Hungarian MÁVAG Héja II production

[Gizmo]

Hi
I have difference data for Hungarian Héja II fighter production.

According G. Punka "Reggiane Fighters in Action" there is

1st serie - 25 planes (V.4+71 – V.4+95)
2nd serie - 75 planes (V.4+96 - V.5+70)
3rd serie - 100 planes ( 25 to 30 of them unfinished due to lack of engines)

According G. Sárhidai, G. Punka, V. Kozlik "Hungarian Eagles. The Hungarian Air Forces 1920-1945", Hikoki Publications, Aldershot, 1996 and J. Rajlich, Z. Lalak, W. Bączkowski, M. J. Murawski "Sojusznicy Luftwaffe cz.2", Books International, Warszawa, 1998 there is

1st serie - 30 planes(V 471 - V.500)
2nd serie - 99 planes(V.502- V.600)
3rd serie - 66 planes(V. 601-V.666)

So, where is the truth ?

[Dénes Bernád]

The MÁVAG-Héjja was licence-built Re.2000, from December 1941 on. 200 airframes ordered, manufacturing completed by June 1944. Only 183 were actually flown by test pilots by October 11, 1944. Even less handed over to the MKHL, the rest being captured by Soviet troops in late 1944.
Military markings: V.471–V.500, V.501-V.570, V.605-V.687.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hmm

Mr Punka seems to be THE prolific writer in Hungary

In 1994 (Hungarian Air Force) he states that Bf 109D has serials V.601-603
In 1996 (Hungarian Eagles) he changes his mind and says the BF 109D were two V.601-602

In 1994 (Hungarian Air Force) he states that the Hejas II were V.471 (28 built) V.502 (70 built) and V.606 (81 built)
In 1996 (Hungarian Eagles) he states they were V.471-500, V.502-600, V.601-666, totally disregarding he already assigned V.601-602 to the BF 109D!
In 2001 (Squadron Signal Re fighters) he states V.471-V.495, V.496-570
He does NOT state with which serial number the FINAL batch of 100 ordered starts with, but says the final production was V.687. Four or five unaccepted airframes were awaiting test flights when destroyed due to Soviet troops getting close. He also states that MAVAG built in total 203, which is 20 more than Denes lists. This is a bit hard to correlate with his statement that some 25-30 airframes were destroyed in the bombing of the factory! If four-five remained to be destroyed in front of advancing Russian troops, ONLY some 15 could have been destroyed in Allied Air Raids, BUT of course the statement 203 built is ALSO strange since the ORDERED number was 200 !

So as far as I can see, Denes figures seems to be correct. With V.601-602 (or 603) it is logical to start a new batch on 605 and not 606....

Cheers
Stig

[Tony Williams]

Do any of those sources provide any details of the 12.7 mm Gebauer engine-driven twin-barrel gun used in that plane?

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

[Kurfürst]

I've seen some info on it in some local model publication, as I recall it fired 1000/min/barell.

I'll ask about it in a Hungarian thread for you Tony.

[Tony Williams]

Originally Posted by Kurfürst

I'll ask about it in a Hungarian thread for you Tony.

Thanks!

I have some data on the 7.92mm version which was fitted to the Hungarian Fiat CR.32, but nothing on the 12.7mm.

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

[Kurfürst]

Yeah I know, I made the translation.
Was it useful?

[Tony Williams]

Originally Posted by Kurfürst

Yeah I know, I made the translation.
Was it useful?

Yes it was, thanks!

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

[Dénes Bernád]

Originally Posted by Kurfürst

as I recall it fired 1000/min/barell.

That is correct. Each MG had 500 rounds supply.

[Kurfürst]

Tony,

what I found so far : http://www.arcanum.hu/haditechnika/l...ced&2.0#LPHit1

"40. M GKM-géppuska

Szerkezete és működése teljesen azonos a 26/31. mintájúval, de űrmérete 12,7 mm-es lett. Tölténye azonos a FIAT–Safat géppuskáéval. Ezt a géppuskát 1940-ben rendszeresítették az Olaszországból érkezett új FIAT CR–42 típusú repülőgépeken, melyek leváltották a FIAT CR–32 vadászt. Harci alkalmazásukra az 1941-1942-es években került sor."

40 Model GKM (Gebauer Kényszermeghajtású Motorgéppuska, "Gebauer Forced-driven? Engine-MG)

Mechanically and in operation it's the same as the 26/31. but the caliber become 12.7mm. The ammunition is the same as the FIAT-Safat MG. This MG was standardized in 1940 on the new FIAT CR-42 model aircraft from Italy, which superseded the FIAT CR-32 fighter. Used in combat in the years 1941-42.

Moreover, it seems the sources list that the HTI has the manuals for these weapons, so I might be able to get a copy of them for you :

Ideiglenes utasítás a 26/31. M géppuska számára. Budapest, HTI é. n.
Ideiglenes utasítás a 34/a. M géppuska számára. Budapest, HTI é. n.
Ideiglenes utasítás a 34/37. M géppuska számára. Budapest, HTI 1940.
Ideiglenes utasítás a 34/40. M géppuska számára. Budapest, HTI 1942.

Ideiglenes utasítás means Temporary/Preliminary Instructions.