At least the Spit had 8 pea shooters lol. Volume would help to make up for the lack of penetrating power.
Such an arrangement would have done well against Japanese fighters given their lack of armor and tendency to burst into flame when hit. Against more sturdy aircraft, like the 109, it would seem that something with more power would have been a better solution.
Yes, there certainly was an arms evolution throughout the war. Even the early Mustangs had some .30 cal guns (or .303). Weight was certainly a consideration as was space in the aircraft. Those bulges under a 109 wing were for increased ammo capacity. My understanding is that the some of the shape of the Spit wing was dictated by fitting the guns in (made wider front to back).
I am also eternally amazed by the limited amount of ammo carried on many planes. Russian craft seem to have very limited ammo supplies. Even the Mustangs only carried about 250 rounds per gun (depending on which position). That's not a lot of trigger time.
I have no idea how some pilots chalked up 3, 4, or even 5 kills in a mission with such limitations.
Splitter
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09-24-2010, 04:32 AM
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