Author Topic: B-24 & b25 (Read 1349 times)

SOB · « **Reply #15 on:** December 09, 2001, 01:01:00 AM »

OK, maybe he ain't so senile after all!

SOB

fdiron · « **Reply #16 on:** December 09, 2001, 04:06:00 AM »

The B25H had a radar aimed 75mm cannon. This cannon was extremely accurate against ships. In fact, it was so accurate, that during a training mission a B25 actually shot the metal mast of a wooden ship in two with its 75mm cannon. I think that the B25H would fill a needed position as an extreme low level attack bomber. The b26 cannot strafe a base due to its low fire power and lack of parachute bombs.

J_A_B · « **Reply #17 on:** December 09, 2001, 09:43:00 AM »

"most people grow tired fo flying the same airplane quickly."

That is a matter of personal taste; I've flown the P-51D 95% of my online time since 1997 and am still quite satisfied with it.

Personally i think there's so few bombers in AH because they're so vulnerable. As long as you don't make a dead 6 attack you can kill one with a single pass in even 6 x .50 plane, to say nothing of a cannon monster. Version 1.09 may well change this.

J_A_B

Toad · « **Reply #18 on:** December 09, 2001, 10:41:00 AM »

Iron,

Goin going to have to ask you to provide some references on a "radar guided 75 mm in the B-25H.

I have never seen nor heard of that.

As I said, my Dad was awfully familiar with a brand new H in 1943. He's never said anything about radar aboard. He's mentioned the "Christmas tree" visual sight many times, and I've seen that published as well.

Soviet · « **Reply #19 on:** December 09, 2001, 11:11:00 AM »

What we really need is a Tu-2S and a He-177...

Runs........

Citabria · « **Reply #20 on:** December 10, 2001, 01:39:00 AM »

we are getting tu2 and ki67 all countries who had historical bombing ability now have at least 1 bomber

HTC will need more bombers capable of surviving in the Main arena now that the scenario aspect is covered for the planeset.

Karnak · « **Reply #21 on:** December 10, 2001, 02:08:00 AM »

Citabria,

Where'd ya hear we were getting the Tu-2S?

Last I'd heard there were problems with getting all of the required info to do a Tu-2.

I think there are also several other bombers that would see use in the MA, the Ju188A-1, Do217E-1 and He177A-5 for example.

I don't know that those should be added before the B-25 and/or B-24, but I do think they'd see usage.

Personally the US bomber I want to see is the B-29A.

Tumor · « **Reply #22 on:** December 10, 2001, 02:40:00 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Citabria:
we are getting tu2 and ki67 all countries who had historical bombing ability now have at least 1 bomber

HTC will need more bombers capable of surviving in the Main arena now that the scenario aspect is covered for the planeset.

Anyone gotta link for image of TU-2?

TUmor

K West · « **Reply #23 on:** December 10, 2001, 09:52:00 AM »

"all countries who had historical bombing ability now have at least 1 bomber"

Not really. The Italians had several bombers types.

Kieran · « **Reply #24 on:** December 10, 2001, 10:00:00 AM »

Yup. Ain't seen an SM.79 yet.

Toad · « **Reply #25 on:** December 10, 2001, 08:12:00 PM »

OK, Iron... right at the end of their usage, a few H models had a ranging radar.

However, during the time they were most heavily used, H's did not have a ranging radar.

Found an intersting bit on it, too.

B-25H Page

The B-25H carried the extraordinarily potent armament of fourteen 0.50 inch machine guns and a 75-mm cannon, and could also carry up to 3200 pounds of bombs or a 2000-pound torpedo. The cannon carried by the B-25H was bore-sighted at 1000 yards and was generally fired at altitudes from 1000 feet at the beginning an attack to 500 feet at the end. The sighting was done with the N-6A sight, and the guns were fired by the pilot, there being no bombardier or copilot aboard.

During an attack, cannon fire was usually opened at 2000 yards, with an average of three rounds being fired by the time the aircraft closed to 1000 yards.

Combat sorties confirmed that the cannon-armed B-25H offered no particular advantage over specially-adapted strafers armed exclusively with machine guns.

At this stage in the war, targets specifically suited for cannon attack were relatively few and far between, and many targets that were vulnerable to the cannon were also vulnerable to a battery of 0.50-inch machine guns or to bombs.

Consequently, the use of the heavy cannon was generally abandoned in the South-West Pacific by August of 1944.

In September, the B-25Hs were either passed along to the 38th Bombardment Group (which was already operating B-25Gs) or returned to depots. Unlike most other groups, the 38th Bombardment Group actually welcomed the H model.

24 B-25Hs were taken on strength by the 11th Bombardment Squadron, 341st Bomb Group, of the Fourteenth Air Force for interdiction work in China in early 1944. They were first employed on river sweeps. In November the 11th Squadron received a few examples of the new APG-13A radar ranging equipment for use with the 75-mm cannon.

This enabled the precise range to a target to be determined at all times during an attacking run, making precise aiming much simpler. This equipment was operated by the navigator, and was installed in B-25Hs 43-4584, 4071, 4924, 4989, and 4601.

******

Glad you mentioned it. I learn something new every day!