Has there ever been an off-center gun?

"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...

This is wonderful. Can either of you or anybody point me to more
information about this service?

I realize there are only 12 issues of Geographic a year, but it would
help if I could narrow it down.

I've read about the same technique being used in Oz for back country
mail.

"B2431" wrote in message
...

It amazes me I can't remember 24 hours ago yet I can remember 35 years
ago.

Yet the rest of us are amazed when you make up things from 35 years ago,
Dan.

From: "Tarver Engineering"
Date: 12/8/2003 7:31 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:


"B2431" wrote in message
...

It amazes me I can't remember 24 hours ago yet I can remember 35 years
ago.

Yet the rest of us are amazed when you make up things from 35 years ago,
Dan.

Tarver, I cited my source which is something you have never done.

Until you have something constructive to say go chew on a bowlful of rusty
double edged razorblades at let us grownups talk.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

"Hobo" wrote in message
...

Has there ever been an aircraft with a gun permanently aligned
off-center? I don't mean swivel mounted, but permanently fixed at a
point other than straight ahead.


Yes

Wouldn't a gun pointed at a downward angle make ground attack easier?

Possibly but the most obvious examples had the guns pointed UP
at around 30 degrees. German nightfighters in WW2 would position
themselves below and behind their target and fire at bombers
silouhetted against the dark sky.

Keith

The F-14 was tilted up about 3 degrees IIRC. Allowed you to track with less
lead and closure and perhaps less likelihood of hitting the target.

R / John

"Hobo" wrote in message
...

Has there ever been an aircraft with a gun permanently aligned
off-center? I don't mean swivel mounted, but permanently fixed at a
point other than straight ahead.

Wouldn't a gun pointed at a downward angle make ground attack easier?

"Hobo" wrote in message
...

Has there ever been an aircraft with a gun permanently aligned
off-center?

Yes, several going as far back at least as far as WWI.
I'm afraid I'm brain locking on the designations though. In
Vietnam B-57 had gun packs fitted that shot down at a very
sharp angle- may even have been vertical- for night straffing
the trail.

I don't mean swivel mounted, but permanently fixed at a
point other than straight ahead.

Wouldn't a gun pointed at a downward angle make ground attack easier?

I don't know why the idea keeps failing to catch on; it could
be it's too single purpose for fighters or just not as easy to
aim.

I don't know why the idea keeps failing to catch on; it could
be it's too single purpose for fighters or just not as easy to
aim.


I think the A-10's gun might be downward pointed a bit... but most fighters
wouldn't use a downward-pointing one because it is unsuitable for a-a work.

"Bob Martin" wrote in message ...
I don't know why the idea keeps failing to catch on; it could
be it's too single purpose for fighters or just not as easy to
aim.


I think the A-10's gun might be downward pointed a bit... but most fighters
wouldn't use a downward-pointing one because it is unsuitable for a-a work.

The Hog's overall assembly is not on the jet's centerline, but it's
arranged so that the firing barrel is centered up, probably perfectly
squared, when it fires. Given the power of that particular weapon,
I'd be a little surprised if the firing barrel was anything BUT
perfectly square to the centerline (both X and Y axis). Of course, I
also seem to recall that the shell basically traces a straight line
from barrel to "effective range", and doesn't need drop factored in.

(Jeb Hoge) wrote:

Of course, I
also seem to recall that the shell basically traces a straight line
from barrel to "effective range", and doesn't need drop factored in.

Eh?... surely you're not saying that the rounds don't drop in
flight?...I hope?...
--

-Gord.

Of course, I
also seem to recall that the shell basically traces a straight line
from barrel to "effective range", and doesn't need drop factored in.

Eh?... surely you're not saying that the rounds don't drop in
flight?...I hope?...


Well, I know the firing barrel is centered laterally, but I think the gun
itself may be angled down a couple degrees (though still passing through the
center of gravity of the aircraft, so as to not produce any pitching
moment), though probably not more than 2 or 3. This would help with gun
tracking and make strafing runs a little safer.

As far as the "straight line" from the barrel... the muzzle velocity of the
GAU-8/A is such that, although the bullets do drop in flight (to not do so
would either imply lift being generated, or laws of physics being violated),
the drop is considered negligible, and therefore the gunsight is a simple
fixed reticle in the HUD.

For example... at 4000 feet, the bullets will only drop about 10
feet--random dispersion will be greater than that.