed and flexible

Ammo Types: Ap-T, I-T, I, HEI, HE

Summary Of ammo Drawings:(Click to show)








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(The drawing isnt fully correct, as the nose is too thinn drawn.)



AP:


Panzergeschoß L'Spur Modell 1 (ApI-T) 145g 490m/s 18mm/10m

(Can be conciddered ApI-T, duo to huge tracer filling, made of Barium Nitrate, Magnesium and Shellac of 7g.)


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Panzergeschoß L’Spur Modell 2 (ApI-T) (Identical to first one, different head form, see in above summary.)


HE:


Sprenggeschoß Modell 1 (He High capcity, Fuzeless) 137 g
5,5g TNT + 0,5g Pieic acid 495m/s (See ammo Summary)


Sprenggeschoß Modell 2 (He) 137g 5g TNT 495m/s

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Incendary:


Brandgeschoß (I) 137g 12g Incendary 495m/s some penetration

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Leuchtspurgeschoß (I-T) 144g Barium Nitrate, Magnesium, Shellac filler 11g 490m/s some penetration



(A bit incorrect here)



The Plane:
AGO S.I
Crew: 2
Engine: Basse und Selve BuS III 150 Ps (Or 260 Ps)

Source:
German Armored Warplanes of WW1 (Jack Herris)
Janes Encyclopedia of Aviation (Michael J.H. Taylor)
Notes on German Shells 1918 (2nd Edition)
Weird Wings of WWI Adventure of Early combat aircraft Development

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