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- #81
renrich
Chief Master Sergeant
My source gives the TA152H-1 as one engine mounted 30 MM with 90 rds. and two 20 mm with 150 to 175 rds. These are firing through the propellor arc and will be synchronised. This armament is clearly designed to bring down bombers. An interesting parallel between a comparison of TA 152 and the P51D in ACM,(I don't know that they ever met), and the Mig 15 and F86. The TA152 had a 30 and two 20 mm cannon. The P51D had those six,(and sometime only four), 50 BMGs. The TA could outclimb the 51, had better high altitude performance and a higher service ceiling, ( some of these characteristics would apply to the FW190D9 also, climb and armament.) The Mig had the 30 mm and the 2- 20 mms and the advantage in climb and service ceiling over the F86 and the F86 had 6-nose mounted 50 BMGs, allegedly outmoded. From what I have read the P51D was at least equal to the FW190D9 and we will never know about the Ta. The F86 was clearly superior to the Mig as far as results. I have read that the 30 mm in the Mig was not at all effective against the Sabre, the 20s more so. The six fifties in the F86 seemed to get the job done. On the other hand, in the few encounters the straight wing F9F, with four 20 mms, had with Migs the F9F had the edge. Obviously a lot depended on pilot skills and other factors such as perhaps gunsights, although one Sabre driver is said to have said "stick a piece of gum on the windshield, stick the gum up his tailpipe, and let him have it ." What it all boils down to is that if you can't hit your target with your gun, it doesn't matter how big your gun is, which is the reason you hunt doves with seven and one halves or eights not fours.