Making this thread because I like WW2 stuff and I want to hear people's viewpoints on the matter.
WW2 ammunition for 20mm cannons came in many varieties, with special national flavors across the globe. I'll explain the knowledge I know thus far. Because it's a fair bit of writing I'll add other types of rounds later.
Explosive rounds
HE/HEF=Your bog standard explosive cannon projectiles, sometimes called HE, sometimes HEF (high explosive fragmentation), even if both do the same thing. They explode, and launch fragments everywhere. They can have a tracer installed at the cost of explosive filling.
Pros
-Simple, cost effective
-In theory some increase in firestarting with the right explosive mixtures
-Fuze lets you have delayed detonation for added damage
Cons
-Basically no armor penetration capability
-Fuze increases price of ammunition compared to AP rounds
-Average damage for a HE round
HEI/HEFI=Basically the above, but replacing some of the explosive filler with incendiary instead, this is scattered about the plane when the explosives detonate. A lot of nations used these munitions.
Pros
-Much of the same as HEI, but higher chance of starting fires
Cons
-Again much of the same, but low damage for a HE round
HE(minengeschoss)=A weird munition used by Germany and possibly Japan. Using drawn steel like a cartridge to maximize explosive filler at the expense of steel that could produce larger fragments. Apparently very effective and used in some post-war cannons, but difficult to produce.
Pros
-Massive explosive payload for a HE round
-Potential for explosive charge to convert some of the target structure into fragments
-Fuze had delay from the start
-Explosive filler was replaced with one more capable of starting fires
Cons
-Expensive, the fuze and drawing process was not easy
-Low quality ballistics, projectile was relatively light weight for it's diameter
-Basically no armor penetration capabilities
-Smaller fragments due to thin shell wall
HE/HEI(Fuzeless)=A weird creation by a desperate Japan, in this design the fuze was omitted entirely. This allowed for more HE payload for it's size, while keeping a thick fragment producing shell wall. But it also meant the shell's ability to have a delayed explosion was stunted. Alternatively this round could have both HE and incendiary filling without compromising explosive payload
Pros
-Dirt cheap, no fuze makes it very easy to produce
-Large explosive payload for a HE round, although inferior to Minengeschoss, average payload if using incendiary as well
-Good fragment producing capabilities
Cons
-No fuze delay, damage is inherently limited as the projectile cannot pierce the skin as much as other rounds because it is fuzed by impact
-Potential safety concerns, Japan marked them with special colors to warn crews to be careful
Feel free to add any information you know of. ;D
WW2 ammunition for 20mm cannons came in many varieties, with special national flavors across the globe. I'll explain the knowledge I know thus far. Because it's a fair bit of writing I'll add other types of rounds later.
Explosive rounds
HE/HEF=Your bog standard explosive cannon projectiles, sometimes called HE, sometimes HEF (high explosive fragmentation), even if both do the same thing. They explode, and launch fragments everywhere. They can have a tracer installed at the cost of explosive filling.
Pros
-Simple, cost effective
-In theory some increase in firestarting with the right explosive mixtures
-Fuze lets you have delayed detonation for added damage
Cons
-Basically no armor penetration capability
-Fuze increases price of ammunition compared to AP rounds
-Average damage for a HE round
HEI/HEFI=Basically the above, but replacing some of the explosive filler with incendiary instead, this is scattered about the plane when the explosives detonate. A lot of nations used these munitions.
Pros
-Much of the same as HEI, but higher chance of starting fires
Cons
-Again much of the same, but low damage for a HE round
HE(minengeschoss)=A weird munition used by Germany and possibly Japan. Using drawn steel like a cartridge to maximize explosive filler at the expense of steel that could produce larger fragments. Apparently very effective and used in some post-war cannons, but difficult to produce.
Pros
-Massive explosive payload for a HE round
-Potential for explosive charge to convert some of the target structure into fragments
-Fuze had delay from the start
-Explosive filler was replaced with one more capable of starting fires
Cons
-Expensive, the fuze and drawing process was not easy
-Low quality ballistics, projectile was relatively light weight for it's diameter
-Basically no armor penetration capabilities
-Smaller fragments due to thin shell wall
HE/HEI(Fuzeless)=A weird creation by a desperate Japan, in this design the fuze was omitted entirely. This allowed for more HE payload for it's size, while keeping a thick fragment producing shell wall. But it also meant the shell's ability to have a delayed explosion was stunted. Alternatively this round could have both HE and incendiary filling without compromising explosive payload
Pros
-Dirt cheap, no fuze makes it very easy to produce
-Large explosive payload for a HE round, although inferior to Minengeschoss, average payload if using incendiary as well
-Good fragment producing capabilities
Cons
-No fuze delay, damage is inherently limited as the projectile cannot pierce the skin as much as other rounds because it is fuzed by impact
-Potential safety concerns, Japan marked them with special colors to warn crews to be careful
Feel free to add any information you know of. ;D