Gun ranges?

[-lynx-]

I wonder if someone with good tanking experience can help in range finding?

With no icons it's virtually impossible (well - I cant do it anyway) to judge distance with any degree of accuracy. But surely in WW2 there were some ways to get a range on target before firing off the first shot? Badger? Anyone?

Thanks for your help.

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-lynx-
13 Sqn RAF

[Westy]

 I can't offer any real life tips but I believe that the lack of icons will force folks to get real close to fire. Less than 600 yards for sure.
 This seems to bring tank vs tank/vehicle actions closer to real life distances- as is my take on reading many of BAdgers past posts.
 My feeling is it will take a person some time and practice to know when a sillouette is in a desirable range so that your shot has less of a trajectory and is more on target each time. Kind of like dogfighting in an icon-less environment with aircraft.  At first folks fire from a long range but visually the bogy seems closer. People learn to REALLY get close before they fire.    Same with tanks. And with no enemy icons enforced via the sim settings it'll be easier to trap or pounce on an unsuspecting enemy bogy.
 
 -Westy

[Daff]

Get one of those fancy gunsights with range markers.
Although  the wingspan of the various aircrafts varies, it will at least give you a good idea of what range they're at.
(It will still take a bit of practice to get the feel of it, unless the creator of the gunsight has described the range-markers).

Daff

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CO, 56th Fighter Group
"This is Yardstick. Follow me"

[mx22]

I think the way gunsights in WW2 worked, is you have a number of preset dials, each representing wingspan of different aircraft at certain distance. When engaging enemy, you select appropriet option, and light reflection will be put on your gunsight. So when enemy plane's wings are touching borders of the reticle, you know it's that far from your aircraft.
I know during last months of WW2, P51s were started to be equipped with some new type of gunsight, but can't recall what's all the deal about it was. Apparantly it made even more easier for someone to shoot enemy plane down.

mx22

[popeye]

Drive your tank out to 1.0k from a friendly tank.  Put you sight on him and note the height of the tank between the horizontal range marker lines.

When engaging an enemy tank, estimate his height relative to the reference, and adjust range accordingly.  If he is half as tall, he is at 2k, one-third, 3k, etc.  If he is twice as tall -- shoot quick!  

popeye

[Minotaur]

Read this thread, particularly attention to Andy Bush's and Hitech's comments.

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Mino
The Wrecking Crew

"You mess with the Bull, you get the horn."
Minotaur

[Dune]

The K-14 gunsite from later P-51D Mustangs worked this way,

There was a lighted circle of small diamonds in the gunsite with a piper in the center.  When you got on someone, you twisted a knob on the throttle so the circle fit the wingspan of your target.  As you pulled arond on the target, the piper would move to help you figure out where to aim on your passing shot.  Most allied pilots say it was a great piece of equipment.

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Lt Col Dune
X.O. 352nd Fighter Group
"The Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney"

"Credo quia absurdum est." (I believe it because it is unreasonable)
- The motto of the Republic of Baja Arizona