So the P-51 should have a converg of

[A8TOOL]

So the P-51 should have a converg of 350 so Steve says. I know AKDg is also one of the better 51 pilots but I think his is a little farther out. I myself for some reason have a tough time hitting anything with the 50's in it unlike the F4's or F6... I wonder why that is?

The F4 has it's guns a little lower on the wings, the F6 and 51 should be about the same but shoot much different. They all have 50's, why so different?

[Chalenge]

The only plane with .50s that I have trouble with is the B and only because it has just four guns. I use the same convergence on all of them because I have the same shooting habits in all planes I fly... which is mostly the D. 

I like the F6F though. I can fly it land six kills and still have more ammo then the pony carries. 

[Furball]

I usually go for 325 - i like to be close in when i fire.

[SectorNine50]

My convergence on my B Pony is 400 for the outboard and 375 for the inboard.  Works wonders for me.

[Kazaa]

400 here.

[Latrobe]

I randomly converg all my guns on all my plane between 450-400. The 262 I have them to 375 though because I wait till I can real close to fire.

[The Fugitive]

So the P-51 should have a converg of 350 so Steve says. I know AKDg is also one of the better 51 pilots but I think his is a little farther out. I myself for some reason have a tough time hitting anything with the 50's in it unlike the F4's or F6... I wonder why that is?

The F4 has it's guns a little lower on the wings, the F6 and 51 should be about the same but shoot much different. They all have 50's, why so different?

I think it because of the speed. Generally your running faster in a "D" so the lead you take on your target will be different. The fastwer your going to less you need to lead.... not by much, but it might be what makes it seem like your not hitting as well.

[1pLUs44]

Man, I used to keep mine at 200

But at some point, my 'perfect' gunnery went down the drain. So I just went and put it out at 400. 400 works great, if the plane is 400 away, and you arent sure about the shot, just put the gunsight right on it, and you'll hit true to your aim.

[uptown]

I set the Dpony guns at 425 and the Bpony at 325. My squad co sets his at 250. And he does way better then me. I can get 4 or 5 kills before I run out of ammo, where as SkatSr can manage 8 or 10 kills in a sortie.

[Obie303]

I keep mine at 300.  More lead at a closer convergence adds to the devastating firepower of the .50 cals. 

Besides, I love the sound of Spit 16 debris hitting my canopy. 

[lyric1]

450 on all 50's 650 on all cannons.

[beau32]

425 Inner, 400 Middle, and 375 on the outer guns. Works Perfect for me A8Tool.

[Anaxogoras]

I keep mine at 300.

+1

[SlapShot]

There are actually two types of .50s found on U.S. fighters.  One is for a normal installation and one is for a synchronized installation.  The P-40B uses a synchronized installation which has a lower rate of fire than the normal version.  They are still the same in a bullet per bullet comparison.

As for them using different characteristics, that's not how the system works.  Lethality, rate of fire, muzzle velocity, armor penetration, etc, is not set on a plane by plane basis.  There's a weapon file that is set up with all that information.  None of that info is defined in any of the plane files, it just says go use this weapon for this hardpoint.  These planes(with the exception of the P-40B) are all set to the same weapon. 

Now this is not to say that your perception is wrong.  It's just that what you attribute as the cause of your perception may be what's wrong.  For example, compare the FM2 versus the P-51B.  They have identical guns(I did verify all of these).  Yet you note that one is much more effective than the other.  What other differences are involved that may account for the disparity?  Is it really that you are using different weapons or is it that you are using the same weapons in a different way or against different things?

The only difference between .50s is between ground vehicles and aircraft.  Aircraft .50s use a 36" barrel versus a 45" barrel on ground vehicles.  That equates to something like an extra 100 fps M.V. for the GV .50s.

That said, the F4U does hit harder on average(not at peak) due to the differences in their ammo loads.  If you fire all of your guns together, both planes will have 30 seconds of fire.  After about 20 seconds the P-51 will run out of ammo on 4 of its guns and be left with only 2 for the remaining 10 seconds.  After about 28 seconds the F4U will run out of ammo for 2 of its guns and be left with 4 guns for the remaining 2 seconds.  Over the course of 30 seconds, the F4U will deliver 25% more firepower.

The FM2 has the same number of rounds in all 4 of its guns so lethality remains constant through the entire ammo load when you fire all guns.

Aircraft .50s have a fire rate of 800 rpm.  FM2's duration of fire in minutes would be 430/800 = .5375 minutes or 32.25 seconds.

BTW, another difference between the .50s in the aircraft and GVs is rate of fire.  The aircraft .50s have a higher rate of fire.

[Bodhi]

nice find Slappy