Author Topic: 40mm shell vs PT Boat hull (Read 211 times)

CavemanJ · « **on:** January 09, 2001, 05:36:00 AM »

Weren't the 80' Elcos made primarily of wood (hull/deck/ets)? Shouldna the 40mm cannon the aft end of the PT boats tear another PT boat up in verra short order? As in 3-5 hits type of short order?

I've put as many as 12 (stopped counting hit sprites) 40mm shells from that cannon into a PT boat and then been killed by that PT boat, only to encounter it again (kill it this time) a few minutes later after respawning.

Fishu · « **Reply #1 on:** January 09, 2001, 07:04:00 AM »

Already 20mm cannon should be enough to sunk these PT-boats with wooden hulls..
or otherwise I've just read some BS story accounts..

Ghosth · « **Reply #2 on:** January 09, 2001, 07:13:00 AM »

I have better luck useing the 2 twin .50's & 20mm. A good 3 second burst on target ussually blows them up very nicely! Weave till your about 1k out then let em have it!

Westy · « **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2001, 07:57:00 AM »

I've killed PT boats with my own PT boats 20mm. And I've killed Osties and other PT boats with that big 40mm up front too.

Westy

CavemanJ · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2001, 09:47:00 AM »

I've found that using the .50s/20mm is potluck, verra much like going HO in the air. I'd rather use the that big 40mm on the aft deck or the 37mm on the bow to hit'em at longer ranges. But that brings us back to a PT boat taking 12 40mm shells and sailing on apparently undamaged to sink my PT boat.

Ripsnort · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2001, 09:49:00 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by CavemanJ:
But that brings us back to a PT boat taking 12 40mm shells and sailing on apparently undamaged to sink my PT boat.

Hehe, Thread Control!

CavemanJ · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2001, 09:14:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Ripsnort:
Hehe, Thread Control!

Damn skippy

Ain't letting this one get hijacked if I can help it

I'm damned tired of scoreing 10+ hits on a PT boat with the 40mm gun only to die when they finally get close enough to use thier 20mm/.50s on me. It's rediculous. Shouldna that 40mm gun rip one of these boats to shreds with only 3-5 hits?

Pongo · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2001, 12:01:00 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by CavemanJ:
Damn skippy
Ain't letting this one get hijacked if I can help it

I'm damned tired of scoreing 10+ hits on a PT boat with the 40mm gun only to die when they finally get close enough to use thier 20mm/.50s on me. It's rediculous. Shouldna that 40mm gun rip one of these boats to shreds with only 3-5 hits?

I dont know..Its contact fuse HE. 12 sounds like a lot..but it should not be killed neccesarily by 3 or 4... It probebly has enhanced protection vs frag then ap. and the 40 and 37 are primarily frag. The 50 is ap and the 20mm is both..

Jigster · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2001, 12:31:00 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Pongo:

I dont know..Its contact fuse HE. 12 sounds like a lot..but it should not be killed neccesarily by 3 or 4... It probebly has enhanced protection vs frag then ap. and the 40 and 37 are primarily frag. The 50 is ap and the 20mm is both..

Not sure which 37mm the Elco uses but the Bofors definately had AP. I'd think the 37mm would too because it is, after all, an anti-shipping weapon in this case.

Even laminated plyboard would be little resistence to large caliber HE rounds due to concussion/compression. If anything, AP round wouldn't instantly destroy the boad (although it would fill with water rather quickly) like the shattering effect HE has on wood.

Worse thing about the PT is lag...it's worse then what happened with the M-16s...absolutely shred a plane, he goes to floppin and lands a few rounds before augering...usually popping the PT. Even the weakest of guns are capable of winning the lag battle.

Oh while on that...3 Packards and only a single engine control...would sure love to be able to unlink them

CavemanJ · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2001, 12:58:00 PM »

Go get yer own thread about the engine controls mate

hmmm... so if I'm throwing 40mm AP shells these boats I'm mainly just punching holes in thier hulls then. Might explain why it takes so many hits to break the boat up then. Course wouldna one of those 40mm AP shells punching through the engine compartment cause some serious problems? Like fuel leaking and maybe even a nice BBQ?

pzvg · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2001, 06:29:00 AM »

Well Cave, can you give us some data? Ie; range,aspect angle, number of rounds fired (est.)
On an 80' boat, that's a lot of sheer empty plywood hull, and even HE shells won't detonate hitting marine ply, it's not thick enough to uncap the fuse, my guess would be that the 20mm/fifties are having better luck due to higher ROF saturating the target with a higher percentage of making contact with something meaningful.

------------------
pzvg- "5 years and I still can't shoot"

CavemanJ · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2001, 11:32:00 AM »

I'm hitting at ranges around 2.3k and closer. Usually dinnae fire over 2.3k.
From all different aspect angles. The splashes make it pretty easy to adjust lead. At closer ranges, like 1.5k (when they start lighting me up with .50s and I have 2seconds to kill'em or die) I've seen hit sprites on all different parts of the boats, from stem to stern, and still I die