Gunship ideas

[Geoff]

'Twouldn't be an F-47, F was the designation for photographic aircraft.

Jon

Doh, and P-47 was already taken.

A-47?

A few weeks ago I was talking to a S African who told me the SAAF had C-47 gunships, but the weapons were mounted in the cargo door along with the gunner. He said they used a quad 0.50 cal or 20mm guns.

I wonder if you could mount a quad-50 in a WW2 Dak???

[jcf]

?A-47.
GeoffP

A-47 is doubtful as the XA-43 designation was issued in 1945 to a design that eventually led to the XP-87,
and A-44(became the XB-53) and A-45(became the XB-51) were issued post-war.

A-45 was the final attack designation issued as the designation was dropped by the USAF in 1947, it did not return to Air Force usage until the designation standardization of 1962.

Jon

[philp]

A few weeks ago I was talking to a S African who told me the SAAF had C-47 gunships, but the weapons were mounted in the cargo door along with the gunner. He said they used a quad 0.50 cal or 20mm guns.

I wonder if you could mount a quad-50 in a WW2 Dak???

Any chance you can see if he has pics of the mounts?  I haven't had much luck finding pics of AC-47's used by anyone other that the US and South Vietnam back during the war.  There are several countries that currently use them or have used them. 

[jcf]

M45 Quad .50 specs:
           ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL DATA CAL. .50 MULTIPLE MACHINE GUN MOUNT, M45

                       Length.............6 ft. 4.5 in.
                       Width..............6 ft. 9 in.
                       Height.............4 ft. 7.0 in.
                       Weight.............2396 lbs. 
                       Firing Rate........500-1000 rounds per minute

http://www.robertsarmory.com/quad.htm



Jon

[Shasper]

Now is that because the gun is inaccurate, or the mounting system in the AC-130 inadequate causing the gun to be inaccurate?

I'm guessing it has to do with the gun not being suited to the mission profile, not the gun nor the mounting system. Which leads me to this, could we see a resurgence in Bofor manufacturing or possible a new 40mm gun to replace the existing guns?


Shas

[kitnut617]

What about a Bristol Freighter? Malaysian timeline!

[Maverick]

I'm guessing it has to do with the gun not being suited to the mission profile, not the gun nor the mounting system. Which leads me to this, could we see a resurgence in Bofor manufacturing or possible a new 40mm gun to replace the existing guns?


Shas

Shas, I'm surprised that a modern 30mm weapon wouldn't have a comparable performance to a dated design like the Bofors.  I would have thought that its lethality & engagement envelope would be similar if not better than a much older design.

IF (please note, JMNs "if") this was the case, what other factors would affect the decision to pull the weapon from a mission profile pov.  One would assume that mounting & alignment could be easily enough solved.

Regards,

Mav

[philp]

What about a Bristol Freighter? Malaysian timeline!

That one has some possibilities.

[Weaver]

I'm guessing it has to do with the gun not being suited to the mission profile, not the gun nor the mounting system. Which leads me to this, could we see a resurgence in Bofor manufacturing or possible a new 40mm gun to replace the existing guns?


Shas

Shas, I'm surprised that a modern 30mm weapon wouldn't have a comparable performance to a dated design like the Bofors.  I would have thought that its lethality & engagement envelope would be similar if not better than a much older design.

IF (please note, JMNs "if") this was the case, what other factors would affect the decision to pull the weapon from a mission profile pov.  One would assume that mounting & alignment could be easily enough solved.

Regards,

Mav

On the other hand, anything you can do to a 30mm shell can also be done to a 40mm one. Bofors produce some VERY fancy 40mm ammo these days, and a 70-calibre barrel is a 70 calibre barrel.

My guess is that the lighter 30mm rounds are more affected by prop/wing wash than the 40mm ones. Of course, the 25mm ones are lighter still, but then that gun is mounted in front of the wing.

[Geoff]

A few weeks ago I was talking to a S African who told me the SAAF had C-47 gunships, but the weapons were mounted in the cargo door along with the gunner. He said they used a quad 0.50 cal or 20mm guns.

I wonder if you could mount a quad-50 in a WW2 Dak???

Any chance you can see if he has pics of the mounts?  I haven't had much luck finding pics of AC-47's used by anyone other that the US and South Vietnam back during the war.  There are several countries that currently use them or have used them. 

The guy is back in SA now -  but I will ask around
GeoffP

[Daryl J.]

A Trimotor gunship??    Awesome.


Daryl J., envisioning one of these things pooteling about the sky for a while, then all of a sudden....BURP!.....Splash..............glub glub, no more submarine.

[r16]

one of the most famous gunship actions should be the one where Mexican journalists on their way to observe Commander Marcos (or what ever the name of the that university  teacher was ) claimed to be under fire of a Hercules for half an hour , while Mexicans didn't have one ... And Americans wouldn't have missed that long .Appearently the gunship notion is very impressive in Latin America and when people have to invent something to write  it will be the first thing to do.

[kitnut617]

A Trimotor gunship??    Awesome.


Daryl J., envisioning one of these things pooteling about the sky for a while, then all of a sudden....BURP!.....Splash..............glub glub, no more submarine.

What did you have in mind Daryl?

[Daryl J.]

What did you have in mind Daryl?

It would take quite a few impossibilities together to make this work, but since it's Whiffworld, why not stray a bit from the possible:

Trimotor, early WW-II Atlantic coast USA and Canada patrolling for U-boats.  Gunned up with a gun from the A-10 Warthog (see what I mean  ), strengthened enough to withstand the forces from firing the weapon without dismembering the airframe and enough power to lift it airborne in the first place.    Grey/White/White with roundel Stars.    Wicker seating removed as to protect the crew from grass shrapnel upon firing.    If one gun won't sink a U-boat, then make it two.    That's the gonzo version.

One could also take a Trimotor and outfit it with 4 upward or downward firing schrage-musik style 50 cals depending on whether the machine was on antiaircraft or antipersonnel patrol.   Scab on some armor for the crew.   



Daryl J.

[pyro-manic]

A couple of Oerlikons or Bofors mounted on the (enlarged) side doors?