Messerschmitt 109 machineguns question?

Question

I've noticed that on Me 109 fighter, machineguns are positioned right behind the propeler, so I vander how bullets from machineguns pass through propeller, and dont konock it off???

Answer 1

Nose guns are basically fired by the propeller. Mounted behind the propeller hub, are cams that correspond to the blade positions. These cams through mechanical linkage, release MG's trigger mechanism each time the blade moves in front of the muzzle. Tactically this has one main advantage: it puts the guns on his sight line, which is of great assistance in adjusting fire. The disadvantage is the necessary lowering of the rate of fire. Historically, the length of time someone could keep a maneuvering (ie fighter-type) target on one's nose was only about 15-20 seconds max. This is one of the primary reasons, well this and the lack of complexity, most fighters had their weapons in the wings. In the Bf 109's case, the wings were so narrow, that only one cannon/MG could be mounted per wing.

Answer 2

Its called the Interrupter Gear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interrupter_gear ), the gun wont fire at times if the bullet's trajectory comes in line with the propeller's spin.

BTW, more impressive was the '109s cannon which fired through the propeller shaft!

And the '109 has machine guns.

Answer 3

Rate of fire synchronized with propeller, something that was invented by Antony Fokker (a Dutch citizen working for the Germans) and used a year or so after the first World War broke out. Once the Allles got hold of a Fokker fighter, they figured it out and copied it. It then became the general standard in the technology of figher plane armament and development. By World War II it was well known.

Answer 4

The gun has a mechanical synchronizer which runs off a shaft pulley and interrupts the ability to fire during the time that the propeller would be in the way. That process was developed during WWI.

Answer 5

The mechanism is a crankshaft driven cam that only allows the gun to fie when the propeller is clear of the gun barrels.

Answer 6

its the same as machines guns on ww1 planes the propeller stop for the short bust of firing the guns

Answer 7

They have an interupter gear in the engine which is conected to the machine gun. That stops gin firing while prepellor blade goes across,

Answer 8

...I don't think the "109" had machine guns...I believe it has 20mm...that's why it was so fear'd by B17's