Bomber Defensive Machinguns

[USBP1969]

Another "oldie" I suspect, but...when Pearl Harbor was attacked the first thing (according to what I have read) hit was the PBY field / ramps.  The sailors jumped into the PBY's and fired their defensive machine guns while parked on the ramp.

Real?  Yes?

Provide some degree of cover on takeoff roll?  Yes.

USBP1969

[olds442]

i don't want B17's acting like flak units.

[MAINER]

i don't want B17's acting like flak units.

so I cant tell you how many times I have been vulched in bombers taking off and have wanted to blast them. Happened in real life let it happen in game

[guncrasher]

dave has many forms.



Semp

[Karnak]

This capability was specifically removed in AH because people were using B-17s and B-26s as emergency light AA batteries.  I doubt very much that it would be added back in.

[Pigslilspaz]

I think it should be implemented but with one major requirement, plane needs to hit a certain speed before you can fire. Maybe 50-75mph?

[GNucks]

What is anybody taking off from a flashing field (much less heavy (much much less in a four-engine bomber)) for anyway? If you got shot on takeoff you shouldn't be asking yourself why you couldn't defend yourself, you should be asking yourself why you were there in the first place.

[thndregg]

The limitation the game features is fine. Better tactical planning and awareness is recommended.

[colmbo]

The gunners were not at their stations for takeoff or landing.  In the B-24 there is a placard that specifically prohibits being in the tail turret during takeoff and landing.  I know someone who sat in the tail during a landing in the B-24, the fuselage kind of "whips" around on touchdown -- it slapped him around enough he had to hand on -- he stated he would never do it again. 

The crew were in the radio room and cockpit on the B-17, in the waist and behind the cockpit on the B-24 for takeoff and landing.

[Butcher]

This is a video game not real life, if this was the case then a dozen B-17s could up on a runway and provide flak - so the answer is hell no.

If you can't manage to get off the runway then you should of upped earlier.

[B-17]

A number of times, I provided flak cover in my big beautiful B-17s-- I upped with 25% fuel, dropped my bombs on the runway, and used full flaps to get in the air quick. Some dirty vulcher tried to get me... he put a hole in my fuel tank, but I shot him down

[BERN1]

this was a major problem is FA.
they even made it so the guns wouldn't fire unless you were rollin ,then I think changed it back again.
it was  a major sticking point/whine in the fa forums,was kinda cool to dropa couple of bombs with a 30 second fuse delay and wait for the bombers to re up.

[Scotty55OEFVet]

What is anybody taking off from a flashing field (much less heavy (much much less in a four-engine bomber)) for anyway? If you got shot on takeoff you shouldn't be asking yourself why you couldn't defend yourself, you should be asking yourself why you were there in the first place.

 

[USBP1969]

So much of what I see are comments here that are "game oriented" and not realism oriented. Yes - I do indeed know it's a game, other wise I would have been dead years ago in Fighter Ace 1.5  The question is therefore what's more important, realism or gameism?

The example I gave in my initial post concerning Pearl Harbor and the Catalina sailors manning their guns is a matter of history.  That was real.  IMO AH should desire to make their Combat Flight Sim as real as possible.

USBP1969

[B-17]

Maybe only if you've upped one plane rather than a formation.