Q: what does more dmg

[bangsbox]

12 .303 at 300 or 4 hoosooka?

[Lusche]

The cannons, by far.

[Wmaker]

12 .303 at 300 or 4 hoosooka?

10000 rounds of .303 does more damage than one Hispano projectile.

...but if we are looking at weight of fire per time, Hispanos do much more damage per what ever amount of firing time.

One has to hit something with them though.

[Saxman]

Considering Hispanos have ballistics properties not too far off the Browning .50cal, hitting something usually isn't a problem...

[bangsbox]

The cannons, by far.

Damn...what about at 250 or 200?

And if 4 20mm still win, I just have to 'lol'

[Lusche]

Damn...what about at 250 or 200?

4 Hispanos do more damage starting at the muzzle, and this superiority increases rapidly with range

[Slade]

4 Hispanos do more damage starting at the muzzle, and this superiority increases rapidly with range

That is the most perfectly clear way of understanding this.  Thanks for posting that.

EDIT
A gazillion .303s though might get more hits at 300 or less perhaps.  Tough call as stated the Hispanos ballistics are very good.  

So a key question is: when would using .303s be an advantage?  

Thanks.

[horble]

That is the most perfectly clear way of understanding this.  Thanks for posting that.

EDIT
A gazillion .303s though might get more hits at 300 or less perhaps.  Tough call as stated the Hispanos ballistics are very good.  

So a key question is: when would using .303s be an advantage?  

Thanks.

When you just absolutely positively want to shoot 12 machine guns at something

[SmokinLoon]

Whoa there fellas.... remember to look at the big picture.  

At the muzzle, the average .30 cal in AH does .3 of 1lb of damage.  At the muzzle, the 20mm Hispano does 4.0, so it is obvious that on a round by round basis the 20mm Hispano wins.  However, take in to consideration the rate of fire (apprx 2 to 1 in favor of .30 cals) and the type of combat involved and the difference my not be as drastic.  As Looshy already pointed out as the distance increases the advantage favors the 20mm warhead more and more because it is not effected by velocity like the FMJ of a .30 cal bullet.

So, ultimately we're comparing an apple and an orange.  Pick your poison but whatever anyone does I highly suggest to not discount the 8 gun .30 cal platforms and certainly do not discount the 12 gun .30 cal platform in a knife fight.  There is a dump truck load of lead heading your way.  On the same token, once the ranges extend beyond 400 yards (600 yd icon), the danger is reduced drastically so either hold your fire if you're the firer or breathe easier if you're the target.      

As with any weapons platform that replies on MG's firing FMJ ammo, concentration of firepower is a necessity unlike an HE or frangible warhead fired from a cannon.  If you're in a Hurricane, Spit I, P40C, P39D, C202, I-16, or other such platform that relies on lots of .30 cal weapons I suggest to keep the convergence short and shots at that range or closer.    

[Karnak]

The other thing to consider is that the cannons concentrate the damage much more effectively.

Against structures (which don't change based on rage and may use an entirely different calculation for damage) I show, one second of fire, from a Hurricane Mk IIb and Mk IIc to produce:

Hurricane Mk IIb: 70.80lbs of damage
Hurricane Mk IIc: 162.40lbs of damage

[Lusche]

Against structures (which don't change based on rage and may use an entirely different calculation for damage)

When the B-29 was introduced, I tested various guns vs several large bombers and found the results at close range very much consistent with the damage rating vs structures - A round that did twice the damage against structures also took only about half the hits at point blank range to remove a B-29 wing or Lancaster tail, for example. Of course range would have a very different impact on that.

[smoe]

I think 12 303's would effect pilot and gunner hits. This is like hitting a plane with a claymore mine.

[Babalonian]

12x303s is a signifigantly powerful phsycological weapon aainst your enemy.  Just a brief "hosing" of their aircraft, for a micro-second, at an ineffective distance/convergence, gives them the experience of flying through a shredder that they then further want to avoid at all costs.

[Changeup]

Ahhh...this reminds me of the pistol caliber argument:

9mm round is less effective than the 10mm/45/40....unless the 9mm hits you in the forehead.

It all depends on where your bazillion rounds of .303 hit the plane.  Get the adversary pilot to slow down and not move.  It'll make it easier to hit him in the cockpit, lol

[MK-84]

Ahhh...this reminds me of the pistol caliber argument:

9mm round is less effective than the 10mm/45/40....unless the 9mm hits you in the forehead.

It all depends on where your bazillion rounds of .303 hit the plane.  Get the adversary pilot to slow down and not move.  It'll make it easier to hit him in the cockpit, lol

That makes a ton of sense.  I have never really noticed an effect though.