Ammo Loadouts for the anti-aircraft guns

[LukeFF]

According to the NavWeaps site, the German 20 mm gun loadouts are listed as being about 75% HE and 25% AP and about 1/3 AP for the 37 mm guns. However, it doesn't say if this was for both the U-boats and the surface ships. To complicate things further, the 37 mm guns also carry anti-aircraft rounds.

So, with all that said, would the U-boat flak guns carry anything other than HE and possibly AA rounds?

[LukeFF]

Actually, I think I found out the answer, and I wasn't even looking for it at the time!

CHAPTER IV. GUNS AND AMMUNITION IN U-177

DECK ARMAMENT

First Patrol - One 105 mm. gun forward of Conning Tower.

One 20 mm. single on bandstand.

One 37 mm. gun (old type) on deck aft.

Second Patrol - One 105 mm. gun forward of Conning Tower.

Two single 20 mm. guns on bandstand.

One 37 mm. (old type) on deck aft.

Three M.G.-15s (demountable) on bridge.

Third Patrol - One 105 mm. gun forward of Conning Tower.

Two 20 mm. twin mounts on Platform I.

One new 37 mm. automatic gun on Platform II.

Four demountable M.G.-15s.

AMMUNITION CARRIED ON THIRD AND LAST PATROL

105 mm: U-177 carried 200 rounds of ammunition for this gun. There were 65 rounds of H.E. packed in gray containers with brown and yellow marking, 65 rounds if incendiary shells in containers marked with a red ring, and 70 rounds of "Zonenmunition" (H.E/A.A. shells) in gray containers with red markings. "Zonenmunition" rounds had yellow markings with black lettering.

In ready-use lockers were 38 rounds of incendiary and H.E., mixed. The rest of the ammunition for this gun was stored in the magazine.

20 mm: 8000 rounds of 20 mm. ammunition were carried.

- 19 - S E C R E T

S E C R E T

There were three types; mixed in more or less equal proportions:

A/P with tracer - pointed nose, blue with red ring.

H.E. with tracer - yellow markings, red ring.

H.E. without tracer - yellow only.

The last two types had aluminum fuze head, nose somewhat flattened.

There were 13 clips containing 18 rounds each in ready-use lockers, 48 clips of 18 rounds each in the Conning Tower, and 60 clips of 18 rounds each in the magazine.

Two clip-loaders were carried, but only one was ever used. These were for 20 mm. ammunition only. They were said to be very noisy but very fast.

37 mm: Only one type of ammunition was carried for the 37mm. gun. This was called "Minenmunition" (mine munition). It is believed to be H.E. Projectiles were painted yellow with red markings. The aluminum fuze head was not painted.

Clips of 5 rounds each were loaded by hand, no loader being supplied for the "Minenmunition".

In Bordeaux U-177 took aboard 40 water-tight containers of 25 rounds each. In La Pallice 47 additional containers, likewise of 25 rounds each, were supplied to the boat. In addition to the above containers, all of which were stored in the boat, there were about 375 rounds in clips, of which 250 were in upper deck containers. These containers had a maximum capacity of 280 rounds.

From http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-177INT.htm



Question on the Minenmunition: would that be considered an anti-aircraft round?

[Hyena]

Originally Posted by LukeFF

Question on the Minenmunition: would that be considered an anti-aircraft round?

Not sure. I do know the Mk-108 30mm cannon found on Willy Messershmit and Kurt Tank's creations fired ammunition that was also refered to as 'mine'. It was a (relatively) low velocity, high-frag shell, much like a modern RPG only somewhat faster. Assuming the terminology is consistant, ground/naval 'mine' rounds for guns could be the similar animals.

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by Hyena

Not sure. I do know the Mk-108 30mm cannon found on Willy Messershmit and Kurt Tank's creations fired ammunition that was also refered to as 'mine'. It was a (relatively) low velocity, high-frag shell, much like a modern RPG only somewhat faster. Assuming the terminology is consistant, ground/naval 'mine' rounds for guns could be the similar animals.

I was thinking the same thing. The German aircraft mine shell, minengeschoss, was a thin-walled round with a high-explosive charge. I'm thinking the relation of minenmunition to SH4 is an HE round, because it is described in the interrogation reports as having an impact fuse. Conversely, the AA rounds have a proximity fuse.

BTW, anyone find it interesting the 105 mm gun loadout included anti-aircraft (zonenmunition) rounds?

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by LukeFF

Conversely, the AA rounds have a proximity fuse.

Hi!

Do you mean a radar proximity fuze?

Pablo

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by Pablo

Do you mean a radar proximity fuze?

I wasn't clear enough, sorry. What I meant to say was, in the game the 37mm AA rounds explode after traveling a certain distance.