BK 3,7 magazine capacity, once and for all?

[Johnny .45]

I am always seeing different ammo capacities listed for the BK 3,7 (37mm) un pods carried by Ju 87G tankbusters. Currently wikipedia and a few other places list it as either 12 (each, apparently) or "twin 6 round magazines" for each gun. But I remember when Wiki said it was 12 rounds TOTAL, or 6 for each gun, because I had always assumed it was 12 each before that. Problem is that "twin magazines" doesn't make any sense; yes, there are "boxes" on both sides of each pod, but one is deeper (longer in chord) than the other, and I don't see how it could switch between feeding from left to right anyway. The size of a single box doesn't really look big enough to fit twelve rounds. So is it 2x6 = 12 or 2x12 = 24? I can't help but wonder if people didn't see "capacity: 12" and read that as 12 EACH when it was really 12 rounds TOTAL. I know the Hurricane IID has 40mm gun pods with 15 rounds each, but in that case there is no problem with a seemingly too-small magazine tray sticking out the side of the gun. A 12 round box of 37mm shells would probably take up quite a bit of space (no idea what the differently-shaped box on the opposite side of each is, unless it's for collecting spent cases; if it WAS a second magazine, and they figured out some way of alternating feed from left side to right, you'd think they'd both be the same size and shape, right?)
Note in this attached picture of (supposedly) a BK 3,7, there is but one ammo tray, and it looks about right for a row of six shells. Any thoughts?

 

[Greyman]

The way I understand it, each gun held a box magazine which in turn had two 6-round clips of ammunition. As the rounds were fired, the shell casings were ejected but the clips was fed into a clip holder on the opposite side of the gun, as these had a habit of damaging the aircraft.

So:
6 x rounds per clip
2 x clips per magazine
1 x magazine per gun
2 x guns per aircraft
---------------------------------
24 rounds total

 

[Greyman]

If any German-speaking individual could help:

 

[swampyankee]

If any German-speaking individual could help:

View attachment 381205

Could we have a translation for those among us illiterate in German?

 

[tomo pauk]

Basically - each cannon has 12 rounds of ammo, held together by two 'joined' clips.

 

[PierreDeveaux]

Hello to All,
As I was looking for weight & dimensional details regarding this gun pod, I came across this page. Regarding the request for a translation of this German extract, I merely used Google Translate but thought appropriate to stick it here in order to save time for other readers. So, here it is :

A 3.7cm BK is installed on the left and right underside of the wing. Both weapons are triggered simultaneously electrically, pneumatically and mechanically by the pilot using the B button on the KG 12A stick handle.

If one of the two weapons fails, the other remains usable. The compressed air required to fire the weapons is carried in two 2-liter compressed air bottles. The compressed air is filled via a common external connection

Each weapon carries 12 rounds of ammunition in two coupled cartridge frames. The cartridge frame is collected and the cases are released into the open air

An air heater is installed in every weapon, which prevents the return brake sole from becoming stiff. The fuel required to operate the air heater is taken from the fuel tank in the left or right wing. The air heaters are switched on together using a toggle switch in the control box (P100) in the device panel on the right.

Pierre Deveaux - Brussels, Belgium

 

[Snautzer01]

If any German-speaking individual could help:

View attachment 381205

Waffen Revue, German weapons explained in detail

Waffen Revue nr 24, 1977 pg3837-3845

ww2aircraft.net

 

[PierreDeveaux]

Waffen Revue, German weapons explained in detail

Waffen Revue nr 24, 1977 pg3837-3845

ww2aircraft.net

Hello Snautzer01,
I only had a quick glance at the "gold mine" you just submitted and I thought "...hopfully, I shall not be expected to translate the whole thing...". Just joking. Mind you, my submission was based on re-typing that short text and submit it, paragraph by paragraph to Google Translate. Anyway, I shall be too busy with other matters for the next 4 to 5 weeks to spare attention on aircraft and their equipment before March. But thank you for this gold mine which I will scrutinize at the next opportunity. All the best, Pierre Deveaux

 

[Snautzer01]

Hello Snautzer01,
I only had a quick glance at the "gold mine" you just submitted and I thought "...hopfully, I shall not be expected to translate the whole thing...". Just joking. Mind you, my submission was based on re-typing that short text and submit it, paragraph by paragraph to Google Translate. Anyway, I shall be too busy with other matters for the next 4 to 5 weeks to spare attention on aircraft and their equipment before March. But thank you for this gold mine which I will scrutinize at the next opportunity. All the best, Pierre Deveaux

