FW-190 A-8 Specs (rate of climb, speed at alt, etc...)

[Denniss]

Some A-8s had extra armor added. The /R8 had 5mm side cockpit armor and extra 30mm cockpit glazing. The MK108 had some armor protection added (20mm and 4mm).

But the A-8/R8 was not intended for ground combat. The armor was used for the Mk 108 ammo, not for the gun itself (One hit into the ammo -> cooking off -> outer wing gone -> pilot in trouble).

[bustr]

Keep your players and ammo right. MK103\108 both used the same Mineshell. Rebated shell's were different volumes.

MK108 - 30×90RB  330 g (M-Geschoss) Cartridge weight: 483g
MK103 - 30x184RB 330 g (M-Geschoss) Cartridge weight: 863g

MK108 - Cannon Weight:   58 kg(130 lb)
MK103 - Cannon Weight: 145 kg (320 lb) 

/R2 - Mk108 outboard cannon. Bomber destroyer with two outboard MK108 cannon.
/R3 - MK103 outboard cannon. Bomber-destroyer with two underwing MK 103 cannon.
/R8 - Mk103 outboard cannon. Sturmjäger with additional internal and external armour plating.

WW2 blogs argue over these three variants while eventualy concluding the R8 designation may have been an administrative tool to control spare parts and that all 3 really are one type of aircraft having either the MK103 or 108. I beleive on some the 2-MG131 were removed and faired over to save weight. Others removed or kept the armor. Also by 11.44 the BMW801TS/TU Power Egg may have been upgraded to these aircraft with the increased frontal armor ring. You can then look at the A9/R2 Pulk-Zerstörer with 2-MK108.

And you wonder why we don't get nothing nice from Hitech anymore when we spend all of our time goofing the data and performing the dance of the bovines while singing piu, piu, piu at each other.

[Denniss]

The MK 103 was newer used operationally in the Fw 190, just on some prototypes. The A-8/R7 and /R8 were to have the 801 TU engine to counter the shifted CoG from the fuselage aux tank. The MG 131 were usually removed to save weight, that's correct.

BTW the MG FF/M and MG 151/20 used the same shells as well, just in their gun-specific cartridge.

[jamdive]

  -5 credibility points for the cape buffalo analogy.

[bustr]

  -5 credibility points for the cape buffalo analogy.

What, you want Rocky in a TuTu with 100lb ankle weights?????

You ever wrangle livestock? 2500lb Charolais bull can prance like a Prima Balerrina in the blink of an eye when cows are around.

Consider this allegory of using large powerful bovinea that everyone knows by virtue of thier size and power can run very fast for short periods and impact targets devistatingly. But, take time to get up to speed and manuver compaired to other ungulates in their environment.

I know..... "allawhosis??". Piu, piu, piu....go boom.