Recent content by Greyman

Without knowing exactly how the Soviets did things, I can only guess. But just by the phrasing used it seems to me the Soviets were trying to hose the targets with full-auto bursts -- whereas the British and US method involved taking single shots, realigning the sights on target, firing another...

The US did testing at Eglin Field and claimed 60% hits in beam and frontal attacks vs. M3 light and M3 medium tanks. This was done in a manner similar to the British method; low-level and single, aimed shots (three per attack was found to be optimum). I'd say this very high degree of accuracy...

front FN5: 670 lb mid-upper FN50: 700 lb under FN64: 300 lb rear FN20: 1350 lb w/ turret, guns, and ammo. Couldn't get everything from a single concise source -- so the measuring criteria might be different for each.

Re: bomb types -- a factoid from the US's Strategic Bombing Survey examining the Oil Campaign gives a better indication of the difference. Looking at the hundreds of thousands of HE bombs dropped by both air forces, the average US bomb was 388 lb and the average British bomb was 660 lb. The...

Johnson was in a Spitfire Vb (EP254) during his Dieppe combat. The Lightning in Godefroy's anecdote was a P-38F (17592).

Right out of the gate -- I will say it is a bit puzzling. However ... Turning / dogfighting isn't a binary affair. There's a lot of finesse and observation that's required to get the most out of your airplane. It's possible that the pilot Johnson faced was just that much better than he was...

The Genie strikes me as 'serious' ...

I don't really have anything unfortunately. Years ago I was working with a French individual on the types of Hispano ammunition available to the French Air Force during the German invasion. There was a French language military forum that had a board for the 1940 Western battles, and there was a...

They tried it with MS406s on a few occasions as well. Loading their Hispanos up with AP ammo and having them shuffling around the deck trying to kill tanks. It was deemed unprofitable, to put it mildly.

I've seen very, very different figures for particular aircraft re: man hours, I assume each document/author uses different criteria ... but below are figures from one that had the most types in one place ('44 Air Ministry document): Production cost in man months (1 man month = 195 man hours)...

I think it's just a fun story made up (or at least mostly made up) to explain survivorship bias. Reading correspondence from the British officers/firms responsible for armouring aircraft -- they clearly understood (from the very beginning of the war) the implications of never finding returning...

I remember reading the work of someone who had been trying to piece his last flight together -- and based on the circumstances and testimony of German pilots he most likely fell into the sea.

Convoy Patrol?

From A&AEE tests. Similar to what ThomasP posted - as the MAP data sheets are very often based on A&AEE reports Blue - Hampden L.4044 254 mph at 13,800 ft - 243 mph at 4,000 ft 5.5 boost, 2600 rpm 18,752 lb (normal loading) Green - Hampden P.4354 246 mph at 14,200 ft - 235 mph at 4,200 ft 5.5...

I have a copy of 'Flight Operating Instructions' for the P-40 F and L and it only mentions 100 octane, but I see it there in the 'Pilot Training Manual'. If anyone was stuck with that it would limit things to a painful 44.2 inches / +7 lb boost.