Interesting fact is that the 6lb (57mm) cannon of the Tse-Tse version (which was used not only against U-boats, but also sank surface ships) was the largest autoloader type used by an aircraft in WW2 - there was a version of the B-25 with a 75mm cannon, but with manual loading.
The Germans had a version of the Hs 129 with a 75mm Cannon with a drum autoloader, technically making it the biggest. the Mosquito with the 57mm however was the biggest of the Allies autoloaded big guns with wings. It should also be noted that the Hs. 129 was in no way comparable to the Mosquito, being chronically underpowered and having a very archaic design being technically a interwar aircraft (First flown in 1939 and having started design work as far back as mid 1930.) The title for biggest gun on a plane (autoloading or not) I believe goes to the P.108 from the Regia Aeronautica of Italy, who stuck a 105mm gun out the front of one for anti-shipping duties iirc. Strategic bomber with 105mm Anti-shipping gun is a sight to behold, makes me wonder what a B24 with a nose mounted gun of similar caliber would look like.
@@5MinuteGuidesToAircraft You're right, it's just that the Henschel Hs 129-B3 had so few units produced and used in combat, that's why I ended up forgetting about it. Taking advantage of the theme, I think that proportionally the largest weapon adapted on an aircraft in WW2 was the small L-4 Grasshopper (a Piper J-3 Cub in military uniform) powered by a 65HP engine that was armed with 6 Bozzoka by Maj. Charles Carpenter became known as “Bazooka Charlie” and his plane became “Rosie the Rocketer”.
@@lucianoandrade5007 Im familiar with that story! Watched a video from Yarnhub on it. They even restorted the original plane and put it on display somewhere iirc.
@@5MinuteGuidesToAircraft The original was found in Austria and restored to flying condition by the American Heritage Museum, where it is on display. On historian Mark Felton's channel there is the video: Bazooka Charlie - WW2s Strangest Tank Buster, with several real images of the pilot and the plane.
The CinC of Bomber Command (Air Marshall Ludlow-Hewitt) also though Volkert's concept as worthy of serious consideration and wanted at least one flying prototype in August 1939.
Interesting fact is that the 6lb (57mm) cannon of the Tse-Tse version (which was used not only against U-boats, but also sank surface ships) was the largest autoloader type used by an aircraft in WW2 - there was a version of the B-25 with a 75mm cannon, but with manual loading.
The Germans had a version of the Hs 129 with a 75mm Cannon with a drum autoloader, technically making it the biggest. the Mosquito with the 57mm however was the biggest of the Allies autoloaded big guns with wings. It should also be noted that the Hs. 129 was in no way comparable to the Mosquito, being chronically underpowered and having a very archaic design being technically a interwar aircraft (First flown in 1939 and having started design work as far back as mid 1930.)
The title for biggest gun on a plane (autoloading or not) I believe goes to the P.108 from the Regia Aeronautica of Italy, who stuck a 105mm gun out the front of one for anti-shipping duties iirc. Strategic bomber with 105mm Anti-shipping gun is a sight to behold, makes me wonder what a B24 with a nose mounted gun of similar caliber would look like.
@@5MinuteGuidesToAircraft You're right, it's just that the Henschel Hs 129-B3 had so few units produced and used in combat, that's why I ended up forgetting about it.
Taking advantage of the theme, I think that proportionally the largest weapon adapted on an aircraft in WW2 was the small L-4 Grasshopper (a Piper J-3 Cub in military uniform) powered by a 65HP engine that was armed with 6 Bozzoka by Maj. Charles Carpenter became known as “Bazooka Charlie” and his plane became “Rosie the Rocketer”.
@@lucianoandrade5007 Im familiar with that story! Watched a video from Yarnhub on it. They even restorted the original plane and put it on display somewhere iirc.
@@5MinuteGuidesToAircraft The original was found in Austria and restored to flying condition by the American Heritage Museum, where it is on display.
On historian Mark Felton's channel there is the video: Bazooka Charlie - WW2s Strangest Tank Buster, with several real images of the pilot and the plane.
The CinC of Bomber Command (Air Marshall Ludlow-Hewitt) also though Volkert's concept as worthy of serious consideration and wanted at least one flying prototype in August 1939.