Gun convergence for WWII fighters

[vafiii]

Just curious, anyone know at what distance the actual WW2 pilots set their convergence at in say, the Zero, Spits, German and American planes? Also, did each pilot have an option as to where he wanted the convergence set on his plane or was there a standard convergence setting used for say P-51's, Spits, etc.? There must have been horizontal and vertical adjustments inside the wings where the guns were mounted. I'd be interested in pictures if anyone has them. 

[Guppy35]

Always remember Johnnie Johnson, leading RAF Spitfire Ace, saying he set his at 250 after watching the gun camera films of a Canadian Ace named Wally McLeod that showed that range being so effective.

[Ack-Ack]

Just like in this game, it was mostly personal preference of the pilot.  Some would set convergence as far as 800 yards, some would stagger their guns at interval convergence ranges and some very close.

It is interesting you mention Zeros though.  Reading McGuire's Combat Tactics in the Soutwest Pacific area, in the Intel section of his manual he mentions that Zeros pilots didn't converge their guns.  This is the only time I've read something that mentions this and haven't found anything to validate what McGuire wrote or to disprove it.  Even posted in some WW2 aviation forums and no one else seems to know for sure if the guns on the Zero could be converged or if the pilots just didn't do it for some reason.

ack-ack

[Ack-Ack]

Always remember Johnnie Johnson, leading RAF Spitfire Ace, saying he set his at 250 after watching the gun camera films of a Canadian Ace named Wally McLeod that showed that range being so effective.

Didn't Dowding's directive state though that RAF fighters (this was pre-war and up to and just after BoB) that guns should have a convergence setting of 600 yards (or maybe it was 800 yards) because of the tactics and formations he ordered RAF Figher Command to employ?


ack-ack

[vafiii]

Guppy, did Johnnie Johnson fly an early Spit with .303's or did he set the 20mm's at 250?

[Krusty]

I've read of many BOB references to 200 yards give or take, and many pushed in to as close as 150 yards. They didn't have simulators to practice aiming with. They got in close, until they could get no closer, then fired.

Several references refer to 300 yards as the almost "out of range" in regards to US planes and .50cals, but I believe they opened up at 600+ many times simply because it was so easy to set most Japanese planes on fire.

Guppy, I don't know if he set the convergence out that far, but he ordered them to open fire that far out. It really hamstrung the Hurricane's firepower. Tests and interviews with those that actually landed hits and got kills showed that these few (it was either 1% or 5%, I don't recall which) which had the majority of the kills held fire until they were in close and could 1) hit the target 2) do more damage and 3) save ammo for multiple kills per engagement.


P.S. Also, remember that many RAF pilots were very green. The spits and hurricanes were very easy to fly and in the mad rush to build up a defensive force the RAF ended up with many green pilots. Some lived to grow, some died short, but these green pilots would also open up further out, totally miss, runn dry, and then have to fly home. Dowding's tactics really play to the strengths of this type of pilot, so I wonder if that's why he did it (or if he just didn't know what he was talking about?)

[longtime]

Did not matter what the zeros had convergence set to.. they were just targets.

[Ack-Ack]

Did not matter what the zeros had convergence set to.. they were just targets.

Really?  I'm sure those that were shot down by the Zero would disagree with you.

ack-ack

[Yeager]

The A6M was the finest fighter aircraft in the world for several years.

[JOACH1M]

I set my 50cals at 450 and they do very well, for spits 250 cuz I seem to get way close in spits

[canacka]

I think I saw a video posted by a squaddie awhile back talking about ranging enemy fighters while in a spit.  They talked about wingspan of a 190 and if his wings go from one side of the gunsight to the other, he's at 100yds and if his wings go from the center to the outside he's at 200.  They never talked about things further so my guess at least as far as training goes, 200 was were they were taught.  But I wasn't one of them so I have no idea for sure.

[Tarstar]

Zeros pilots didn't converge their guns.  
ack-ack

Wow! That's really interesting.. I wonder if their convergence was decreed by the Emperor or something.. Just sounds nuts.. poor bastards..  

I set almost all my convergences to 300 or less cuz I can't aim for chit.. 

[Guppy35]

Guppy, did Johnnie Johnson fly an early Spit with .303's or did he set the 20mm's at 250?

This was his Spit IX with 2 20mm and 4 303.  He referred to it as the "Spot principle" where the concentrated fire would do the most damage instead of the shotgun approach of some others.  Dug out the book and it was based on Sid Ford's gun film, not Mcloeds.