WesWorld

October 18, 1936 - Dessau

Rollout of the Ju-90 V8, the prototype for the BMW-801 powered Ju-90S heavy bomber. First flight is expected before the end of the year.


October 25, 1936 - Rostock

Rollout of the He-177 V3, the first BMW-801 powered He-177. Like it's competitor, the Ju-90S, the plane's first flight is expected before the end of the year.


October 30, 1936 - Bremen

First flight of the BMW-801A powered Fw-190 V5 prototype fighter, with Hans Sander at the controls. After the flight, his report said that the cockpit cooling problem appeared to be fixed (probably due to moving the cockpit aft for balance reasons), but there were still cooling problems with the BMW engine.

November 14, 1936 - Rostock

Rollout of the He-100 V13, a development aircraft fitted with a new DB-601E. Should the Luftwaffe accept the He-100 for service, initial deliveries are expected to be powered by the DB-601N, not the DB-601E, as development of the new engine is still progressing.


November 19, 1936 - Dessau

First flight of the Ju-90 V8, powered by the BMW-801. The flight was relatively successful, lasting the entire scheduled 85 minutes, but some overheating of the BMW-801s was noted and some lateral instability needs to be corrected.

November 19, 1936 - Berlin

The Heer has announced the winner of it's pistol competition. The Fabrique Nationale firm of Belgium has been offered a contract for 10,000 of a slightly modified version of it's GP-35 pistol, for delivery starting in 1937. In Heer service, the new pistol will be known as the P-36.

(Modification entails the removal of the grip safety, just as was done with the Luger for acceptance as the P.08.)

November 26, 1936 - Bremen

Rollout of the first factory-built recon variant of the Fw-187 Falke, the Fw-187 R-1. The Fw-187 R-1 differs from the Fw-187 A-1s and A-3s currently in service in armament (4 7.92 MG-81s and 2 Leica cameras vs 2 7.92mm MG-17s and 4 15mm MG-151s), range (1500 nm vs 1200 nm) and engines (high-altitude DB-601NSs vs DB-601Aas and DB-601Ns). The Luftwaffe requested the new variant after the events of the Wilno crisis in the summer of 1935, and it's need became more apparent with the continuance of the crisis into the fall of 1935.

November 25th, 1936 - Berlin

The budget for the 1937 year has finally been settled. The Heer's budget is expanded to allow a top line of 750,000 men, allowing a growth of 2 new infantry corps and (now that panzer production is actually happening as opposed to being planned) a second panzer corps.

December 2, 1936 - Berlin

At Luftwaffe headquarters, General Udet was examining the reports and recommendations for the proposal for a machinegun in between the current 7.92mm MGs and the 15mm MG-151. The Mauser entries had been rejected as insufficient, leaving only the 11mm and 13mm Rheinmettall weapons.

The review team's recommendation was fairly clear: the fighter users preferred the 11mm weapon, because it had a flatter trajectory with more in common with the 15mm MG-151, allowing for easy sighting and harmonization. The 13mm weapon, on the other hand, was slightly lighter and a touch shorter, and would make a larger hole on the receiving end, but on fighters the weapons would be a secondary weapon, the MG-151s would be the primary.

On bombers, however, the new MGs might be a primary weapon, at least on some angles. Current bombers carried a mix of 15mm and 7.92mm weapons, and future bombers would likely replace the 7.92mm weapons with the new weapon (and possibly the larger and heavier MG-151s). There, issues of harmonization were not important, but impact on the target and ease of hitting would be. There, the two weapons were essentially equal: the 11mm was probably easier to hit with (due to a flatter trajectory), while the 13mm would make a bigger hole in the target (if only by a small amount).

In the end, the arguments of his fighter pilots won the day, and the 11mm Rheinmettall weapon would get further funding and hopefully would be type-standardized as the MG-111.


December 15, 1936 - Rostock

First flight of the He-177 V3, the first BMW-801 powered He-177. The flight was fairly successful, lasting almost the entire planned 90 minutes. The test reports noted mild engine overheating problems (as has been noticed on other aircraft using the new BMW engine in it's close cowling) and some instability in pitch. Also, there was a note of a false alarm in the landing gear, with 1 leg of the complicated landing gear reporting that it was not locking in the "down" position" when it apparently did do so. The test pilots recommendation was that the complicated 4-leg gear be abandoned, to be replaced by a simpler 2 leg gear with each leg mounting 2 wheels to spread the load of the aircraft.

Which bombers are using the MG151 at the moment? Its a rather large weapon needing a larger turret like the one above from a He 277. What are the specifics of the MG-111, similar to the 11.35x62 Madsen?

The specs on the MG-111 are: a bit over 1 meter in length and 18.2 kg in weight for the weapon. The 11mm cartridge has a 72mm (length) x 19mm (diameter) case and fires a 35 gram AP/AP-T projectile at 870 meters per second at a cyclic rate of 1020 rpm unsynchronized or 900 rpm synchronized. The initial versions are all electrically primed, for use in synchronized mountings, but a percussion primed version is likely later on. Not really close to the 11.35mm Madsen, except in bore size, the MG-111 is firing a much heavier bullet at about the same velocity, but the weapon's a good bit heavier than the Madsen to deal with the extra recoil and the longer and larger case.

