need help in finding the maximum range of all types of aircraft ammo from WW2

I need help to find the maximum ranges on ammo used in all the aircraft guns.
I know that George Beurling had a confirmed kill at 800meters with .303s on a 109. so the .303s could hit and kill atleast a range of 800meters.
Any help in finding confirmable maximum distances of aircraft rounds is appreciated.

 

You might find some information here:
http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/miltech.htm
but "max range" is rather ill defined. For instance .22 long rifle ammo has or used to have a warning on the box indicating the range was 1 mile. However hitting anything with other than the ground at that range would be problematic and it's damage capabilty wouldn't be very high either. Aircraft make it even more complex as air speed and altititude can effect their max range and cannon with HE rounds can still be quite dangerous at extreme ranges. Hitting anything at longer ranges was problematic on aircraft though.

 

It would be interesting to include anti-aircraft guns. Possible to amend your original request?

 

There is some info, at least on naval guns, in that respect at:
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/index_weapons.htm
One could probably assume that the info for machineguns is aproximatly the same in different roles and not be too far off. If you knew barrel lengths you could likely get closer.

 

Google "Hatcher's Notebook" and find a download link. It contains a wealth of rifle caliber ballistic data.

 

Well trajectory comes into play rather quickly. I do not know how Beurling's 800 yard hit was confirmed but at 800 yards the 303 would be well into rapid fall. Using 8 Brownings firing at roughly 600 rounds per minute, or a bit less, per gun or 4800 per minute , limited by 14-15 seconds of ammunition an early Spitfire or Hurricane puts a shotgun like pattern out at that range but many feet down. I imagine a few found critical places to land but most of the better pilots limited themselves to 50 to 250 yards to try and insure a solid hit and not waste ammunition.

Beurling was credited with phenomenal eyesight but that cannot exceed physics. I would extrapolate from the above that 500 yards is a good effective maximum for a 30 cal or 8mm given that targets are constantly moving in three dimensions at 150-350 mph. a .50 or 12.7 mm might double that but probably not as their muzzle velocity is similar but retention better. The 20-30mm rounds are all over the place , huge velocity range and BC ratings but some may exceed the above.

Now if you were flying level at 30,000 feet or so at 350 mph and fired . mv being in the 2500-2700 fps range you might get 3000 or so thousand yards before going vertical then add 30,000 to that. If some unlucky soul was walking along, no helmet, thin hair , the terminal velocity of a pointed 160 +- grain ap round might pierce his skull and do him in or worst. But I would not call that maximum effective range!!!

If targets are stable then the range on the ground would be similar to those in the sky but the firing plane adds it speed and the moving target greatly complicates matters.

I would kindly phrase the question to maximum effective range.

Gaines

 

GB 800m shot was confirmed by gun camera footage.
I just want their maximum range. Such as like IWD did with the .22.
Yes I know most pilots had shorter convergence and typical shot at short ranges simple because it was easier to hit the target.
The main calibers interested in are
.50 cals - something around 2km distance and an effective range of roughly 1.5km with the longest sniper shot past that. I already have this one
20 mm such as used by the british, germans, russians
30 mm germans
37 mm used by US and Russians
50 mm used by germans
75 mm used by the germans

Hachets book didn't have what I was looking for.

 

Well you can compare the stats for the 50 cals to these:
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_50cal-M2_MG.htm
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNBR_5-62_mk3.htm
Then use that as a fudge factor when looking at the others.
For instance the 20mm
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_2cm-70_mk234.htm
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNGER_20mm-65_c30.htm
etc.

This lists max range of the Hispano 20mm as 7,000 yards
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano-Suiza_HS.404
again some of the pages hanging off this site are well worth investigating:
http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/miltech.htm

This site may also be of use:
http://books.google.com/books?id=l-DzknmTgDUC&pg=PA457&lpg=PA457&dq=hispano+20mm+cannon+ww2+%22range%22&source=bl&ots=2sjNHVu9Eo&sig=-JwseZGuD-nWmyi0_gtI2XQq3TU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=lrkhU7HGJMGE0AG1yID4Aw&ved=0CHMQ6AEwDA#v=onepage&q=hispano%2020mm%20cannon%20ww2%20%22range%22&f=false

this book may also be of use:
http://www.amazon.com/Flying-Guns-World-War-II/dp/1840372273