How did Ju 88s shoot down other aircraft?

[Johnny .45]

I am always hearing stories about Ju 88s, usually over water, attacking or shooting down other aircraft, almost as if they were serving as quasi fighter aircraft. Did they just use their MG15s for this, fly close and let the gunners shoot at the other aircraft? Or did they use the forward MG15 locked into the fixed forward -firing configuration and attack like a conventional fighter? Either way it's hard to picture it, since the firepower they can bring to bear is no greater than most of the patrol planes or torpedo bombers they would be attacking.
It's either that or they were all solid nose fighter variants, but it's hard to believe they had enough of those to be patrolling in daylight in flights of 4 or 6 protecting shipping lanes.

 

[GregP]

The Ju-88 C-2 through C-6 were fighter-bombers. The glazed nose was replaced by a sheet metal nose only broken by the barrels of the fixed armament, which usually was one 20 mm cannon and three 7.92 mm MG-17 machine guns. Later, field units sometimes fitted heavier MG.

 

[EwenS]

I am always hearing stories about Ju 88s, usually over water, attacking or shooting down other aircraft, almost as if they were serving as quasi fighter aircraft. Did they just use their MG15s for this, fly close and let the gunners shoot at the other aircraft? Or did they use the forward MG15 locked into the fixed forward -firing configuration and attack like a conventional fighter? Either way it's hard to picture it, since the firepower they can bring to bear is no greater than most of the patrol planes or torpedo bombers they would be attacking.
It's either that or they were all solid nose fighter variants, but it's hard to believe they had enough of those to be patrolling in daylight in flights of 4 or 6 protecting shipping lanes.

There were a number of dedicated fighter models of the Ju 88 starting with the Ju 88C in 1940 in both heavy & night fighter roles, followed by the Ju 88R and Ju 88G models as night fighters. These had a number of fixed MG & cannon in the nose. By day, the Ju 88C operated over the Bay of Biscay on the look out for Coastal Command aircraft. As result the RAF deployed Beaufighter and Mosquito aircraft to SW England to counter them.

Junkers Ju 88 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[PAT303]

 

[Snautzer01]

Search results for query: Solid

ww2aircraft.net

 

[Admiral Beez]

Of the three BoB bombers the Do-17 seems to have had the shortest and least roles.

 

[Shortround6]

Of the three BoB bombers the Do-17 seems to have had the shortest and least roles.

Tt was the smallest (weight) and had the least powerful (and higher drag) engines.

 

[Denniss]

Do 17 was up to 9 tonnes, the bigger Ju 88/He 111 were up to 12.5 tonnes and in later versions up to 14 tonnes.
Do 17 was used as bomber, recon and night fighter. Its sister with DB engine, the Do 215, was used as fast recon and night fighter.
Do 17 saw limited service in Barbarossa, most were sent to schools with possible secondary use a glider tugs.

 

[Erich]

the C-6 was either a day fighter or night fighter equipped with 4 2cm weapons nose and sometimes in the gondola if carried. the G-1 and G-6 were night fighters equipped with 4 2cm in the belly. any of the Ju 88 variants posted were adequate in taking down twin and four engine bombers.

 

[Erich]

also the Ju that PAT posted was experimental and never flew on operations..........

 

[fannum]

Note that it was a maritime patrol Ju88C-6 that shot down noted British actor, Leslie Howard in a KLM/BOAC DC-3 over the Bay of Biscay in '43. He was returning after a promotional visit to Portugal, championing the British cause. The Germans knew of these scheduled airline flights, and set out to harass them, using the Junkers with extended range fuel tanks in the bomb bays. The flight was shot down 500 miles off the Bordeaux coast, well within the fighter's range.

It was likely the only German fighter capable of that range.

A Sunderland was sent out to do a air sea rescue search, and ran into 8 Ju88s, lying in wait, barely escaping, claiming three shot down by their bristling gunners.

That was the end of those civilian flights.

 

[fannum]

deleted - site wouldn't let me edit using Firefox

 

[Erich]

Fannum you wouldn't have a specific date for this encounter would you ? Ju 88's from V./KG 40.

 

[fannum]

Fannum you wouldn't have a specific date for this encounter would you ? Ju 88's from V./KG 40.

1 June 1943
Howard played Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind. He was the quintessential Englishman per Hollywood of the day ... setting the stage for David Niven and Alec Guinness.
He was quite dedicated to supporting the war effort, reputed to be involved with Mi6, and it's been suspected that he was targeted by the Germans. Luftwaffe records indicate that the Ju 88 maritime fighters were operating beyond their normal patrol area to intercept and shoot down the aircraft. First Oberleutnant Herbert Hintze, Staffelkapitän of 14 Staffel, V./Kampfgeschwader 40, and based in Bordeaux, stated that his Staffel shot down the DC-3 because it was recognized as an enemy aircraft.

 

[Erich]

thanks for the information, am curious to look this up in the KG 40 book ~