Some German Aircraft Armament Projects
with particular reference to Fire Control Developments
Reported by F/Lt M.O. Robins M.A.P. (R.A.E.)
November 1945
Artillery and Armament Research
B.I.O.S. Trip No. 1127
BIOS Target Numbers
C2/662, 2/26, 2eii/63(b), 25/3, 2/22(b)
L.F.A. Volkenrode = C2/622
Rheinmetall Borsig, Unterlüss = 2/26
Walter Werke, Kiel = 2eii/63(b)
Blom & Voss, Hamburg = 25/3
D.W.M., Lübeck = 2/22(b)
Professional Records:
Prof. Rossmann (Appendix A)
Dr. Hackemann (Appendix B)
Dr. Schugt (Appendix C)
Personnel of (British, AOB) Team:
H.L. Stevens, Deputy Director R.A.E.
M.O. Robins, Fire Control Division, R.A.E.
Scope of report: This report concerns airborn fire control equipment and related subjects. It is written as a result of a 14 day visit to Germany, and has no claim to cover the subject completely. It contains little information not already dealt with in some detail in reports listed at the end, but attempts to summarize what is considered to be most valuable for the subject under review.
Of the establishment visited, the most valuable information was obtained from the Weapons Institute of L.F.A. Volkenrode (please notice BIOS Final Report No. 160)
... The stabilisation project for fighter armament probably has the most potential value from the fire control point of view.
L.F.A. was visited for a week commencing September 13th 1945.
The institute was under the directorship of Prof. Blenk. He was responcible to the Forschungsführung under Prof. Geogii, and thence to the German Air Ministry (GAF, AOB)
Fighter Armament Projects: ...The short term project was called S.G.116 and involved fitting a battery of recoilless guns, firing upwards. The orthodox pursuit curve attack against a heavy armed bomber was too dangerous, so a head attack in which the fighter passed underneath the bomber was contemplated. A ripple salvo of projectiles was to be fired upwards from the fighter as it passed below the bomber at a range of 50 to 100 metres. The firing was to be automatic detection of the target being by infra red photoelectric devices which would operate in day and night conditions.
.... The final arrangement contemplated for the F.W. 190 comprised 3 x 5 cm calibre guns in each wing.
.. An armament of a rather similar nature called SG113 was under development for attacking tanks. To avoid A.A. fire as far as possible, the fighter would fly in very low, and to benefit by the thinner armour on the top of the tank, would fire downwards, with guns fixed in the aircraft. In prototype arrangements, 6 tubes were mounted nearly vertically in the fuselage each fitting a 4.5 cm shell downwards, with muzzle velocity 750 metres/sec. Recoil was taken by the heavy iron plug projected upwards. Firing of the guns was to be automatic when the aircraft passed over the tank at a height of about 10 metres.
Several automatic detection devices were under development ...
... A longer term project of a more fundamental character, a stabilized armament for fighters, was under development by Hackmann...
... Some experiments had been made. A gyro mounted in a Me210, its rotation axis being parallel to the aircraft longitudinal axis.
A sighting graticule was reflected from a mirror attached to the gyro. The gyro could be precessed electro mechanically by currents in the control coils. These currents were controlled by movements fore and aft and transverse, of a simple joystick. ...
Dr. Hackmann was questioned on the general problem of fighter versus bomber, as it may develop in the coming decade. ..
Rheinmetall Borsig ... Department WKF Research. Department WKW Weapons.
Director Herlach and Dr. Braun were interrogated ..firing H.E. projectiles ..
Experimental Station at Fassburg near Trauen (C2/773)
Walter Werke .. Schmetterling and Enzian
Blom & Voss Target 25/3 BV 246
D.W.M. Lübeck near Schaltrüp Target 2/22 RZ65 spin stabilized rocket 7.5 cm calibre. R4M fin stabilized roclet 5.5 calibre
Appendix A: Prof. DrIng Th. Rossmann - Born at Berlin, September 8th 1896; 1920 Study of technical physics and mathematics at the Technische Hochschule of Berlin; 1925 Degree of Diplom-Ingenieur 1934 Degree of Dr.-Ing. ... 1937 Beirat des Reichsverbandes Deutscher Mathematischer Gesellschaft ... 1924/1925 SIemens & Halske A.G. Berlin; 1925/1929 Technische Hochschule berlin; 1930/1942 Friedrich Krupp A.G. Essen Chief Engineer, Head of the department for scientific researches and measurements on artillery and ship-artillery
Appendix B: Dr.-Ing. Paul Hackemann Braunschweig Sulzbacher Straße 26 Birthday 1st May 1906; 1925 Study at Technical High-School Aachen (TH-Aachen, AOB); 1930 Examination as Diplom-Ingeneur (engineering thermodynamic, steam-power-stations); 1936 Training as civil pilot; 1941 Dr.-Ing.; 1942 Memeber of Deutsche Akedemie der Luftfahrtforschung; 1930/31 Private-assistant at Prof. Bonin, Aachen laboratory for technical sciences of firing ...
Appendix C: Dr.-Ing. J. Schugt Braunschweig Saarstrasse 4 born at München on 18 September 1907; ............. 1927-32 Techn.High School mech. eng. Diplome-examination; Braunschweig 1944 Tech High School Dr.-Ing.; Düsseldorf 1932 Economy Engineering Bureau Assistent; ... Berlin 1935-37 Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (DVL) Adlershot (Adlershof correctly, AOB), Aircraft-Armament researching Institute, Chief of Aircraft Sight Section, ... Braunschweig 1937-45 Luftfahrtforschungsanstalt
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