Mosquito Gun

[KD303]

57mm Molins gun for the mossie. 6 pounder (though the shells it fired were actually just over 7lbs)with auto loader made by the Molins Machine Co if I remember correctly, haven't time to check right now, so  if I'm wrong in spelling or something, I don't care and you are a saddo if you correct me. This version of the Mosquito was known as the Tsetze and I think only 30 odd were made. They were used by Coastal Command against maritime targets in Norway. In the right hands, this would be a useful ground attack feature for the Mossie.

[Karnak]

Too useful really.  It is a neat weapon, but was rare (18 FB.Mk VIIIs built) and would have as bad an effect on AH tanks as the Ju87G-2 would.  Maybe worse.

[toadkill]

sounds ok to me, think it might need to be perked a little, cuz people would use that cannon for everything, like bomber intercepts. if the mossy wasnt perkied peple whould take it up with out caring if they got shot down, cuz they could re-up. if it were perked, like maybe 25 perkies that may be good.

just wondering, how many cannon rounds did it carry?

[Greebo]

It held up to 25 rounds.

[KD303]

I don't see why it should be perked when compared to other aircraft with seriously heavy firepower which aren't.  I say this is because it had a relatively low firing rate of 1 round every 1.5 seconds (this was what the pilots who actually used the guns reported as against the claims of it being able to fire 25 rounds in 20 seconds), so it's perhaps not  the super weapon it sounds.
Operational from September 1943 to May 1945, the Tsetse was used by a special detachment of 618 squadron attached to 248 squadron from September 1943 to May 1944 and was then absorbed into 248 squadron. 248 squadron operating from North Coates and then Banff used them on shipping strikes. They were transferred to 254 squadron in North Coates in March 1945.
 The Tsetse Mosquito was the FB.MK XVIII, a development of the FB.MK VI and had Merlin 25s. Accounts of numbers built vary but they certainly were a rarity. In October 1944, Air Chief Marshal Douglas Sholto, Commanding 18 Group, asked for more MK XVIII Tsetse Mosquitos but was turned down because rockets were beginning to be installed on Mosquitos after successful trials at Hatfield in September and October and this was seen as the way forward. Sholto then decided to abandon the Tsetse and put in a request with Portal that all his Mosquito squadrons be equiped with RPs (rocket projectiles). 248 squadron made its  first rocket armed sortie on 26 October. The Rockets were 60lb semi armour piercing to begin with but were replaced by 25lb solid heads which were better suited to attacking ships, punching holes through the hull, which in turn let the water in resulting in flooded compartments and sunk ships.
18 Group Coastal Command  records for Deployment as at 1 January 1945, list 6 Tsetse Mosquito XVIIIs on strength with 2 available for service. They had all but been replaced by the MK VI with rockets.
I have in my own collection, a picture taken from a 248 squadron Tsetse firing its gun at a ship. A glowing bar of light (the shell) can be seen in the bottom centre of the photo, heading straight for the already damaged ship. I reckon it would be a fine addition to Aces High 2.

KD

[ace31st]

I think the Mossie has enough firepower as it is.  4x20mm from the nose.

[Dano]

Just found this on YouTube. Has great footage and information about the Mossie and its big gun 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QndLmfp6Y5w&feature=related

[MjTalon]

Too useful really.  It is a neat weapon, but was rare (18 FB.Mk VIIIs built) and would have as bad an effect on AH tanks as the Ju87G-2 would.  Maybe worse.

Ju87G1 to eb exact. And it wouldn't have a bad effect on AH tanks. German plane set truly needs a cannon tank buster because we don't have one as the brits and americans do. 

[moot]

Ju87G1 to eb exact. And it wouldn't have a bad effect on AH tanks. German plane set truly needs a cannon tank buster because we don't have one as the brits and americans do. 

If we get the Me410, it could work as one, if we're given an AP option for it.

I don't see why it should be perked when compared to other aircraft with seriously heavy firepower which aren't.

What other plane in the game has such a large caliber gun with such a good muzzle velocity, flown in such an agile airframe? 

[USCH]

Hurri 2D?

[moot]

Pretty wide placement = convergence/dispersion problem, and the hurricane D is dead slow.  The 25H has a great gun, but it's also an overall non-perk worthy package, even though it's placed in the nose along with 8x50cal.  I expect the Mossie with that gun would probably be worth a small perk price, like the B20 La7 and C-Hog, maybe the 37mm Il2 as well. 

[Ghosth]

Moot makes a good point, all the other really good tank busters are slow, easy to kill targets with the exception of the Yak9t. And even it is an easy kill compared to the yak9u.

Mossie on the other hand would bring a whole new world of speed and HO and go ability to large guns if we were to get it.

Ju-87 stuka with the big guns, sure thing.

[SmokinLoon]

If and when another Mossie is intoroduced, I'd hope it would be a true bomber version vs the Tsetse due to a multitude of reasons.

On another note regarding British anti-armor busting:
The Hurricane IID is far more capable in busting tanks than most give it credit for.  I set the convergence for 325, line up from as far out as I can see and the instant I get within 400 yards I let off a nice and easy 2-3 round burst, no more no less.  I'm not a crack shot, but I can do as well as most spray-n-pray IL-2 floppers albeit a trip or tww to re-arm. 

[Spikes]

Ju87G1 to eb exact. And it wouldn't have a bad effect on AH tanks. German plane set truly needs a cannon tank buster because we don't have one as the brits and americans do. 

Brits, americans, don't forget the Russians.

[Banshee7]

An almost 4 year old thread????  Nice