About WW2 fighter aircraft firing power

[Harri Pihl]

Originally Posted by Juha

Because flatter flight path of shot/shell lessened the effects of errors, it increased the possibility of hit. Of course lessening the firing distance did the same.

The advantages of high muzzle velocity is not limited to the flat flight path of the projectile and sudden movements of the target (Janacek's point); because the time to reach target is shorter, also the needed lead is shorter and therefore the aiming error will be smaller as well.

[Kurfürst]

Originally Posted by Harri Pihl

The advantages of high muzzle velocity is not limited to the flat flight path of the projectile and sudden movements of the target (Janacek's point); because the time to reach target is shorter, also the needed lead is shorter and therefore the aiming error will be smaller as well.

... the model remains true if we strictly stay with single-shot weapons.

However, with automatic guns, such as aircraft cannons, a round fired earlier, ie. in case of higher cyclic rate during a given time frame will reach the target earlier, than in a case of a higher velocity round fired at a slower cyclic rate. For practical applications, careful aiming and application of proper lead is less attractive than just let the target 'walked into' a sufficiently dense line of firepower applied - ie. point and shoot. Its a fail-proof method.

There is a reason for using shotguns for hunting small game and birds with a high number of slow pellets instead of .223 bolt action rifles with 1200-1300 m/sec.

[Stewart]

However, with automatic guns, such as aircraft cannons, a round fired earlier, ie. in case of higher cyclic rate during a given time frame will reach the target earlier, than in a case of a higher velocity round fired at a slower cyclic rate. For practical applications, careful aiming and application of proper lead is less attractive than just let the target 'walked into' a sufficiently dense line of firepower applied - ie. point and shoot. Its a fail-proof method. No, it is not! actively "Dragging" the bullet stream accross the target is much better than waiting for the target to fly threw. The neccessary ingreadient is that the shorter the ToF, the more likely you are to be able to score hits!

There is a reason for using shotguns for hunting small game and birds with a high number of slow pellets instead of .223 bolt action rifles with 1200-1300 m/sec. This argument is faseeshious on it's face! There are numerious reasons why it is not true!