ar234 question

[Tyrannis]

does the periscope ontop of the ar234 cause any drag upon the aircraft?

and if so, can it be taken off if we choose to not go with the 20mm tail guns options?

<S> 

[Mirage]

if you take into account the Ar234s ability to maintain speed like no other aircraft in the game, and the parascope being aerodynamic it does not add enough drag to need to be removed and as far as i know the periscope was not removable on the 234b which is what we have in-game

[alpini13]

i dont think the scope in the game even works...does it?

[lyric1]

i dont think the scope in the game even works...does it?

You are right.

[Tyrannis]

i dont think the scope in the game even works...does it?

it doesnt, but speed in the ar234 is life,and if theres anyway to shed some weight or drag to increase speed the better.

and i thought "if we dont take 20mm cannons, why do we still need the periscope up there?

[Mirage]

as I said before, you would barely gain speed by removing the parascope

[VonMessa]

I just keep my RATO's.  If I need to leave in a hurry, there is no question of whether i can or not 

[fbWldcat]

The Arado has all the defense you could ever need. The 20mm cannon can be practiced with to make sure every shot you fire from the tail hits an enemy on your six. Up with RATO units and use them only when the crap starts hitting the fan for an extra "umph."

I like dogfighting in them, I've won more than I've lost. The aircraft has no issues in the speed department whatsoever. You will have a problem with 262s and Jugs from 5k+ diving down on you, but what plane doesn't?

End result: keep the periscope, no adjustment to speed necessary.

[Lusche]

and if so, can it be taken off if we choose to not go with the 20mm tail guns options?

The periscope was  not tied to the installation of the 20mm rear guns. It was carried even when there were no rear guns mounted at all, because it had more functions than just aiming the guns. It was used for checking the six as well as a (shallow) dive bombing bombsight.

[Spikes]

You will have a problem with 262s and Jugs from 5k+ diving down on you, but what plane doesn't?

They have problems with me.

[fbWldcat]

They have problems with me.
(Image removed from quote.)

Nice 

I don't think I've been killed in an Arado in the past 4 months. Although 262s always rain down 30mms on me. 

[dirtdart]

Or busting up Lancs when you are RTBing..... 

[lyric1]

They have problems with me.
(Image removed from quote.)

I have book about operation Lusty & Watsons Whizzers & they mention that the AR-234's two 20MM guns were rear facing & also facing down. I don't think that is the case in AHII as far as downward facing. So is the book wrong or are the guns modeled wrong in game? Also as Lusche described the periscope had a multiple functions. To help with rear gun firing (they removed the 20mm's from almost all 234's because they were useless) also to help with aiming on dive bombing. If this aircraft was to be remodeled I would like to see the dive bomb periscope in play.

[lyric1]

This is the article that I referenced in the prior post about the downwards facing guns & it also describes the periscope & it's uses.





(I don't profess that I have done this test right so if I have not let me know).

I also tried the target out off line to see the results of the rear guns of the AR 234 here are the results. Plane was at 5500 feet over the water & 400 MPH & fired off the entire clip of 20mm rounds.

200 Yards.



500 Yards.



1000 Yards.



1400 Yards.



1500 Yards.



As you can see all the hits are above center line. At 1000 yards most of the rounds shoot over the target completely. At about 1300-1400 yards the shells start to fall earth ward & start hitting targets again. At 1500 yards only one round hit the target so i would assume that is as far as they can reach.

Based off my test results the rounds are all shooting backwards & up not down not level.

So far I have only found a little bit of info on the guns of this aircraft & I have a few more books on the way that may shed some light as to actually how these guns fired.

Last picture is all I found on line that references what direction they may fire. I have yet to find anything that says these guns fired upwards at all.



So if any one has some info as to how these guns fired I would like to see it. At least something saying they fired upwards?

[MiloMorai]

These are the Watson Wizard Ar 234s

202 - Ar234B-2 - 140148 or 140343 - n/a - Jane I - 11 - 121445
303 - Ar234B-2 - 140148 or 140343 - n/a - Snafu I - 13 - 121446
404 - Ar234B-2 - 140311 - USA 40 - n/a - 28 - FE-1011
505 - Ar234B-2 - 140312 - USA 50 - n/a - 27 - FE-1010

505 is the restored Blitz and it has no guns.

202 and 303 went to the US Navy at Pax River

Photographs of the a/c shown no external gun packs either.