Convergence Settings

[Dichotomy]

Something I never nailed down and didn't get around to studying is convergence settings on various plane models.  I've messed around with 50's @ 300 and cannons at 325 to 350 on various frames and was never really satisfied.  Name the plane, situation, and what your favorite convergence settings are please.

[Ack-Ack]

P-38J and I leave the convergence on the default setting.  No real need to set convergence on the Lightning.

ack-ack

[Stalwart]

I enjoy the turny-birds, and often fly the Hurri with convergence set all the way down to 150.

[whiteman]

F4U-1, -1A, -1D & -4 all guns at 350. decent for close in and for reaching out to those guys trying to extend, puts enough hits on them to make them turn for me. Now if i didn't come across so many 1 pass and extend fights i would have them at 300, it was like buzz saws. If i know I'm going to be shooting at M3's, Wirbles, AA and other ground targets i'll extend it to 375.

-1C i have all at 325, but might extend them to 350-375 if i'm going to be shooting at grounds targets

[Baumer]

I like to fly with as much historical accuracy as possible. The USN standard recommendation from BuAer was to set them for 300 yards. However, especially aboard the carriers, it was up to the squadron CO to set the convergence. Unlike the Air Force, shipboard Navy pilots seldom got to fly "their" assigned airplane.

Now talking to BigHorn and some of the other top sticks, from their perspective it's best to set it close (200 or so) for everything.

[Ghosth]

Default is 300, if in doubt move it closer and get closer to shoot.

Trying to shoot consistently at over 400 is mostly an exercise in futility.

[bustr]

Just a lament here....

When I set my convergence down to 275-250, fly into a furball and start getting kills. It seems like the hoard suddenly decides to stay 600-1000 away from me. So I land and reset my convergence back to 300-350, go back pick some of the hoard at range and they all stay inside of 300 making me have to keep some distance from them. I..I..I..I WISH....we had a hotkey so on the fly we can reset our convergence in the air....dern I know...I know...gamey yes very gamey...can I have pheonix missles then.....

[Soulyss]

There are a few variables I try to take into account, I typically set my convergence somewhere between 300 and 400 since historically I've flown aircraft armed with a battery of .50 cal MG's.  I also tend to fiddle with the setting a lot, more because I have a hard time leaving things be than any actually benefit in game.  Back when I was flying the F6F more frequently I tended to set my guns to 375 because the icon range indicator skipped 300, it went 600, 400, 200 and I figured if I waited till I saw 400 then fired with a convergence of 350-375 I'd hit right at convergence (assuming I was closing).

These days I'm either in my beat and battered 38G where convergence matters less but I have it set to 400 anyway since I'm used to firing when I see 400 on the range indicator. Alternatively when I'm flying my even more war weary P-39D I have it set closer in (around 200) because I'm either firing the big 'ol 37mm which has a really low muzzle velocity and basically forces me to stick the gun in the cockpit if I want to hit with it or I'm stuck with two .50's and a handful of pea shooting .30's.

[Babalonian]

Just a lament here....

When I set my convergence down to 275-250, fly into a furball and start getting kills. It seems like the hoard suddenly decides to stay 600-1000 away from me. So I land and reset my convergence back to 300-350, go back pick some of the hoard at range and they all stay inside of 300 making me have to keep some distance from them. I..I..I..I WISH....we had a hotkey so on the fly we can reset our convergence in the air....dern I know...I know...gamey yes very gamey...can I have pheonix missles then.....

Go with multi convergences then?  Primary at 250-275, secondarys at 300-350.  A multi-tool is not as effective at killing at a machete, but its very handy at getting any job done.

[Yeager]

For me there are two considerations.  Speed and distance between guns.

all wing  only and wing/nose gun package combos get the following convergance

slow speed = 300

medium speed = 400

high speed = 500

All nose gun package only get max deflection 650

The zeros are the only planes I set deflection at 200

[CAP1]

P-38J and I leave the convergence on the default setting.  No real need to set convergence on the Lightning.

ack-ack

that's something that confuses me sometimes.......i thought if you set the convergence out a little farther, that you were then "arcing" your rounds a little higher?

i have mine set at 400 on the cannon, and 450 on the guns.

[Soulyss]

that's something that confuses me sometimes.......i thought if you set the convergence out a little farther, that you were then "arcing" your rounds a little higher?

i have mine set at 400 on the cannon, and 450 on the guns.

I've done the exact opposite, set the machine guns to 400 and the cannon at either 425 or 450 with the following reasoning (which I freely admit may be faulty, irrelevant, or both).  The muzzle velocity of the cannon is going to be a little lower than the browning .50, with that in mind the cannon round is going to reach the target slightly after the machine gun round.  If the plane is in a turn, "lofting" the cannon round a little bit more will give just a little more lead and hopefully mean it lands in same position as the MG's are.


*edits*
Upon further considerations there very well could be a mistake or two in my reasoning.

[uptown]

I have pretty much everything set at 375. Except 30 & 37mms I set at 200. And never shoot until within 400...600 max.

[CAP1]

I have pretty much everything set at 375. Except 30 & 37mms I set at 200. And never shoot until within 400...600 max.

i have trouble with some of the bigger rounds. i was flying a 110 the other night, and saddled up a 38........i was leading him just where i lead when i'm flying the 38.....and missing......i kept adjusting my lead, but he augered by the time i think i got close.

[uptown]

38s are hard to hit from a dead 6 position anyway. I have the best results using a deflection shot with the slim planes.