Armament Inconsistencies

[Phoenix3107]

How or why is it that certain planes like the Brewster or the A6M5 have strange weapon sets for loadouts that sometimes don't come in pairs(like the Brewster's 3 .50 cals. and 1 .30 cal, or the A6M5's 13.7mm and 7.7mm nose guns?)

[Karnak]

Weight considerations.

A6M5 had two Type 99 Model 2 20mm cannons and two 7.7mm machine guns.
A6M5b had two Type 99 Model 2 20mm cannons, one 13.2mm machine gun and one 7.7mm machine gun.
A6M5c had two Type 99 Model 2 20mm cannons and two or three (don't recall) 13.2mm machine guns.

Basically heavier firepower comes at the expense of weight.  Weight is the great enemy of fighter aircraft design.  However heavier firepower allows you to destroy the enemy aircraft more reliably so a balance must be found.

The worst offender for differing balistics is the P-39D with one pretty low muzzle velocity 37mm cannon, two BMG .50s and four BMG .303s.

[SirNuke]

Weight, and volume. planes are not necessarily 100% symmetrical and often there was no room for the big guns on one side, so a small caliber weapon had to be fitted.

[Devil 505]

In the case of the A6M5b, I believe that material considerations played a factor. There was a shortage of 13.2mm guns and/or ammo, so each aircraft was given one 13.2mm and supplemented with the 7.7 on the basis that it was better than nothing.

[save]

Fw190A5 also have 3 different trajectories :2* 20mm FF  2*20mm 151 and 2*7.7mm back-scratchers

The 20mm FF are useless if you don't  close in and get personal against slowly manoeuvring targets.
The 7,7mm's are best used at garden parties.


Fw190A8 with 2*30mm also have 3 different trajectories, also without the option to remove 2*13mm . something you could do IRL

[SirNuke]

Fw190A5 also have 3 different trajectories :2* 20mm FF  2*20mm 151 and 2*7.7mm back-scratchers

The 20mm FF are useless if you don't  close in and get personal against slowly manoeuvring targets.
The 7,7mm's are best used at garden parties.


Fw190A8 with 2*30mm also have 3 different trajectories, also without the option to remove 2*13mm . something you could do IRL

out of topic bro

[Volron]

In the case of the A6M5b, I believe that material considerations played a factor. There was a shortage of 13.2mm guns and/or ammo, so each aircraft was given one 13.2mm and supplemented with the 7.7 on the basis that it was better than nothing.

I thought it was mostly due to the fact that they just had such a huge demand/shortage for the 13.2's more than the weight issue.

[save]

Not really, if you read about Karnak's post about P39D ballistics, in this thread.

out of topic bro

[morfiend]

In the case of the A6M5b, I believe that material considerations played a factor. There was a shortage of 13.2mm guns and/or ammo, so each aircraft was given one 13.2mm and supplemented with the 7.7 on the basis that it was better than nothing.

 While I admit the Japanese planes are the ones I know the least about I have read that the 13.2 was unreliable,it wasnt really a machinegun and was called an autocannon as it fire explosive rounds.

  These rounds caused problems,blast shields were installed so you wouldnt blow your own motor up and they jammed quite often so it was often only the 7.7 that you could rely on. This is one of the reasons the KI43 was most often found with 1 of each gun!

 As was said some firepower was better than none!

    Oh and IRL they had a great damage model.......



   

[Karnak]

 While I admit the Japanese planes are the ones I know the least about I have read that the 13.2 was unreliable,it wasnt really a machinegun and was called an autocannon as it fire explosive rounds.

  These rounds caused problems,blast shields were installed so you wouldnt blow your own motor up and they jammed quite often so it was often only the 7.7 that you could rely on. This is one of the reasons the KI43 was most often found with 1 of each gun!

 As was said some firepower was better than none!

    Oh and IRL they had a great damage model.......



   

The 12.7mm gun on the Ki-43 and the 13.2mm gun on the A6M are entirely different guns.

[morfiend]

The 12.7mm gun on the Ki-43 and the 13.2mm gun on the A6M are entirely different guns.

   

 I did say I know the least about Japanese planes.....

  It's a case of going from memory and mixing things up,hopefully you never have to deal with this! I knew the KI43 used the 12.7 and had read about the problems with this weapon. Then I mixed up the 13.2 and 12.7.....Should have checked my facts!


  I find reading about Japanese planes difficult because of how they codename things,then add in the Navy and Airforce both using carriers and personally I find it difficult to keep tract of things.

  Sry about the slight hijack......