Bf-109 with Rifle

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Micdrow

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Aug 21, 2006
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OK here's one for the experts out there and wondered what you think. The tropical version of the Bf-109 sent to Africa had a rifle in the fuselage in case the pilot was shot down for self defense. In ways I thought it was a good idea but also a waste of war materials at the same time. In Russia I think it would have been a good idea but as far as I know it was never used in Russia. Thoughts and ideas on the subject.

Also any body out there have a real picture of the installation of the weapon.

Thanks in advance.
 

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Hi!
I saw a one photo with Mauser carabine mounted on Bf 109, but don't remember where If I find them, I'll put them here.
AFAIK the Messerschmitts in Troop versions were used in Africa as well in Italy and Finland.
 
Herman Göring was an passionated hunter. It is a little known fact, that high quality shotguns and a combination hunting gun with two shot and an rifled barrel, the so called Luftwaffendrilling M/ 30,where made for the Luftwaffe. So shot down bombercrew couldt shot dears ect. to survive. Even the Luftwaffen ammunition regulation L.Dv. 4000/ 10 handle this shot and hunting ammo. Gun and ammo where supplied to tropical or longe range raids.
 

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I thought I read some where that bomber crews carried some gun stocks so that they could use machine guns as infantry weapons if they where ever shot down but cant seem to find it right now.
 
A reason German pilots during battle of britain had no pistols is an odd one and not to sure myself.

The 109 had tight range and many would fall from empty fuel into the English Channel. Some pilots shot themselves rather than die from drowning or exposure. This meant rescue was impossible so the carrying of guns was stopped.
 
I think it may have been for morale reasons as well. I would quote the passage, but it isn't indexed and don't really fancy skimming through 600 pages to find it!
 
The Basket said:
The 109 had tight range and many would fall from empty fuel into the English Channel. Some pilots shot themselves rather than die from drowning or exposure. This meant rescue was impossible so the carrying of guns was stopped.
Click to expand...

Where did you hear this? I am sure that some may have done so but it was not common practice for German pilots to do so.
 
I think the gun was more to do with being trapped in a burning plane than ditching in the ocean. Whilst a lot of pilots did die this way, there were buoys and rescue islands, and regular SAR patrols, even though Dowding authorized shooting rescue planes down, on the grounds they were spying
 
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