- Yes
- No
I would like to suggest the Me 410 B-2/U4 armed with a Mk 214B instead of Bk 5.
The Me 410 B-2/U4 was designed as both a Anti Ground and Anti Bomber plane, armed with 2x 20mm Mg 151/20 and 1x 5 cm Bk 5. The Bk 5 was a modified KwK 39 L/60 with a new muzzle brake and a hydraulic auto loader, this was also put into action on a bunch of different platforms, including but not limited to the He 177 in 1942/43, where it was also used to suppress enemy AA fire.
While the conversions of the Me 410s only really picked up in 1943, they were (while overall also limited in numbers), only a relative improvement over the other Aircrafts (Ju 88 P-4) in the ever more important roll of Anti Bomber, mainly duo to beeing a more powerfull faster plattform. Overall the modifications were limited, as the whole gunpack was ready for mounting in the Bomb bay, different doors with a bulge were needed, but also a dual Rev/telescopic side was also mounted.
The gun gave the ability to destory B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberators with a single hit of the HE round, all while beeing outside of the Range of the Defensive armarment. However, while attacking the plane was relatively easy target for the Enemy fighters, while an shoot time of 24 seconds was needed for 1 Target.
Most effectively used was it by Oberleutant Fritz Stehle, the Staffelkapitan of the 5/ZG 26.
Late war (1944ish) demand to pick up development for both 50-55mm Flaks and Aircraft guns was placed again. As such Mauser developed the improved Bk 5 (Bk 5 is both the gun which is basically the KwK 39 with new muzzle brake and no recoil guard and the auto loader each) which fired the same 50x420mmR ammo, however was lighter (490kg) and faster fireing (160rpm). While the final development gun Mk 214A didnt reach mass production, it was however test build into a Me 262 A-1/U4 (allready in game) and a Me 410. Then again there was a side development, the Mk 214B, which used the bigger more powerfull 55x450mm ammo, resulting in a greater HE Load, higher velocity as well as with a higher fire rate, this gun offered a relative boost compared to the Mk 214a against bombers, however at the downside of having no AP rounds developed. It was test mounted on an Me 410 B-2/U4, however not used in combat.
Same ammo as the 5,5 cm Gerät 58 was used.
While the Bk 5 was developed by Rheinmetall and put into mass production and mounted in Me 410 for ground and anti bomber runs. It was found that the gun of 50-55mm would be most ideal to fight off the ever heavyer enemy bomber attacks. Along that Mauser developed the Mk 214, however the gun was unreliable and overcomplicated and heavyer, resulting in the simplefied and more reliable as well as ligher Mk 214A, which was ready for production for both as plane armarment and AA gun, however it came too late as in Januar 1945 this was build into 1x Me 262, while the war ended in April 1945, resulting in not much action the gun saw.
In game it would play the same as the allready in game Me 410 B-2/U4, however be 146kg heavyer and have more than tripple the fire rate (50 → 180 rpm). And would offer an improved gameplay and show the developmental improvement of german Aircraft armarments. It could also have the Zfl in the windscreen as shown in the picture 2.
While with a more powerfull HE round, the AP department would be lacking, as it only has a P-T round with around 51-52mm penetration.
Picture:(Click to show)
This was titled to be the Mk 214A however externally the Bk 5 and Mk 214A/B look identical)
The Me 410 B-2/U4
Armament:
1x 50 mm Mk 214B 22 rounds 180 rpm
2x 20 mm Mg 151/20 350 rpg 700 rpm
2x 13 mm Mg 131 (Defencive)
For more Info on these guns and ammo click here to see my informal Post about WW2 German Aircraft Guns and Ammo 7,92mm-88mm
55mm Mk 241B
No direct Pictures Surviving, but similar to Gerät 58 (fired also the same 55x450mmR) but from Rheinmetall instead of Krupp should be similar to the Mk 214A (Click to show):
Mk 214A
Side/upgrade to the Mk 214a, the Mk 214b uses the bigger more powerfull 55x450mm ammo, resulting in a greater HE Load, higher velocity as well as with a higher fire rate, this gun offered a relative boost compared to the Mk 214a against bombers, however at the downside of having no AP rounds developed. It was test mounted on an Me 410 B-2/U4, however not used in combat.
Same ammo as the 5,5 cm Gerät 58 was used.
Caliber: 55mm
Ammo: 55x450mm
Fire Rate: 180 rpm
Beltfed: Unlimited Loop
Muzzle velocity: 1000/1006m/s
Weight: 649-650 kg
Ammo Types: HeI-T (m), P-T
AP:
Minengeschoss:
M-Gesch. L'Spur m.Zerl. (HeI-T Sd.) 1,8kg 420 HTA 1000/1006m/s
(Should look like this, however with only 1 driving band (maybe?).)
Performance of the plane:
Max speed
at 6 750 m600 km/h
Turn time30 s
Max altitude10 250 m
Engine2 х Daimler-Benz DB-603A
TypeInline
Cooling system Water
Take-off weight 11 t
Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
750 350 457 428 280 ~12 ~4
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 360 < 360 < 460 > 265
Source:
Handbuch der Flugzeugbordwaffenmunition 1936-1945
Me 410 Manual
Warthunder Wiki
In furious Skies: Flying with Hitlers Luftwaffe in the Second World War (Tim Heath)
Mauser - Ziel 2/24 Visit to Mauser Werke AG
