This is the article that I referenced in the prior post about the downwards facing guns & it also describes the periscope & it's uses.
(I don't profess that I have done this test right so if I have not let me know).
I also tried the target out off line to see the results of the rear guns of the AR 234 here are the results. Plane was at 5500 feet over the water & 400 MPH & fired off the entire clip of 20mm rounds.
200 Yards.
500 Yards.
1000 Yards.
1400 Yards.
1500 Yards.
As you can see all the hits are above center line. At 1000 yards most of the rounds shoot over the target completely. At about 1300-1400 yards the shells start to fall earth ward & start hitting targets again. At 1500 yards only one round hit the target so i would assume that is as far as they can reach.
Based off my test results the rounds are all shooting backwards & up not down not level.
So far I have only found a little bit of info on the guns of this aircraft & I have a few more books on the way that may shed some light as to actually how these guns fired.
Last picture is all I found on line that references what direction they may fire. I have yet to find anything that says these guns fired upwards at all.
So if any one has some info as to how these guns fired I would like to see it. At least something saying they fired upwards?