Henschel Hs 129B-2/Wa

[AlloySkull]

The Waffentrager. I was reading up on this specific variant of the Hs 129, instead of the standard MG17s carried in the nose, it packed a lethal MK 103 37mm anti-tank gun, much like the Ju-87Gs. But it seems that even though the 129 is larger than the Ju-87, this particular cannon that's factory-fitted to the Hs 129 was excessively large. It looks to protrude about 8 - 10 feet from under the belly of the aircraft. Does anyone know how effective the Hs 129B-2/Wa was at its anti-tank role?

 

[lesofprimus]

I think ur referring to the wrong aircraft Skully....

The Hs 129B-2 did not carry a Wa designation... That was reserved for the B-3/Wa with the 75mm Pak 40L...

The Hs 129B-2 series which was introduced into service in the early part of 1943. They included the Hs 129B-2/Rl which carried two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon and two 13 mm (0.51 in) machine-guns; the generally similar Hs 129B-2/R2 introduced an additional 30 mm MK 103 cannon beneath the fuselage; the Hs 129B-2/R3 had the two MG 13s deleted but was equipped with a 37 mm BK 3,7 gun; and the Hs 129B-2/R4 carried a 75 mm (2.95 in) PaK 40L ('L' for Luftwaffe) gun in an underfuselage pod.

 

[Erich]

also the German MK 103 was not a 3.7cm piece it was 30mm using Tungsten cored/tipped rounds highly effective against all Soviet armor types.

because of what has been recorded on the success of the Mk 103 by the LW the present day US forces went a step further with the gatling 30mm in their A-10 Hog.

the Ju 87G units used the Flak 18 in a slightly changed form ~ 3.7cm with clipped rounds

 

[AlloySkull]

Well crap. I have a really bad memory then. But anyways, thanks for the corrections, I must look like a dummy. So then the success of the cannon itself, not the aircraft with the cannon, is what inispired the Warthog's insane armament, quickly leading to it's success as a ground attack aircraft?

 

[Erich]

it was the combination of the successful cannon with the heavy cockpit armor for the pilot that gave US the idea of a little continual fun ......... and your not a dummy

 

[lesofprimus]

Agreed...

I actually like the plane... Although underpowered with those sh!t engines, the B-2/R2 and R3 were great Tank Busters and Close Support aircraft.... In the hands of a few very talented pilots, they scored dozens and dozens of kills... One of my favorite planes actually...

 

[Njaco]

Awesome plane! I have a model of one that I must complete someday. Check out this site. It has a great schematic of the PaK 40 on the 129. look at middle of page.

http://www.luft46.com/mess/mep10199.htm

 

[AlloySkull]

Thanks for all the info guys! I love those pics Njaco. I remember that about the heavy cockpit armor being a key design element in the A-10, I saw a special on the history channel I believe. Les, I agree, it isn't a bad aircraft. It's wierd though, I looked at my book again, and it does say
B-2/Wa. Confusing. It's quite a comprehensive book, but I can see how something can slip by. I'm gonna take a look at that schematic, I'm a sucker for schematics, line drawings, and profiles. I have about 1 gig just in those categories alone.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Agreed...

I actually like the plane... Although underpowered with those sh!t engines, the B-2/R2 and R3 were great Tank Busters and Close Support aircraft.... In the hands of a few very talented pilots, they scored dozens and dozens of kills... One of my favorite planes actually...

Same here. I just wish they had put better engines on her.

 

[AL Schlageter]

From here, þÅÒÔÅÖÉ

More nice scale drawings, þÅÒÔÅÖÉ

 

[AlloySkull]

Oh sweet! I didn't know airwar.ru had a Hs-129 stuff! I love that site! I was gonna post an entire list of sites I have for stuff, this one included. I still will, of course. You don't know how many times that site's come in handy for me...

 

[Njaco]

Check through some of the threads. I think there is one for good web sites to list.

 

[Civettone]

They included the Hs 129B-2/Rl which carried two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon and two 13 mm (0.51 in) machine-gun.

I think it had two light calibre MGs. These were omitted when the 75mm gun was installed.

That gun was definitely an overkill. A 37 or 50mm gun could penetrate every deck armour on any tank.

It's also a myth that its engines were ****. There were reliability problems in Africa which was cured with sand filters. The Gnome Rhone engines were reliable and what's more, it offered the best performance for any piston engine its size! That they were underpowered is simply refuted by the fact that they chose to mount a 1000kg gun underneath! How could the Hs 129B have been underpowered before that? The myth comes from the Hs 129A which had weak Argus engines. Of course with the Hs 129B-3 the aircraft proved to be underpowered again.

Also note that the Hs 129 was the most armoured attack aircraft of WW2. It carried more armour than the Ju 87D or Il-2!

Kris

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

It's also a myth that its engines were ****. There were reliability problems in Africa which was cured with sand filters. The Gnome Rhone engines were reliable and what's more, it offered the best performance for any piston engine its size! That they were underpowered is simply refuted by the fact that they chose to mount a 1000kg gun underneath! How could the Hs 129B have been underpowered before that? The myth comes from the Hs 129A which had weak Argus engines. Of course with the Hs 129B-3 the aircraft proved to be underpowered again.

Also note that the Hs 129 was the most armoured attack aircraft of WW2. It carried more armour than the Ju 87D or Il-2!

Kris

No the aircraft was underpowered. For the weight and the ordinance that it carried it was underpowerd. Had the aircraft had more powerful engines she would have been better off.

 

[Civettone]

Source?

The Hs 129A was 12% overweight and 8% underpowered. The Hs 129B's new radial engines were 20% stronger while total weight hardly changed.

Kris

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The engines delivered 700 hp on takeoff. You put engines that delievered about 1000 hp and she would have been an awesome airplane. That is all that I am saying.

 

[Civettone]

That remark goes for all aircraft. They all get better with more HPs (unless of course weight unbalances the aircraft or unless structural structure is affected).

Fact remains, the Hs 129B was NOT underpowered. (Sorry for stretching this but it's one of those myths which just have to go!).

Kris

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

That remark goes for all aircraft. They all get better with more HPs (unless of course weight unbalances the aircraft or unless structural structure is affected).

Fact remains, the Hs 129B was NOT underpowered. (Sorry for stretching this but it's one of those myths which just have to go!).

Kris

Sorry but I do not think it is a myth. For the weight of the aircraft it was underpowered. She needed bigger engines.

 

[Civettone]

It's not like she was a fighter...

Kris

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

She was not a light aircraft either....