About WW2 fighter aircraft firing power

[Juha]

Hello Rob
WWII era reflector sight gives only right solution if the range was estimated correctly (that happened seldom, usually range was underestimated many time grossly) and wings were level, any kind of bank bought a need for sideway correction. And as Peter noted any kind of skid ruined the solution. 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.

On the effects of explosive component of a shell. It is no use to try to invent wheel again. And I doubt that we have ability to do that. In any case it was over 30 years ago when I last time made rough calculations on effects of certain amount of certain explosive to certain bridge and the amounts were tens or hundreds kilos, so entirely different ball game. And anyway I have only vague recollections on some general principles used in those calculations. So much better solution is that you try to find out some formula made by experts and use it.

Juha