Turrets? You jest, sir. No current WW German aircraft has an actual turret (as is historical). Right now, the Ju-90S, the He-177, and the Do-217 are exploring these, but all of these aircraft are purely prototypes, and the prototypes now flying are not equipped with turrets.

The bombers equipped with MG-151s are the He-111 and Ju-88, both of which carry them in rearward facing flexible mountings. This is rather similar to the use of .50" Browning MGs (which are similar in weight and size, if a bit shorter in overall length, to the MG-151) in flexible mountings on the early B-17s, before the installation of turrets on the B-17E. Note that the B-17D had twin .50" flexible mounts in the dorsal and ventral positions, which seems a clear indication to me that a single MG-151 wouldn't be a problem.

The MG 151 is about 20% longer and 50% than the M2 (ac aircraft version) with a lot more kick. I did find an MG151/20 on a flexible mounting (on the Me 323) but it looks fairly beefy.

Agreed, forgot about the M2 Aircraft version. But even so, it's 61 pounds, and the MG-151 is only 92.4, so a good deal lighter than a twin .50 mounting. Recoil impulse IS heavier, by about 50%.

December 18, 1936 - Berlin

The Heer Generalstab meeting had been going on for several hours when General Guderian (who wasn't a member of the Generalstab, but had been invited for this session) brought up an issue that was of great interest to him.

"What's this report from our observer at the Hammer 36 exercises about the Japanese fielding tanks with high-velocity 75mm guns?"

One of the staff officers checked it and nodded. "Yes, sir, that's correct, it's been confirmed by other sources as well. The Type 96, which mounts this weapon, is heavier than our Panzer IIIs or IVs, and carries a high-velocity 75mm. Reports suggest the gun might be derived from a naval 75mm AA weapon the Japanese use."

General Guderian frowned. "That 75mm suggests the expectation that tank armor will be rising rapidly, or already has. The Danes are working, this report" he touches a folder on the table beside him, "says, on a design for a heavier Bille. Good thing the design of the medium Panzers allows more than a little growth." He looked at the Chief of Staff, General von Rundestedt. "Sir, I strongly suggest that Krupp and Rheinmettall be requested to develop a high-velocity 75mm that will fit onto the turret ring in the medium Panzers. Up-armoring the panzers would be easy enough, the chassis and suspension has plenty of growth room and additional armor can be bolted on until the armor manufacturers can produce plates of the right thickness. But the gun will take some time to develop. Also, I suggest we attempt to accelerate the heavy panzer development program."

Quoted

Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
December 18, 1936 - Berlin

The Heer Generalstab meeting had been going on for several hours when General Guderian (who wasn't a member of the Generalstab, but had been invited for this session) brought up an issue that was of great interest to him.

"What's this report from our observer at the Hammer 36 exercises about the Japanese fielding tanks with high-velocity 75mm guns?"

One of the staff officers checked it and nodded. "Yes, sir, that's correct, it's been confirmed by other sources as well. The Type 96, which mounts this weapon, is heavier than our Panzer IIIs or IVs, and carries a high-velocity 75mm. Reports suggest the gun might be derived from a naval 75mm AA weapon the Japanese use."

General Guderian frowned. "That 75mm suggests the expectation that tank armor will be rising rapidly, or already has. The Danes are working, this report" he touches a folder on the table beside him, "says, on a design for a heavier Bille. Good thing the design of the medium Panzers allows more than a little growth." He looked at the Chief of Staff, General von Rundestedt. "Sir, I strongly suggest that Krupp and Rheinmettall be requested to develop a high-velocity 75mm that will fit onto the turret ring in the medium Panzers. Up-armoring the panzers would be easy enough, the chassis and suspension has plenty of growth room and additional armor can be bolted on until the armor manufacturers can produce plates of the right thickness. But the gun will take some time to develop. Also, I suggest we attempt to accelerate the heavy panzer development program."

Lucky for the Germans to be Satsuma's favorite Europeans. In regard to bolting armor that is the solution for the Arguns; that will be the Argun B modification.

Du-eee-oooo... DUN DUN DUN!!!

Quoted

Originally posted by perdedor99
Lucky for the Germans to be Satsuma's favorite Europeans. In regard to bolting armor that is the solution for the Arguns; that will be the Argun B modification.

Certainly useful. Though it looks like the Iberians might be some parts of SATSUMA's favorites, considering the Japanese are selling gunless Type 96s to the Iberians. Should be interesting when they're stationed on Hainan/San Hainando.

Well that was the reason we agreed not to invite observers, otherwise Persia would have invited the Danes

Quoted

Originally posted by Vukovlad
Well that was the reason we agreed not to invite observers, otherwise Persia would have invited the Danes

??? There has been mention of German observers....

"What's this report from our observer at the Hammer 36 exercises about the Japanese fielding tanks with high-velocity 75mm guns?"

Quoted

Originally posted by Vukovlad
"What's this report from our observer at the Hammer 36 exercises about the Japanese fielding tanks with high-velocity 75mm guns?"

I have mentioned German observers attached to the Chinese forces in the stories.

I remember that snooty Chinese officer (the one who's about to get his column ambushed) chatting up a German observer.

Thats correct and he will know report a wealth of information that should have been kept quiet until SATSUMA can draw lessons from the exercise.