Bf 110 Bk 3,7

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by stugumby

Wasnt the goal of the larger 37 and 50mm guns to be able to fire from outside the bombers defensive fire range? same for the wrfr rockets. With the 37mm gun if the shells were time fused they could either hit and detonate or burst at designated distance like flak, but these had no way to fuse while in flight??. just seems odd to have that monster gun and no proper sight picture.

You are right about the wrfr rockets.

But, I believe that most of the larger cannons were meant to be ground attack or anti-shipping weapons. The exception was the 37mm gun which occasionally was used as an anti-bomber weapon.

The Ju-88P series, which could carry a 37mm (1 or 2), 50mm, or even 75mm cannon and was built in small numbers could be used in an anti-bomber or anti-shipping role. It was determined that it didn't perform well in either role.

Strangely, the Nazis never developed air-to-ground rockets to the same extent that the Allies did, despite developing excellent rocket-propelled man-portable AT weapons in the form of the Panzerschreck. I guess they were unimpressed by the performance of early war Soviet rockets.