Question for HiTech et al RE: AR 234

[Seagoon]

Dear HiTech,

First off, I am still enjoying Aces High immensely and think that it is far and away the best MP Flight Sim I have ever played. Therefore, the following is a question and not a whine.

I'd been saving up my bomber perks to finally take a ride in the AR234. And when I reached the magic 60 last night I eagerly sprinted to the hanger to take my "birthday present" for a spin. I loaded her up with max bombs (kinda light, but who cares it's a jet - right?) and some RATOs and off I went. But wait a minute? Where are my 20mm cannons? I had read in all my technical books that the Bomber version of the AR234 B2 had cannons, for instance - "Standard defensive armament consisted of a pair of 20-mm MG 151 cannons installed in the underside of the fuselage and firing toward the rear" [WW2 Airplanes, p. 171, Rand McNally]

Unfortunately, while I got the bomber humming along in the 350mph range, I was overhauled by a TA152 and a P51 and after some insane low-level maneuvering, crashed before ever reaching my target. So endeth my perk ride.

A few questions then:

1) Where are the Standard 20mms firing rearward and presumably aimed by the pilot using the periscope down the center line?

2) Why is the AR234 60 perk points? With a light bomb load, no defensive armament and a full bombload top speed below that of fast interceptor this plane is meat for the grinder and really only has novelty value. I can understand perhaps 25-30, but 60?

3) Are there any plans to change the parameters for this plane in upcoming versions?

Thanks for your patience and keep up the excellent work.

- Seagoon

[butch2k]

As far as i know the MG151/20 were only mounted on the C-3. The upper pack containing the MG151/20 designed for the B-2 was just a project and was never built.

[Superfly]

see this thread

[fdiron]

Heres a neat trick I use.  Dont use your RATOS on takeoff.  Save them.  If you get bounced by some enemy fighters, immediately drop your bomb load and ingite the RATOS.  At sea level your AR234 will do over 500mph with RATOS burning.

[Seagoon]

Hi All,

Thanks for the reference and the RATO trick. The thread is helpful, but doesn't answer the question when or if the 20mms will appear. So I guess the question to HiTech still stands.

I just asked a friend of mine who retired from the USAF about the 20mms and he said that as he recalled the captured AR234 bombers (B models) that they tested had 20mm guns firing to the rear and aimed by periscope. He is going to email a buddy of his who works in archives to see if he can confirm this.

BTW - I remember thinking "boy I wish I still had those RATOs" as the TA152 was coming within 1.2k  

Thanks again,

Seagoon

[HoHun]

Hi John,

>see this thread

I'd like to point out that this thread starts out suggesting that the Arado did have the cannon, but not the optical sights. This idea is born out of a misunderstanding caused by an ambigous formulation on the website referred to in the thread.

Opposite to what is suggested in the thread, there can be no doubt that the Arado Ar 234B did feature the rearview periscope, but the fixed rearward firing armament is doubtful.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

[Superfly]

It's supposed to have the to fixed 20mm's, but we had a problem with the periscope not clipping correctly with the 3d model.  I don't know if or when the cannons may be enabled.

[qts]

Can we please have the ventral cannon? And the C4 model?

[FTJR]

Originally posted by SUPERFLY
see this thread

Ah the thread is blank??