Best Aircraft With Cannons?

[fireplug1111]

What is the best aircraft to fly with cannons. Yesturday night I was flying a A6M5b and I was able to stay on the tail of a F4F and I used my entire supply of ammo on him and he still flew. I reviewed my film and I seen where I had hit him more than a dozen times and he still was airbourne. The A6M5b has limited cannon rounds and lots of MM rounds. I like the A6M5b as its light has good speed and can usually turn inside most planes. So what is a good plane that has lots of cannon rounds and is good in turns? I tried some planes with cannons but the rounds are limited.

[StarOfAfrica2]

Mmmm, yeah......  Imagine how thick the wing of a plane is.  Look at the size of a MG round.  Now look at the size of a 20mm cannon round.

Which one do you think is going to fit more bullets into the inside of that wing?  Cannon rounds are just too large to fit many in there.  

The Typhoon and Tempest are probably at the top of the food chain in "cannon only" planes, with the F4U-1C right behind.  Then the N1K2, La-7 and La-5FN in no particular order.  

I rather like the La-5, it does everything well while being the absolute best at nothing.  Still, it has good acceleration, handles ok in a dive, has reasonably leathal 20mm ammo (only 2 guns though, and the rounds have a short range), and can mix it up nicely if you get stuck low and slow.  No perks needed to fly it either.

[Murdr]

Originally posted by fireplug1111
So what is a good plane that has lots of cannon rounds and is good in turns? I tried some planes with cannons but the rounds are limited.

Just going off this description alone, I think you should try the N1K2.

That said there are other excelent planes with good 4-20mm packages like the tempest, f4uc, and typhoon.  Also there are some mixed 20mm and 30mm packages like in the 110 and the ta-152.  But if you are new to the game, and want a plane that is maneuverable, and forgiving to pilot error, Id still point you back to the N1K2.

[Baylor]

or try a 109f or a 109G2.

[MajWoody]

hurri IIc

[Blooz]

Just a guess but if you were in the Training Arena when you flew against this F4F and hit it alot without effect be aware that in the training arena the damage is turned off.

Bullets, bombs, rockets...all have no effect in the training arena.

[ujustdied]

the niki and the hurricane and the temp and tiffie are the best planes wit cannons

[DamnedRen]

Fireplug1111,

There are alot of fine planes out there which have 20'smm as noted by the responses above.

You note you like the zero. It has many limitations but allows you to yank and bank with other slow planes and get kills doing it. Many of the planes listed above are high performance rides which don't neccessarily lend them themselves to a yank and bank philosophy. Some listed do. IMHO You may want to stay away from the Tempie or Tiffie if you're new to the game.

You also noted some planes have limited 20mm ammo loads. If you look closely at every single plane in the game you'll find each one has strong point and limitations. Some climb a little better, some are a little faster, some can dive to higher speeds, some have greater range, some turn a little better. I guess what I'm trying to say is they are all a little different. With each of those planes you can use it's strong points against the enemy planes limitations.

My suggestion is if you like the idea of using 20mm's. Pick a plane and fly it for a month or two. No matter what. You live, you get kills, you die. But you learn it inside out. Learn what its strengths are and how those can be used against other planes weaknesses. You will find out that just about every plane out there is a lot of fun to fly and get kills in.

Murdr noted the N1K. It's a good plane. Try it out.

If you have problems with the learning curve stop by the Training Arena (TA) and spend some time with a trainer to work out the kinks.

Hope this helps.

[bkbandit]

f4f takes alot of damage, alot of damage. I fly them sometimes and its crazy, once on the same sortie a la7 came up get hits on me but i downed him a couple of turns later, i started home, a 47n came up and run his guns down my back, one rollin scissors later he is dead, when i landed i looked at the plane, maybe 5 holes in the cockpit, maybe 4 cannon rounds in my left wing and 50s all up my right wing and before that i passed over the field and was hit in the fuel tank, i was leakin the whole time and didnt see it, i mean my star on my left wing was blown off:lol . Im preety sure both the 47 and the la were mad after that.

