German Fighters Targeted This Area Of The B-17!

A confidential report on “Armament in the Air War” from 1939-1945 outlines the vulnerability of bombers and the types of bullets or projectiles that caused maximum damage.

Armor-Piercing Rounds

Armor-piercing rounds have a core of hard alloy steel or tungsten carbide. These rounds can severely damage a bomber’s engines, leading to mechanical failure and fuel or lubrication system leaks.

Striking the engines might also injure or kill the pilot and co-pilot, potentially resulting in the loss of the bomber.

Incendiary Rounds

Incendiary rounds contain fillers of phosphorus or incendiary mixtures that ignite upon impact. When these rounds hit the fuel tanks, they can cause catastrophic fires, especially if the aircraft’s self-sealing fuel tanks are overwhelmed.

Armor-Piercing/Incendiary Rounds

These rounds combine the features of both armor-piercing and incendiary rounds, providing a larger zone of impact. This versatility led to their exclusive adoption in the ammunition belts of later U.S. bombers and fighters.

High-Explosive Rounds

Germany’s 20mm and 30mm cannons used high-explosive rounds, which could punch frisbee-sized holes in the bomber’s skin, compromising the structural integrity of the airframe.

While normal bullet strikes generally weren’t a major concern, they could be devastating if they hit vital crew members or essential plane systems.

Vulnerabilities and Tactics

The forward part of the bomber was the most targeted and most susceptible to head-on attacks. Germany’s 13mm guns used alternating incendiary and armor-piercing cartridges.

Their 20mm guns employed a rotating sequence of 1 high-explosive, 1 incendiary, and 1 armor-piercing/incendiary round against fighters, and a sequence of 3 high-explosive, 1 incendiary, and 1 armor-piercing/incendiary round against bombers.

One of the most economical methods to disable an aircraft was to ignite its fuel tank, as discussed in a 1948 Ballistic Research Lab document titled “Effectiveness of Incendiary Ammunition Against Aircraft Fuel Tanks.”

The report found that 50% of fires started within the engine nacelles, which could spread to the wings and cause explosions. Over 75% of lost U.S. bombers had one or more engines knocked out.