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For the purposes of WW2, it depends on the rounds used. HE rounds explode on impact so armor penetration is not really their intended purpose. AP 20mm was shown to be more consistent and more effective up to 400 yards.
I am not trying to prove that the 20mm was better or equal to the .50 in a purely theoretical case. I am trying to prove that at normal air combat ranges the .50 didn't have enough of an advantage to get all worked up about. Unpleasant as that may be for some .50 cal fans.
riarcrato what's difference for a 200 meters range?
riarcrato what's difference for a 200 meters range?
Obviously, armor-piercing 20mm rounds will outperform .50 cal against armor (I must admit I'm surprised that ball 20mm was inferior to .50 cal, but considering the blunt tips that makes sense.) However, as I understand it, most all 20mm shells employed in WWII were of the HE variety for it's obvious destructive power.
as i understand only AP in six guns and only API in two (idk if 50 has HEI)
I doubt if the Germans would have gone to the trouble of marking 109s to look like Mustangs; for one it would have confused German pilots in the heat of combat and increased the risk of " friendly fire" ; this would have been rather more risky than any potential confusion it may have engendered in enemy pilots.There are a dozen more reports that show the range of the ammo. What's interesting about the other example broaches another question that should be looked into.
"The 109s had the same white tail and wing markings as the Mustang. As a result, fire was withheld til I closed to 250 yards., when black crosses could be plainly seen......"
Bill
I doubt if the Germans would have gone to the trouble of marking 109s to look like Mustangs; for one it would have confused German pilots in the heat of combat and increased the risk of " friendly fire" ; this would have been rather more risky than any potential confusion it may have engendered in enemy pilots.
Secondly, there were Luftwaffe units using white rudders and wingtips at the time and these could easily have been mistaken for Mustang markings - the report doesn't state the range at which the 109s were first sighted, and it states that the Gabreski and Lt Klibbe closed from dead astern - from such an angle even a flash of white could be mistaken for the Mustang markings.
From what i've seen it was probably not the intention of the Luftwaffe to look like Mustangs however the vertical surfaces of the tail, including the rudder were sometimes painted white. Also there is a stripe on the tail section used to identify different squadrons, flights, or elements. Usually this was yellow, sometimes it was white.
Bill
The stripes were not unit markings. The P-47 and P-51 had a stripe, white or yellow, on each wing, each stab/elevator and fin/rudder for ID purposes to distinguish them from 190s and 109s.