Beaufighter vs. Ki-45

[ATI_7500]

There were some german night fighter pilots with eighty victories and more. But not all of them flew the Me-110. Later they also flew He-219s and Ju-88s. Both of them were much better aircraft than the Me, since the He-219 was planned as a nightfighter from the beginning on and the Ju-88 had superior performance to the Messerschmitt.  

[Hagar]

I suspect it's more down to the situation & type of enemy aircraft. Nightfighters work best in a defensive situation when they're over home territory & directed by a reliable control sytem with experienced operators. Put any Luftwaffe nightfighter in amongst an RAF bomber stream anywhere over Western Europe & he could take his pick until his ammo ran out. Many bombers were shot down without ever seeing the aircraft that attacked them. Some of the more experienced nightfighter pilots would lurk around the circuit of the bomber bases & pick them off just when they thought they'd made it home safely.

I don't think the RAF had the same success rate mainly because the AI radar equipment wasn't available during the London Blitz. Ordinary day fighters like the Hurricane & Spitfire were used as nightfighters & after being directed onto the target the pilots had to rely on their eyesight. When they eventually got the equipment & specialised aircraft the Luftwaffe night attacks were often hit & run raids by individual aircraft & never in the concentrated numbers they had been in 1940/41.

[Felix/FFDS]

[quote]There were some german night fighter pilots with eighty victories and more. But not all of them flew the Me-110. Later they also flew He-219s and Ju-88s. Both of them were much better aircraft than the Me, since the He-219 was planned as a nightfighter from the beginning on and the Ju-88 had superior performance to the Messerschmitt.

[Jester]

I am wondering about both which aircraft, and the pilot. Forgive me for not being specific.

In the case of the Me110 (or any aircraft with multiple gun stations), who would get credit for a victory if the tail gunner shoots down a plane: the tail gunner, the pilot, or the aircraft? Sorry, I am completely uneducated about this.

John

[Hagar]

I'm no authority on nightfighters but I suspect that on 2-seat aircraft like the Bf 110 the pilot did the shooting. The other crew member would operate the AI radar to guide him on to the target.

According to this, Major Heinz Schnaufer, with 121 victories, was the top-scoring night fighter ace of all time
http://www.aviationarthangar.com/tnifibfzeava.html

Throughout his career Schnaufer only flew the Bf110 operationally, despite subsequently commanding a Geschwader equipped with the JU 88.

PS. Sorry, apparently the Bf 110 nightfighter could carry 3 crew. The gunner was optional & I suspect the rearward firing gun, either single or double-barreled according to type, was mainly defensive.

[ATI_7500]

PS. Sorry, apparently the Bf 110 nightfighter could carry 3 crew. The gunner was optional & I suspect the rearward firing gun, either single or double-barreled according to type, was mainly defensive.

I second that. The  gunner mostly had two 7.92mm MGs avaiable.

[HH]

Unless the 110 was being flown backwards, the rear gunstation was certainly defensive -- except to whoever was attacking from behind: to him, it was very offensive.
Sorry, sometimes just can't stop these kind of thoughts.

[denishc]

Unless the 110 was being flown backwards, the rear gunstation was certainly defensive -- except to whoever was attacking from behind: to him, it was very offensive.
Sorry, sometimes just can't stop these kind of thoughts.

 This brings up an interesting question, should a defensive gunner down an attacking aircraft does he get credit for the kill?  Or does it go to the pilot?  (In some cases the pilot would maneuver the aircraft to give the rear gunner a better shot at the attacker.)  I'm sure the kill is marked to the aircraft but who gets the credit and have there been any defensive gunner "aces"?

[ATI_7500]

Well, I think all kills were "shared" between the gunner and the pilot, so if the pilot was an ace, the gunner was one,too.