multi colored cv flack

[tuba515]

In ww2 cv flack was often multi colored I think it would be cool to have that. Especially if near a city or hq you can tell what flack is which

[MrKrabs]

In ww2 cv flack was often multi colored I think it would be cool to have that. Especially if near a city or hq you can tell what flack is which

Why? 

OOOO I like dying to the pink ones over the blue ones?

[Ack-Ack]

In ww2 cv flack was often multi colored I think it would be cool to have that. Especially if near a city or hq you can tell what flack is which

Are you sure about that?  Here is a color photo from the Battle of Midway showing US ships firing AAA at attacking Japanese planes.  I know the image is small but you can clearly see the flak bursts aren't colored.



This is official US Navy film from the battle, notice the scenes showing the fleet firing AAA, the flak bursts aren't colored.



Better shot showing CV AAA puffs, notice no colored puffs?

[Butcher]

Are you sure about that?  Here is a color photo from the Battle of Midway showing US ships firing AAA at attacking Japanese planes.

The Japanese used colored AAA - I forget what the reason was, whether it was to identify which ship was firing, or whether it was Primary or Secondaries batteries. It also helped Direct the fighters.

[bustr]

Recently there was a request for die marker rounds for the 8inch battery to help tell who's battery is hitting where. In the past, requests have been for different colored tracers, which there were. And now different colored ack explosions.

This seems more likely wishes to make manned gunnery easier for the player versus any cool factor. Especially from a 5inch past 2500yds. If I can see this, I'm sure Hitech is being kinder by not responding.

[Ack-Ack]

The Japanese used colored AAA - I forget what the reason was, whether it was to identify which ship was firing, or whether it was Primary or Secondaries batteries. It also helped Direct the fighters.

They may have used colored tracer rounds for some of the smaller AA guns like 40mm and 20mm guns (just like we did) but as the OP claimed, AA flak guns didn't use colored rounds.

Here is a video of the Battle of the Philippine Sea, notice the Japanese flak bursts are dark, not colored.


This is a snap shot of a Japanese destroyer in the process of its death throws, notice the black puffy acks?  Black, not colored.

[Butcher]

They may have used colored tracer rounds for some of the smaller AA guns like 40mm and 20mm guns (just like we did) but as the OP claimed, AA flak guns didn't use colored rounds.

You are partial correct, I just read up on it - they used Dye in the Primary and Secondary armaments to Adjust distance (It wasn't flak all together, rather it was large caliber weapons for aiming purposes). Against TBD's this makes sense.
The Japanese did fire main batteries against the TBD's, an 8 inch shell explosion in front of a torpedo plane is known to take a plane down with it; its referenced numerous times in the solomon's campaign.

We used Dye as well - here's an example:

Soon after being torpedoed, Atlanta was then hit by an estimated nineteen 8-inch (200 mm) shells when San Francisco, "in the urgency of battle, darkness, and confused intermingling of friend or foe", fired at her. Though almost all of the shells passed through the thin skin of the ship without detonating, scattering green dye, fragments from their impact killed many men, including Admiral Scott and members of his staff. Atlanta prepared to return fire on her new assailant, but San Francisco's own gun flashes disclosed a distinctly "non-Japanese hull profile" that resulted in a suspension of those efforts. San Francisco's shells, which passed high through Atlanta's superstructure, may have been intended for a Japanese target further beyond her from San Francisco's perspective.

Another example of the Japanese:
The purpose of the colored dye was so each ship could distinguish which splashes were theirs so they could adjust their aim accordingly.

It wasn't related to AAA at all, in fact the colored smashes at Midway were the main batteries firing on TBD Devestators to help the fighters locate them; obviously all the Japanese fighters swarmed down to the Dye which was highly visible from air to attack the TBD's. The colored dye was mentioned in Shattered Sword, and The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, unfortunately my foggy memory some reason or other mistaken this with AAA.

The Germans did have different colored tracer rounds for its weapons; 7.9mm, 20mm even 37mm's, Its safe to say the Japanese might of used them as well although I have not seen any reference to Japanese "AAA" specifically using colored Dyes, rather it was simply the main batteries for adjusting their aim. If I remember correctly, it was because Radar was not on Japanese ships at the time, Dye aiming was just standard procedure even though the American's did have Radar, they still used Dye even during mid war.