190 flieger: What cannon load do you take?

[mauser]

I remember when the A8 first came out and I asked for advice on flying it.. most said to take only 2x20mm along with the 2x13mm. The reason being improved maneuverability due to decreased weight (and I guess better roll since the weapon and ammunition wgt is removed from the wings). I took it to heart and went my merry way.

When the A5 came out, I just kept on flying with only 2x20mm.  I didn't know about the wgt bug until later.. it gave 4x20mm armed A5's the same performance as 2x20mm right?  So I didn't really notice any difference when the A5 was fixed.

Now I've been hearing differing opinions on the preferred cannon loadouts. One camp says to bring 'em all, the other says to bring only 2. I've been trying the A5 with all 4 for the past couple of sorties, but haven't really had a chance to get into a real fight with it. So I'm wondering why some of you take all 4 cannons now, seems like a change of heart from when the A8 first appeared. Could it be the increased snapshot hitting power? Before 1.04, I got a lot of my kills when cons break turned and gave me a planform shot (in a 2x20mm 190). I noticed that after 1.04, planes don't slow down as much when they break turn (I think), so when taking the shot with only 2x20mm, fewer hits are scored as the target crosses in front faster. Just want to see your opinions.. not start a flamewar  

mauser

[RAM]

A8 lives because and for the snapshot. So you need all the snapshot hitting power you can get. Fow Fw190A8 I load 4 20mm cannons.

A5 can be both used as BnZ-er, E-fighter and even close fight air superiority plane. In this plane agility is the main strenght, not hitting power. And the MGFF are woefully unnacurate, slow firing and with awful ballistics. 2x20mm mausers for Fw190A5.

[Pongo]

Too my shame I have not been flying the 190 barely at all. But when I do I take 2 cannons.

[funked]

I find usually 190's take 5-10 shots right in the booty.  

[StSanta]

I fly with the same configuration that RAm does, but rarely flew the A5.


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Baron Claus "StSanta" Von Ribbentroppen
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"

"I don't necessarily agree with everything I think." - A. Eldritch

[mauser]

Thanks for your replies so far guys, gonna punt this back up for some of the others I'm hoping to get opinions from.

mauser

[Jochen]

I fly A-8 with 4 20 mm cannons because I use it for jabo and ground attack sorties.

For air to air sorties I take A-5 with 2 20 mm cannons.

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jochen Gefechtsverband Kowalewski

Units: I. and II./KG 51, II. and III./KG 76, NSGr 1, NSGr 2, NSGr 20.
Planes: Do 17Z, Ju 87, Ju 88A, He 111H, Ar 234A, Me 410A, Me 262A, Fw 190F, Fw 190G.

Sieg oder bolsevismus!

[LJK Raubvogel]

I fly them both with just 2x20mm.  If I know I'm going to jabo, I take the A8 with 2x20 and 2x30. I really wish they would give us a trigger to fire separate banks of cannons, because the trajectory of the Mk108 is just a little bit different from the MG151 lol.

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LJK_Raubvogel
LuftJägerKorps

 

[This message has been edited by LJK Raubvogel (edited 01-30-2001).]

[Nath-BDP]

The only 190 I fly is the A8 with 4x20mm, never less.

A5 is for wussies.

[MANDOBLE]

A5 4x20, 2x20 only for base defense.
A8 4x20 (70%) or 2x20 + 2x30 (30%).

With those 30mm you'll loose a bit of climb rate, roll rate and turning, but 1 ping is almost sure death for most of the cons.

I use very low convergence for those guns, below 325 yards. 600 for MGs in A8 and A5.

As a side note, I fire only guns or only MGs, both at same time only for strafing acks.

[danish]

Allmost exclusivly 2x20 both for the a8 and a5.
Lately I have set my JS so I now am able to fire cannons and mg's seperatly.Should have done that long time ago

danish

[mauser]

Cool more replies   Thanks guys (you too funked ) I'll probably stick to what I was used to, the 2x20mm loadout.  It would help me better when transitioning to the Dora since it's 2x20mm by default. Snapshots are a little harder unless the target is crossing slowly, but I can live with that. My fav is running up to a target till under 300 yds and giving it a nice 1 sec burst.  Combined KE and explosives usually does the trick  

Btw, does anyone know for sure if Priller, Bar, and some of the other real life 190 pilots actually flew with only 2x20mm? I only saw the color profiles in John Weal's book, FW190 Aces of the Western Front; but according to funked that book is wrong.

mauser

[funked]

Mauser, there are a lot of photos in Weal's other 190 book (Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Western Front) showing operational Fw 190A's with 2 cannon.

PS I never said all the aircraft profiles in the other book are all wrong.  In fact the only error I know of is one wrong caption.  However I think you will agree that a photograph is more convincing than a cartoon drawn 50 years after the fact.

[mauser]

Thanks funked, I guess I misunderstood your earlier statements regarding the book. By other book, do you mean the Eastern Front one? (since I have the Western Front one). Anyway, I agree, photos are better than profiles any day. Cyaz up!

mauser

 

Originally posted by funked:
Mauser, there are a lot of photos in Weal's other 190 book (Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Western Front) showing operational Fw 190A's with 2 cannon.

PS I never said all the aircraft profiles in the other book are all wrong.  In fact the only error I know of is one wrong caption.  However I think you will agree that a photograph is more convincing than a cartoon drawn 50 years after the fact.

[funked]

Yeah I meant Eastern Front, doh.