Tracers

[ONTOS]

I haven't paid much, if any attention to actual WW II  aircraft films showing tracers. My question is that did any pilots or squadrons request ammo be belted without tracers. I know we can do it here, but is it realistic. Again just asking.

[Bizman]

I don't know about requests about no tracers, but I have read about having a tracer belted at certain intervals. So if it was something that the pilot could decide to use more or less, the option of not using tracers was clearly available.

[Wiley]

Pretty sure night flyers didn't use them.

Wiley.

[ONTOS]

Tracers were usually every fifth round.

[icepac]

Does aces high have "nightfighters"?

If not, a lot of existing planes have variants that would be cool but they might affect the gun destructiveness balance.   Not really sure.

[Vraciu]

Tracers were usually every fifth round.

John Bolt found during a lengthy 1943 experiment that every sixth round was most effective against Japanese aircraft.  This became fairly common in the Pacific after word got around.

[Mongoose]

  I don't have a source to quote, but I do remember pilots and squadrons deliberately flying without tracers. In some cases they found that the tracers did not follow the same path as the regular bullets, and they were misleading the pilots.  This was corrected later in the war.

Again, I remember reading this a long time ago, but I don't remember where.

[pembquist]

I read the same thing but, as with you, I cannot remember where. I believe that what I read said that the accuracy went up without the tracers.

[FBDragon]

I'll 3rd that, early in the war they found that the tracer round did not have the trajectory as the other rounds. Plus it also alerted the enemy that they were being shot at if the intitial rounds missed.

[ONTOS]

Vraciu, please tell me were you found that John Bolt said that about every sixth round was a better place for the tracer. I looked and , while finding him and his career, did not see his comment  on the tracer.  Every thing I found was every fifth round was the tracer.  I would like more information please. Also I was an ordnance man in the Marine Corps during Vietnam. Loaded more ordnance than I care to remember. The F4B Phantom at that time used the 20mm HIPEG Mk 4 gun pod. We belted various types of ammo and tracer. Every fifth round. Would love to learn more. Thank you. 

[XconX]

I seem to remember a Military channel program about WW2 aces that stated Canadian ace George Beurling insisted in having tracer ammunition removed from his load out. Googling that seems to confirm that. So at least one guy did it.

[Vraciu]

Vraciu, please tell me were you found that John Bolt said that about every sixth round was a better place for the tracer. I looked and , while finding him and his career, did not see his comment  on the tracer.  Every thing I found was every fifth round was the tracer.  I would like more information please. Also I was an ordnance man in the Marine Corps during Vietnam. Loaded more ordnance than I care to remember. The F4B Phantom at that time used the 20mm HIPEG Mk 4 gun pod. We belted various types of ammo and tracer. Every fifth round. Would love to learn more. Thank you. 

It's in one of the Black Sheep books by either Gamble or Walton.   I gave both books away so I can't look it up for you, unfortunately.   

[jimbo71]

I seem to remember a Military channel program about WW2 aces that stated Canadian ace George Beurling insisted in having tracer ammunition removed from his load out. Googling that seems to confirm that. So at least one guy did it.

Saw that episode.  He did have them remove the tracer rounds and replaced with regular rounds, also had crew reel in his convergence in to 250 as he liked to get in close with quick 2-second bursts.  He decapitated an Italian pilot from 100 ft. 

[ONTOS]

I'm 71years old, but I still like learning. Thanks.

[Max]

Finally...someone older than me!!!