Quote from: Walter on September 25, 2007, 01:53:57 PM

QuoteFor some reason the Russians called their 7,62 calibre the "three tenths".

I don't know... maybe it has something to do with the fact that 7.62mm is in fact three tenths of an inch... :)

You know, all this weapons on planes business so early makes me wonder... When will we have air to air missiles on our planes? 1916? When will we have jet engines? 1929?

The first "jet engine" flew in 1911 if I remember right well if you call a 100' hop a flight it then caught fire and crashed, the Italians flew a similar design in the early 30s that actually worked.  It simply didn't offer any performance gains over the propeller driven aircraft of the time.  As for missiles we cant do it... we are restricted to wood and cloth planes until at least 1930, then you get into guidance and control sorry, imo the scope of this sim prevents even any thoughts of such things.  The necessary tech just isn't there EVER

Now that you mention that one...
*goes off to Wesworld*

Silly me... Henri Marie Coanda and his magnificent air-reactive engine on the Coanda-1910.


Used that in one of my own news articles in Wesworld.
http://88.198.26.117/kunden/oponn/wbblite/thread.php?postid=35898#post35898

Ah but they did have Cruise missles in WWI:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettering_Bug

What?!?!
You're telling me that you haven't found the air to air missiles yet?!?!
(or should I say rockets)

Quote from: Desertfox on September 25, 2007, 02:23:10 PM
Ah but they did have Cruise missles in WWI:

they were even somewhat guided lol, i was saving that for a later surprise...

Well wish me luck all, Wright Flyer Italia Refit is now ready for takeoff, we taking bets on weather or not i can actualy shoot the mg? or will it just rip my ac to shreds?

Quote from: Tanthalas on September 25, 2007, 02:36:58 PM
Well wish me luck all, Wright Flyer Italia Refit is now ready for takeoff, we taking bets on weather or not i can actualy shoot the mg? or will it just rip my ac to shreds?

How is it to be fired?  Over /under the prop blades or something else?

Michael

Quote from: Desertfox on September 25, 2007, 12:49:05 PM
If recoil is such a problem, kindly explain how an Eindeckerd could carry 2 MGs, or how a 37mm cannon was mounted on a Voisan. And these are weaker planes than a Wright B. Sure you can't mount a 50cal, but a 30cal should be possible.

Stronger airframes?
More efficient designs?

I know the Eindecker was a monoplane with a fuselage, wing mounted basically around the cockpit and the gun forward and centerline between the pilot and engine. Thus, it had the strength of the most reinforced part of the aircraft carrying all the weight and handling the recoil. IIRC, it was even mounted mounted atop a solid metal cowling for the engine.

The Voisin I can find no record of ever carrying a 37mm. Could you link me? Either way, those aircraft had a 62' wingspan and a 220+HP engine... top speed of about 85 MPH and who knows how much lift generated (Vosin 8 ). They are listed as carrying 1 or 2 MG's (not a 'cannon' as a 37mm would be called) and also being able to carry 400 lbs of bombs- plenty of weight to cram a 37mm into. Properly braced, they probably could handle it...



But if you'll notice, both of those planes were built... drum roll please-
*rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat*
AFTER 1915 TECH IS ATTAINED!

Seriously, DF... I like the idea of stretching history to the extreme here, but you have to admit, there is only so far that one can stretch things. The reason that no armed aircraft were built and fielded in mass numbers before WWI is that no one could find an efficient way to do so. In fact, it took the technical necessities of the war to force aircraft development to that point.

although they did mount a MG on a 1906 wright in 1911...

was never used in combat but proves it could be done... picture is what gave me the idea in the first place =P

It also proves how unwieldy it was to use.

An armed scout with a gunner with an automatic rifle and a magazine or two- maybe.
A purpose-built single-seat fighter with a crew-served MG and 200-300 rounds- just not possible.

no i was figuring on an armed scout, like i said these things are totaly non acrobatic aircraft.  Also honestly not fast enough to serve as fighters.  My Military and My Emperor are of 2 diferent opinions on this matter, Military it cant be done, Emperor well why the hell not.  its mostly for story line.

I know... I was saying that we are about where an armed scout will work, but not what DF is suggesting which is a true fighter.


Oh, this thread also brings up a VERY important distinction: most early aircraft were NOT armed with machine guns, they mounted automatic rifles- a rifle caliber weapon capable of full-auto fire and being magazine fed. They were basically primitive M-16's. Only later in the war (about the time of the Albatross) did real MACHINE GUNS- fixed emplacement, belt-fed weapons firing rifle caliber bullets- actually get mounted commonly on aircraft.

http://www.theaerodrome.com/aircraft/france/voisin_5.php
Vosin with 37mm Gun, looks like a Puteaux gun, same as in the FT-17.

But at the tech level we got at the moment, i do not think there are any aircrafts around that can be in the air long enogh to fight.

Looks like the gun is hard-mounted to the airframe/undercarriage, which is metal.
That's NOT something that a Wright B has, and It seems this would be a VERY specialized modification, wouldn't it? Either way, it's something that's quite a ways off.