You do know google lens? It has a translation function that work well. And in seconds.

aircraft on-board cannon BK 3.7 cm

Preliminary remark

After the extremely harsh winter in the Soviet Union in 1941/42 (with temperatures well over -40 degrees Celsius), which not only caused heavy losses to the German troops through freezing, but also brought the entire front and the advance to a standstill, the Soviets slowly began to recover. Although 1942 brought many great successes for the German troops, from the end of 1942 the Soviets managed to send a huge number of tanks to the front, Stalingrad fell into Soviet hands and the great retreat began. Days on which 500 or more Soviet tanks were shot down were not uncommon and more and more tanks rolled towards and through the German lines.

And then the idea suddenly came up to attack the tanks that were rolling in in large numbers from the air. The modified 3.7 cm Flak 18 quickly became an on-board weapon, which was installed in various versions in aircraft. Aircraft equipped with the BK 3.7 cm included:

Junkers Ju 87 G-2 (according to regulation D. (Luft) T 2087)

Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-2/R1 (according to regulation D. (Luft) T 2110)

Henschel Hs 129 B-2 (according to Rheinmetall report 1945)

Junkers Ju 88 P-2 and P-3 (see photo)

The weapon was mounted either under the wing or under the fuselage.

Etc etc

 

[PierreDeveaux]

"Google Lens" was/is unknown to me. I saw it referring to an "app", a notion beyond my world
• research & reading is carried out on the Ubuntu part of my laptop (will try "Lens" at the next opportunity though),
• writing & drawing is performed on its WinXP other half, essentially using FrontPage 2000 & ImageComposer
Not the most up-to-date tools naturally (as are my GSM, PlayStation-2 or BMW R45 motorbike) but those I am reasonably comfortable with and happy at their delivering what I expect them to

While the Ubuntu ran Firefox is reasonably contemporary, I don't have access to already translated page as Google generally offers (reason: unknown - IT support by those would could supply it: denied). So, whenever useful, I just do what's necessary to obtain a result. But as mentioned, I would try "Lens" next time & see what happens - thanks for the suggestion.

Regarding the BK37, I personally was looking for precise dimensional data and to lift the ongoing debate about the number of cartridges carried with a pod (6 or 12). For the time being, I retained "12" but still am not convinced. This subject will rest with me as an "unconfirmed or fictional data", at least for the time being. Cheers

 

[Snautzer01]

"Google Lens" was/is unknown to me. I saw it referring to an "app", a notion beyond my world
• research & reading is carried out on the Ubuntu part of my laptop (will try "Lens" at the next opportunity though),
• writing & drawing is performed on its WinXP other half, essentially using FrontPage 2000 & ImageComposer
Not the most up-to-date tools naturally (as are my GSM, PlayStation-2 or BMW R45 motorbike) but those I am reasonably comfortable with and happy at their delivering what I expect them to

While the Ubuntu ran Firefox is reasonably contemporary, I don't have access to already translated page as Google generally offers (reason: unknown - IT support by those would could supply it: denied). So, whenever useful, I just do what's necessary to obtain a result. But as mentioned, I would try "Lens" next time & see what happens - thanks for the suggestion.

Regarding the BK37, I personally was looking for precise dimensional data and to lift the ongoing debate about the number of cartridges carried with a pod (6 or 12). For the time being, I retained "12" but still am not convinced. This subject will rest with me as an "unconfirmed or fictional data", at least for the time being. Cheers

Well you do that. Waffen revue is after all known to be fictional and in accurate being based on manuals and other fairy tall stuff like factory drawings.

Can't imaging that a Linux based piece of software doest have a translator that works more or less the same.

Good luck.

 

[PierreDeveaux]

Well you do that. Waffen revue is after all known to be fictional and in accurate being based on manuals and other fairy tall stuff like factory drawings.

Can't imaging that a Linux based piece of software doest have a translator that works more or less the same.

Good luck.

Well, Firefox/Linux used to but doesn't anymore. Perhaps a matter of Firefox update but in the context of a rather complex computer setup, this matter is for the guy who assembled it for me. Ain't a computer savy at all.