I made some test shooting at field 1 in off-line mode and tested following guns: MG151/20 (20mm), MG131 (13mm), .50 caliber M2, Hispano (20mm) and 20mm M2.
Ranges: 70 yds (error marginal: 7 yards), 220 yards (error marginal 15 yards), 480 yards (error marginal 35 yards)
I tested shooting on wing and tail few times.
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70 yds:
Hispano / 20mm M2 took part every 1-2 hits (mostly critical / M2 maybe slightly less powerful)
MG151/20 took about 2-5 hits to get one part off, and to blow up the plane, I had to hit over 10 times, compared to Hispanos and M2s 2-10 hits to blow up a plane.
.50 M2 was about same with MG151/20, once got kill with 2 hits only, but otherwise parts flew after 3 hits and blowing up the plane was easier than with MG151/20, but Hispano takes the lead.
MG131 were 2-2.5 times weaker than .50 M2 (read stats for .50 M2 and divide by 2-2.5)
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220 yds:
Hispano / 20mm M2 were still going for 1-2 hits to get part off, bit more often needed 3 hits compared to 70 yds, but critical hits were almost all the time.
.50 M2 got also one 2 hit kill from this range, but more often was seen 3-6 hits per piece and blowing up the plane was not uncommon.
MG151 were about same as .50 M2 from this range, but alot rarer times managed to blow up the plane. (even 15-25 hits needed until blew up.. yeah, you heard me, about 25 hits once)
MG131 was again same as .50 M2 if you divide its stats by 2-2.5.
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480 yds:
Hispano and 20mm M2 got weaker by now, 2-6 hits needed to get some part off.
damage to tail was almost every time horizontal stabilizer.
MG151/20 were like .50 M2 from this range, with lower velocity, but blowing up the plane was alot harder.
.50 M2 did not get downgraded as bad as Hispano / 20mm M2, 3-7 hits needed to get part off, blowing up the plane was easy.
MG131 got little drop compared to .50 M2, now you can go ahead and divide it by 2.5 from the .50 stats.
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What do we learn from this?
If you wan't to have easy critical damages, you'll choose Hispano or 20mm M2 armed planes.
If you prefer more to blow them up easier (of course damages will come, but they might also blow up with less trouble), you'll choose plane with .50 M2.
If you feel like great shot, you'll go and choose plane with MG151/20 or MG131 (which both you'll probably get anyway)
Hispano and M2s are for spraying more.
though, with .50 caliber you'll need bit more marksmanship than with Hispano and less effect from longer ranges.
.50 caliber does not lose much for Hispano, when it has high rate of fire.
MG151/20 is more of .50 caliber (slightly better per hit) with low velocity and low rate of fire.
MG131, don't go shoot beyond 300 yards if you don't feel good.
You might not believe me, I know these "luftwaffes whine" and "allies agrees" thing, so, go ahead and do what I did, about 20 times with each gun.
Ps. If you think that .50 caliber is weaker than it should be, then MG151/20 is also weaker than it should be.
[This message has been edited by Fishu (edited 09-10-2000).]
