Thats a lot of 50 cal

[mussie]

FROM

WWII Stats for the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
First flight: May 6, 1941
Total produced: 15, 683
Most units built - P-47D: 12,602
Average cost of P-47D: $82,997
Engine: R2800-59
Power: 2000/2300 H.P.
Propeller: 13 Feet
Fuel internal: 305 U.S. gal.
Fuel external: 375 U.S. gal.
Service celing: 40,000 ft.
Armament: 8 ea. 50 cal. mg
with from 267 to 425 rpm
Bombs: 2 x 1000 lb., or 3 x 500, etc.;
max load of  2,500 lbs.
546,000 combat sorties with a combat loss rate of only 0.7 percent.
132,000 tons of bombs dropped
135 million rounds of 50 cal. fired
1-1/2 million hours of combat
20 million gal of fuel consumed
11,878 Enemy planes destroyed;
1/2 in the air; 1/2 on the ground
160,000 military vehicles destroyed
9,000 enemy locomotives destroyed
More victories than any other
American aircraft in W.W.II
Dimensions
Span: 40 ft. 9-5/15 in.
Length: 30 ft. 1-3/4 in.
Height: 14 ft. 8-1/16 in.
Wing area: 300 sq. ft.
Weight: 9,900 lbs. (empty)
Gross: 14,000 lbs.
Max: 17,000 lbs.
Speeds
Max: 426 mph at 30,000 ft.
Landing: 106 mph
Climb
6 min. to 15,000 ft.
13.5 min to 30,000 ft.
Range
Max: 800 miles at 10,000 ft. (4.2 hrs.)
Normal: 390 miles at 25,000 ft.http://www.p47advocates.com/thep47.html

[Raptor]

Out of all those fired at enemy planes, I wonder if any of the stray bullets hit any unsuspecting civilians

[mussie]

Way to put a downer on my thread....

[bozon]

Out of all those fired at enemy planes, I wonder if any of the stray bullets hit any unsuspecting civilians

I always wondered how it has been like to watch a massive arial combat from the ground below:
First, it's a drop tanks bombardment.
Second,  it rains empty shells, ammo-belt parts and even stray bullets and cannons.
Thirds, burning planes start falling on you.

sounds like fun
Bozon

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I don't think stray bullets were a major concern at a time when allies were terror bombing major cities with firebombs.

[Suave]

Originally posted by MrRiplEy[H]
I don't think stray bullets were a major concern at a time when allies were terror bombing major cities with firebombs.

Yeah. Watch the film "Thunderbolt", after they dropped their bombs those p47 pilots shot everything that moved and many things that didn't.

There's one scene where  this p47 wing is prowling around Italy after having bombed a bridge. They're inspecting farm houses for enemy supplies. How do you do that from inside the cockpit of a flying p47? Well they would hose down every house they saw with 50cal and see if anything exploded.

They libruhls won't let army pilots do that anymore.

[Pooh21]

Originally posted by bozon
I always wondered how it has been like to watch a massive arial combat from the ground below:
First, it's a drop tanks bombardment.
Second,  it rains empty shells, ammo-belt parts and even stray bullets and cannons.
Thirds, burning planes start falling on you.

sounds like fun
Bozon

I had a cool dream about this once. it rained ord. spent bullets, dead spitfire pilots on fire. this dream rocked.

[Furball]

some of you people are properly screwed up.

Originally posted by Pooh21
I had a cool dream about this once. it rained ord. spent bullets, dead spitfire pilots on fire. this dream rocked.

You need help.  You enjoyed a dream about pilots being on fire? ever heard of the guinea pig club?

Some people make me sick.

[storch]

Originally posted by Raptor01
Out of all those fired at enemy planes, I wonder if any of the stray bullets hit any unsuspecting civilians

After Erich Hartmann was captured by the Soviets he was put on trail for his "offenses".  One of the "offenses" was the injuring and killing of innocent civilians.  when Hartmann contended that he had never fired upon an innocent person the "judges" asked if every shot he fired hit his intended target.  When Hartmann responded truthfully that certainly some would have missed, the imbecillic communist panel of "judges" responded with a ten year sentence to be served in the gulags.

[DipStick]

[Mr No Name]

Originally posted by MrRiplEy[H]
I don't think stray bullets were a major concern at a time when allies were terror bombing major cities with firebombs.

Terror bombing???  Thats total war, we should be doing more of that now... i say if youre in a WAR, all is fair.   You play to win or you dont play.

[Morpheus]

Originally posted by Pooh21
I had a cool dream about this once. it rained ord. spent bullets, dead spitfire pilots on fire. this dream rocked.

what the hell is wrong with you?

Lock and delete this thread asap. Its going no where fast. One thing to troll, entirely different when you get aholes like this saying that kind of crap.

[Raptor]

I did not mean to cause anything by my post, I was just curious if it ever happened or not. My thoughts were more along the lines of a farmer driving his tractor and seeing a drop tank land nearby making him wet himself.
I would think when aircraft were nearby airraid sirens went off and most people went into their basement or something.


With so many bullets fired, is it common to go out and find bullet casings on the ground?

[Slash27]

Originally posted by MrRiplEy[H]
I don't think stray bullets were a major concern at a time when allies were terror bombing major cities with firebombs.

Weak attempt at trolling, very weak.

[storch]

Originally posted by Raptor01
I did not mean to cause anything by my post, I was just curious if it ever happened or not. My thoughts were more along the lines of a farmer driving his tractor and seeing a drop tank land nearby making him wet himself.
I would think when aircraft were nearby airraid sirens went off and most people went into their basement or something.


With so many bullets fired, is it common to go out and find bullet casings on the ground?

my accountant served during Korea and he tells of being in a foxhole during the fight at chosin when some relatively high alt furballs developed and drop tanks started raining around them.  I guess it really must have been demoralizing to be a ground pounder