If i had to pick a cannon plane it has to be the corsair c. ALOT of ammo good speed and a good turn rate( not a straight turn fighter but it could get the job done) It all comes down to ur fightin style, i fly ALOT of f4u so c hog is natural for me. But i think u should go wit the hurricane. It does the slow speed turn thing just as or better then zero.

[Mace2004]

I see the Hurri IIC is under represented in this discussion.  If you are used to the slow speed and turning ability of the Zeke you'll like the IIC.  It's biggest disadvantage is lack of speed but it'll out turn just about anything except a Zeke or Hurri I (take two drops and either 75% or 50% fuel) and blow bandits away with one shot.  The Zeke is the biggest threat as it'll out turn you if you give it a chance and you can't outrun it so you gotta kill it quick.  For just about any other plane, the longer the fight goes on the greater your chance of killing him.  

The IIC has good flying qualities, perhaps not quite as sweet as the Zeke or Spit but excellent control in a knife fight (especially using rudder) and it's a very tough plane.  It does have limited ammo but you can fire the Hispanos in banks of two or all four when you absolutely, positively want to blow someone away right now, plus you'll be forced to work on your gunnery as opposed to the spray and pray Nikki.

The plane only has two flap settings, up and down but they move pretty slow.  Make sure your flap controls are mapped where you can get to them easily because you'll be using them alot but you've got to be smart with them.  For instance, coming over the top, toggle the flaps down to help you get your nose over the top and then once over toggle them right back up.  They move slowly so they won't go too far and rob you of essential e.  In a fight the flaps should be constantly cycling up and down.  Once you're in a knife fight with the flaps all the way down you're in it to the end 'cause you ain't running away.

If you decide you want to try it out be forewarned that you'd best learn how to plan your fight.  If you have time to get to altitude, overfly the fight, get on the side opposite your desired bug out direction, dive down and fight your way through the furball and then exit toward your base on the deck.  Save 40 rounds for your RTB, you'll need them.  If you're being followed (u usually are) then drag him away from the fight, reverse and slice him up 1v1.  

IMHO you're seeing a lot more IICs around than a year ago but when it was less common everyone in the world would see this small, slow, low-alt grape and just dive in only to have the IIC on his butt within one turn.  Alot of the B&Zers have learned to respect the plane and many will make a couple of passes and then go off to find a less threatening "grape".  Same for those that chase you from a fight...sometimes the worst thing that can happen to them is they catch you.

Mace

[SAS_KID]

The A6M5b has a lot of cannon shots 240 is a lot. As much as the Spit's and you can get 6 kills at least with good gunnery. Also try the P38L or J the 4 nose 50's combined with the single 20mm on the nose feels like you have 3 cannons on your nose. Or try the 109 G14 or K4 the 30mm spud gun has 65 shots but its a 1 shot 1 kill gun. Unless, you are really firing potatoe's

[TexMurphy]

I really have to say the Hurricane IIc.

The british cannons are simply the best cannons with more and are just as accurate as .50 cals.

The Hurrie is a extreamly agile plane and it handles relativly well in a dive so you can dive down on faster targets. This is something you cant do in the Zekke or the Frank (Ki84).

Its not really a great climber but its not as bad as you might think. It does climb with a 109F4 but not with a 109G2.

Its also a very durable plane, much more durable then the A6Ms.

Id much rather be in the Hurrie then in a Zekke purely due to the much more accurate cannons and the increased durability.

Tex

[Widewing]

Originally posted by TexMurphy
Its not really a great climber but its not as bad as you might think. It does climb with a 109F4 but not with a 109G2.
Tex

Sorry Tex, but the Hurricane Mk.IIC doesn't even come remotely close to climbing with a 109F-4.

Click here for climb comparision.

My regards,

Widewing

[Schatzi]

As for cannon rounds running out fast......

You need very little bullets hit to do critical damage with 20mm.

Try shooting short bursts (half a second). Dont shoot and use your tracers to "walk" the bullet stream on target. get behind the guy, pull lead, aim and fire short burst. If you missed, aim again and fire short burst anew.

Thread on gunnery tips




PS: Tex, the Zeke hangs on prop a lot better then the Hurri.

[Aussie]

what about hte me262?