The MK 108 (German: Maschinenkanone - Machine Cannon) was an autocannon (30mm calibre) manufactured in Germany during World War II by Rheinmetall-Borsig for use in aircraft. M242 Bushmaster autocannon on an M2 Bradley. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (over 11 miles) into the air, August 9, 1945 after the Allied atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. ... An aircraft is any machine capable of atmospheric flight. ...

The weapon was developed as a private venture by the company in 1940 and was submitted to the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM - Reich Aviation Ministry) in response to a 1942 requirement for a heavy aircraft weapon for use against the Allied bombers appearing en masse in German skies. Testing verified that the cannon was well-suited to this role, requiring on average four hits with high-explosive ammunition to bring down a heavy bomber such as a B-17 Flying Fortress or B-24 Liberator and a single hit to down a fighter. The MK 108 was quickly ordered into production and was installed in a variety of Luftwaffe fighter aircraft, including the Messerschmitt Bf 109, Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Heinkel He 219, Messerschmitt Me 163, and Messerschmitt Me 262. Apart from the high-explosive (or "mine" round), incendiary rounds were also produced for it. 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Reichsluftfahrtministerium (Reich Aviation Ministry / German Air Ministry / German Aviation Administration) Note: If you are looking for the RLM-GL/C list, please go to List of RLM aircraft designations The Reich Air Ministry (Reichsluftfahrtministerium or RLM), was a German civil service organization in charge of development and production of aircraft... This article is about the year. ... In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to achieve some common purpose. ... A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... A small cast-iron cannon on a carriage A cannon is any large tubular firearm designed to fire a heavy projectile over a considerable distance. ... A B-17 nicknamed Sally B in England in 2001 The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was the first mass-produced, four-engine heavy bomber. ... Royal Canadian Air Force B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was produced in greater numbers than any other American combat aircraft, and was used by most of the Allied air forces in World War II. Designed as a heavy bomber, it served with distinction not only in that... The Luftwaffe (literally, air weapon, pronounced looft-vaaf-feh) is the air force of Germany. ... A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for attacking other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... (Bf 109 was the official Reichsluftfahrtministerium designation, though some late-war aircraft actually carried the Me 109 designation stamped onto their aircraft type plates. ... Focke-Wulf Fw 190A in flight. ... The Heinkel He 219 Uhu (Owl) was a famous night fighter used late in World War II by the Luftwaffe. ... This article contains information that is not verifiable. ... The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow) was the first operational jet powered aircraft. ... An incendiary device is a device or weapon designed to create a fire. ...

The cannon proved to be very effective and reliable due to its simple blowback operation, its main shortcoming being that its trajectory drooped considerably due to its low muzzle velocity, making effective firing ranges short and aiming a challenge. Otherwise, it was simple to manufacture and maintain and its compact size and weight made it ideal for aircraft installation. The cannon's distinctive heavy pounding sound gave it the nickname pneumatic hammer amongst Allied aircrews. Blowback may refer to one of the following. ... A nickname is a short, clever, cute, derogatory, or otherwise substitute name for a person or things real name (for example, Nick is short for Nicholas). ... The air hammer drives nails by using a cylinder powered by compressed air. ...

The MK 108 was also fitted to night fighters in an unusual installation, called "Schräge Musik" (German: "Jazz Music", literally "slanting music"). In this configuration, the cannons were mounted in the fuselage, aiming upwards at an oblique angle. This allowed the night fighter to attack bombers, almost always undetected, by approaching from underneath the enemy aircraft. This installation was so effective that discovery and news of its adoption was slower than usual in reaching British night-bombing forces, as there were rarely any survivors from the attacks to report the new threat. A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night, or in other times of bad visibility. ... Schräge Musik installation in Ju 88G Schräge Musik, German for Jazz Music (literally, slanting music), was the name given to installations of upward-firing cannons mounted in night fighters by the Luftwaffe during World War II. This allowed them to approach and attack British bombers from below, where... Jazz is a musical art form characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and improvisation. ...

Specifications

• Calibre: 30 mm
• Length: 1057 mm (3 ft 6 in)
• Weight: 64 kg (141 lb)
• Rate of fire: 600 rounds/min (later models 850 rounds/min)
• Muzzle velocity: 540 m/s (1,770 ft/s)

More detailed info can be found here http://prodocs.netfirms.com/ under "WEAPONS INFO (type,speed,filling)"