I don't know how big a difference there was in the thickness of the wings on th e109 and Zero where the guns (and ammo) were located. I mean actual thickness, not percentage as the Zeros wing was a lot bigger. Even a few inches might make a difference.
The MG FF and FF/M had the dual problems of low rate of fire and poor velocity. You need more than two to get a large number of shells in the air, and you have to get close or use angles of fire with little deflection. The long time of flight making deflection shooting difficult.
The FF fired at 540 m/s, vs. the FFM at 700 m/s for the M-shell, so I'd say that FFM will give pilots a good chance to hit. Three FFMs will not be too heavy - circa 80 kg worth of cannons + ammo weight. Granted, we must wait to DB 601N so the central cannon can be installed, the 601A was a show stopper in that regard.
WRT to Bf 109s wing thickness - Spanish managed to install the big HS 404 cannon on their Buchons, after fiddling a bit with wing internals.
Well, the Do 215 was rated at just about 500kph. Since the bombs are carried inside it doesn't take the performance hit that strapping bombs to the bottom of the 110 would cause so the actual attack speeds (30 minute rating?) would be a lot closer. Get rid of the "bug-eye" nose and put on something like the night fighter nose. Use DB 601N or E engines (mainly to get the altitude up higher than the DB601A and DB601Aa. You also have a more range than the 110. Possibility of trading bomb bay space for more fuel. Just do something about the idiotic gun array at the rear of the canopy.![]()
It was rated by manufacturer at 500 km/h. And by the user? Granted, insisting on the slim nose might gain a few km/h.
It was also listed as capable for 20 x 50 kg of bombs only, again by manufacturer - less than 1/2 kg of bombs per HP installed, and 50 kg bombs will not impress with their destructive power. No dive bombing means less accuracy. Waiting for 601N, let alone 601E engines means it's already 1941? Perhaps it is better to have actual escort fighters for proper bomb trucks that can carry twice the bomb load, or more?
Trading of bomb bay space for more fuel is self-defeating here IMO.
It will never equal the Mosquito but since you could have them almost 2 years before the Mosquito shows up in any numbers it doesn't have to be quite as good.
The JU-88 was never going to equal the Mosquito either as by the time you get to the A-4 (very late 1940/early 41) you have plane weighing thousands of pounds more.
The Do 215 does not have to be as good as Mosquito, it needs to be that good so it can reliably evade RAF fighters. At 500 km/h for 5 minutes (say we believe manufacturer's figures) in mid 1940, it might evade Hurricane squadron that is about to take off, but probably not the other squadron that has 3000 ft advantage in height, let alone squadron of Spitfires. What happens once the 5 min limit is out, and Do 215s fly at 480 km/h?
Ju 88 as a bomber was an exercise in self-inflicted wounds, from the wrong position of wing/fuselage juncture onward.