RE: Aviation Defense
Posted by:
John griffiths
()
Date: April 27, 2001 05:32PM
<HTML>Marc,
I don\\\'>>t know what your recollections of your RN Oerlikons were, but my memories are quite clear: it was an arduous task to hit effectively the target towed behind planes, being on firm earth and on practice runs.<<
Well, sort of! In fact, some targets were Jindviks - automatic drone aircraft - and as far as I recall we probably scared a few - but hit? No! Targets were not towed by boat on the ranges but rather \'static\', usually expended, small craft. Watching the GI (Gunnery Instructor) and his crew using the gun, however, showed how it should be done!
>> I also remember how heavy the ammo magasins were (about 80 pounds for 50 rouds...) and that, though it was easy enough to catch and remove an empty magazine from the gun, it was not that easy to load as quickly as possible a full one.<<
Yes, they were heavy. In full kit, with anti-flash gear on, we were soon sweating! The training was carried out ashore so I never got to fire the gun aboard ship. A combination of courses saw to that. I did \'convert\' to the Browning 0.5 cal (12.7mm) HMG. Now that was a serious bit of kit! I fired that a few times and it always gave me a real buzz!
>> This gives an idea how tough it was back then to down an incoming Avenger or a Liberator firing from his front turret, aiming at them from a rolling and pitching platform with virtually no protecting armour. One hell of a place to be...<<
During the Falklands, the gun crews on my ship - HMS Ardent - must have been absolutely worn out by the number of stand-to\'s we had. The 20mm\'s were fired quite a lot, as were 7.62mm LMG\'s and the Browning - but against fast jets they proved ineffective. They must have scared a few pilots when they were fitted with tracers, however!
Good to hear there are a few \'gunslingers\' on this forum!
Aye,
John</HTML>
I don\\\'>>t know what your recollections of your RN Oerlikons were, but my memories are quite clear: it was an arduous task to hit effectively the target towed behind planes, being on firm earth and on practice runs.<<
Well, sort of! In fact, some targets were Jindviks - automatic drone aircraft - and as far as I recall we probably scared a few - but hit? No! Targets were not towed by boat on the ranges but rather \'static\', usually expended, small craft. Watching the GI (Gunnery Instructor) and his crew using the gun, however, showed how it should be done!
>> I also remember how heavy the ammo magasins were (about 80 pounds for 50 rouds...) and that, though it was easy enough to catch and remove an empty magazine from the gun, it was not that easy to load as quickly as possible a full one.<<
Yes, they were heavy. In full kit, with anti-flash gear on, we were soon sweating! The training was carried out ashore so I never got to fire the gun aboard ship. A combination of courses saw to that. I did \'convert\' to the Browning 0.5 cal (12.7mm) HMG. Now that was a serious bit of kit! I fired that a few times and it always gave me a real buzz!
>> This gives an idea how tough it was back then to down an incoming Avenger or a Liberator firing from his front turret, aiming at them from a rolling and pitching platform with virtually no protecting armour. One hell of a place to be...<<
During the Falklands, the gun crews on my ship - HMS Ardent - must have been absolutely worn out by the number of stand-to\'s we had. The 20mm\'s were fired quite a lot, as were 7.62mm LMG\'s and the Browning - but against fast jets they proved ineffective. They must have scared a few pilots when they were fitted with tracers, however!
Good to hear there are a few \'gunslingers\' on this forum!
Aye,
John</HTML>
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
Aviation Defense
|
Frank Blazich | 04/27/2001 12:41AM |
|
RE: Aviation Defense
|
Rainer Kolbicz | 04/27/2001 06:27AM |
|
RE: Aviation Defense
|
Marc Haldimann | 04/27/2001 07:32AM |
|
RE: Aviation Defense
|
John Griffiths | 04/27/2001 08:23AM |
|
RE: Aviation Defense
|
Rainer Kolbicz | 04/27/2001 12:05PM |
|
RE: Aviation Defense
|
Marc Haldimann | 04/27/2001 12:55PM |
|
RE: Aviation Defense
|
John griffiths | 04/27/2001 05:32PM |
|
RE: Aviation Defense
|
Marc Haldimann | 04/28/2001 10:55AM |
|
RE: Aviation Defense
|
kpp | 04/27/2001 01:54PM |
|
RE: Aviation Defense
|
kurt | 04/29/2001 05:26PM |