BF-109 13mm

[Slade]

Guys,

Concerning the machine guns on the 109g6 to 109k4, please share how effective you have found them to be (just the 13mm not the cannons please).  Some say they are equal to US plane .50 cal.  Others have said they hit like mini cannon rounds (hard!).  Still other rumours have mentioned consistent luck at setting the convergence to 600.

1. What have you found?
2. Where do you like to set the convergence?

Thanks for sharing,

Slade  

[Torquila]

Been thinking about this recently as well, I can only describe my experience with .50s vs 13mms as:

.50's fills things with holes.
13mm takes a solid chunk out of things.

Convergance, dunno really. I figured it really didn't matter much with so little seperation, but always had it at 600.

[titanic3]

Set them to 300, use them as a last resort. Don't expect to kill anything in a snapshot with them and don't expect to kill anything bigger than a TBM with them.

They have a slightly worse trajectory than 50cals, but otherwise, is similar in damage. If you can sit on a plane's 6 for 2+ seconds, you can and will take off big parts.

[Karnak]

They are usable, though not quite as good as the Browning .50s.  Particularly they lack the muzzle velocity and drop off fast.

[Wiley]

You've got to land a fairly lengthy burst to knock something off, but they do work.  I've used them on buffs who had subpar gunnery capabilities when I was out of cannon with some success.  I've also knocked pieces off of nonmaneuvering fighters.

Wiley.

[SmokinLoon]

First:  SET THEM TO THE SAME CONVERGENCE AS THE 20mm!!!!!!!!!!!  Do not hinder yourself when each and every tiny bit of damage means everything in a 109.

Second:  Remember that not only are you setting horizontal convergence, you are also setting vertical convergence.  You want everything to hit in the same place for maximum damage dealt.  The only 2 exceptions are the Me262 and in some cases the P47 armed with 8 .50 cal MG's.   

Third  In terms of "power", the German 13mm deals .92 lb's of damage per round to an OBJ while the US/UK aircraft .50 cal does 1.17 lbs of damage per round to OBJ (about a %20 difference).  Mind you, that does not equate exactly in to damage vs aircraft or gv's, but it is a very good reference point.

FYI: the US/UK .50 cal from a ground vehicle does 1.25 lbs of damage per round to an OBJ. 

[Oldman731]

They are usable, though not quite as good as the Browning .50s.  Particularly they lack the muzzle velocity and drop off fast.

My experience as well.

Still, a noticeable difference between the effectiveness of the gun packages on the 109G6 v the 109G2.  Worth bringing the 12.9s.

- oldman

[Slade]

Excellent feedback all - thanks! 

Sometimes I can't wait to get home and fly.  Well like everyday!  I ask enough questions huh?

There are some really brilliant folks in here and slowly, via this BBS, the knowledge learned here makes it into my practical flying.

[Butcher]

The 13mm works well with the 20mm MG/151 - vs the 7.9mm - the BB's are rather useless  against all aircrafts that are armored.

I prefer the G2 for its turn radius and speed, but the gun package is really trouble some if your aim's isn't the best.

The K4 I usually just save the 13mm for defense and last minute resorts, it can kill 1-2 aircraft with a good burst, but don't ever use the 30mm at the same time as the 13mm..

On the G6/G14 I just fire everything together.

[RedBull1]

The 13mm works well with the 20mm MG/151 - vs the 7.9mm - the BB's are rather useless  against all aircrafts that are armored.

I prefer the G2 for its turn radius and speed, but the gun package is really trouble some if your aim's isn't the best.

The K4 I usually just save the 13mm for defense and last minute resorts, it can kill 1-2 aircraft with a good burst, but don't ever use the 30mm at the same time as the 13mm..

On the G6/G14 I just fire everything together.

Why not? I do, no difference 

[Ardy123]

The 50s and the 30s are useful for psychological effect, ie, you may not have the shot for the 30mm, but by at least pinging them, you can often get them to overreact and make a mistake.