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The MG 17, developed by Rheinmetall-Borsig,
was produced since 1934. The weapon´s caliber was 7,9 mm. At a length
of 1078 mm, the weapon´s weight was 10,2 kg. The cadence was up to
1180 rounds per minute and the bullets left the muzzle with 905 meters
per second. The ammunition was supplied by a metal belt.
In each Messerschmitt "Me
109", two of this guns were installed above the engines, shooting synchronized
through the propeller.
This weapon was mounted
in nearly all versions of "Bf 109", merely some versions of "Bf 109 G"
and the "K" versions had two MG 131.
In order to replace the to
weak MG 17, Rheinmetall-Borsig developed the MG 131 in 1938. Here the caliber
was increased to 13 mm, the length was 1168 mm and the weight 20,5 kg.
It reached a cadence of 930 rounds per minute and the bullets left the
barrel with 750 meters per second. Like the MG 17 the MG 131 got it´s
ammunition by the help of a metal belt. The bullet weighted 34 g, the whole
cartridge 72 g.
The MG 131 was installed
in the "Bf 109 G" from "G-5" upward, except the "G-12". Two MG 131 were
mounted above the engine and were shooting synchronized through the propeller
circle. In the same way the "MG 131" was used in the "Bf 109 K".
The MG FF/M was a motor cannon
with 20 mm caliber. This gun was manufactured in Germany under licence,
but it was developed by Oerlikon in Switzerland. The MG FF/M was 1338 mm
long at a weight of 26,3 kg. The cadence of this weapon was 540 rounds
per minute at max, the speed, the projectiles got, leaving the muzzle was
700 meters per second.
The cartridge had a weight
of 202 g, 134 g apportioned to the projectile. The ammunition was stored
in magazines.
Deployed by the Luftwaffe
in 1935 it soon became obsolete, because the penetration was not enough
to destroy the heavy allied bombers anymore. The MG FF/M often got jammed or the
shells broke, what didn´t make this weapon very reliable.
The MG FF was mounted in
nearly the whole "Bf 109 E" family, the "Bf 109 D" and the "Bf 109 F-0"
and "F-1". It was als well used as wing armament, as also as motor gun.
In 1935 the MG 151 was developed
by Mauser. This weapon got a caliber of 15 mm. The whole gun was 1960 mm
long and weighted 42,7 kg. Here the cartride had a weight of 190 g and
the bullet weighted 72 g.
This machine cannon was
able to spit 700 rounds per minute, which reached a muzzle speed of
1040 meters per second. The cartridges were transported by a metal belt.
The "Bf 109 F-2" got such
a MG 151/15 in the bow, shooting through the hollow propeller axis. Because
the shooting results were not satisfying, especially the cadenz was justifiably
criticized, the MG 151/15 was replaced by the MG 151/20.
To increase the power of
MG 151, Mauser deveoloped 1937 a design with 20 mm caliber. This re-designed
Weapon was with it´s 42,5 kg a little lighter and with 1710 mm also
a little shorter as the MG 151/15. The bullets left the cannons barrel
with 790 meters per second, at a cadence of 750 rounds per minute.
The weapon was "feeded"
by an ammunition belt. One of these cartridges had a weight of 220 g, the
projectile alone has a weight of 115 g.
In the "Bf 109" you can find
this weapon in the late F- and early G-versions. In these planes this cannon
was installed in the wings. From "Bf 109 G-6" on the MG 151/20 was no longer
used. In the "Bf 109 K-2" the MG 151/20 was mounted as motor cannon, fireing
through the spinner.
Often the MG 151/20 was
used as underwing gun. Here one gun was attached in a gondula below each wing.
The upturning heavy bombers
made also necessary heavy weapons. So Rheinmetall-Borsig developed the
MK 103, a 30 mm cannon. The size and the weight were the mankos of this
weapon, that was 2318 mm long with a weight of magnificently 146 kg. On
the other hand the muzzle speed, with 860 meters per second and the fireing
rate of 440 rounds per minute were satisfying. One 30 mm cartridge weighted
980 g, 530 g dependet on the projectile. The ammunition was transported
by a metal belt.
This weapon only was used
in some "Bf 109 K-8" as motor cannon. Because it was not easy to mount
the gun darriage, only a small number of "Bf 109" was equipped with the
MK 103.
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Considerably more often than
MK 103, the MK 108 was mounted in the "Bf 109". This weapon was, like the
MK 103 a 30 mm cannon. With it´s length of 1057 mm and only 58 kg
weight it was more compact and easier to mount. The short barrel however,
reduced the muzzle speed, which only was 520 meters per second. Therefore
the fire rate was clearly above that of MK 103. The initialy fire rate
of 660 rounds per minute later could be increased to 850.
The bullets, supplied by
an ammunition belt, weighted 330 g, the whole cartridge had 480 g.
The spreading of MK 108 was
wider than it was that of MK 103, because it was much easier to fit it
into the plane. So all versions from late "Bf 109 G" on got a MK 108, fireing
through the propeller axis. Also in the small "Bf 109 H" series, this gun
was installed in the same way. In the "Bf 109 K" the MK 108 also was installed
in the wings. So the "K-6", "K-8" and "K-14" got one MK 108 behind the
engine and one in each wing.
In some "Bf 109 G" the MK 108 also was in combat as assembly set. Here one MK 108 was mounted in a gondula below each wing.
