Has there ever been an off-center gun?

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

Many ground attack aircraft have had such configuration, including IL-2.
Not all of them, but in remarkable numbers anyway.

jok

The germans used the 'shrage musik' cannons to fire upwards (around 45°) for
night fighter use.
The japanese also often used this system on modified J2M3, Ki-45 and J1N1-S.
I also heard about 'shadow detection' upward firing experimental guns on
Fw190, perhaps other types (Bf110).

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?

In article , Hobo wrote:

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.

Any Luftwaffe aircraft mounting "Schrage Musik" comes to mind.

Ken

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

After an exhausting session with Victoria's Secret Police, Hobo
blurted out:

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

F-15's gun is angled slightly above the waterline...for air-to-air,
making it unsuitable for strafe.

At least that's the answer I got at a PACAF conference when I asked
why they didn't have a 51-50 requirement to strafe.

Juvat

"Juvat" wrote in message
...

F-15's gun is angled slightly above the waterline...for air-to-air,
making it unsuitable for strafe.

At least that's the answer I got at a PACAF conference when I asked
why they didn't have a 51-50 requirement to strafe.

Unsuitable is certainly not the word for it. The F-15E community has not
traditionally strafed on a regular basis because of the upcanted gun -- a
10-degree low angle strafe puts you pretty close to the dirt by the time you
cease fire.

Because of the "demand" for bullets in Allied Force, Enduring Freedom, and
Iraqi Freedom, strafe is back in the F-15E vernacular bigtime.

R Haskin wrote:

"Juvat" wrote in message
...

F-15's gun is angled slightly above the waterline...for air-to-air,
making it unsuitable for strafe.

At least that's the answer I got at a PACAF conference when I asked
why they didn't have a 51-50 requirement to strafe.

Unsuitable is certainly not the word for it. The F-15E community has not
traditionally strafed on a regular basis because of the upcanted gun -- a
10-degree low angle strafe puts you pretty close to the dirt by the time you
cease fire.

Because of the "demand" for bullets in Allied Force, Enduring Freedom, and
Iraqi Freedom, strafe is back in the F-15E vernacular bigtime.

An acquaintance who flew A-7s and F-16s has said that the former's M61A1 was
aligned a couple of degrees below the waterline to improve its A/G usefulness,
while the Viper's is mounted slightly above to improve A/A ditto. I don't know
how the F-18 is set up. Marine pilots definitely did a lot of low-angle strafe
in DS.

Guy

On Sun, 07 Dec 2003 22:31:58 GMT, Guy Alcala wrote:

I don't know how the F-18 is set up.

The F-15 is set up to "loft" the bullets (loft is the word I remember
reading, I just can't remember where I read it...) so I'd think MD did the
same with the Hornet.

-Jeff B. (with yet another cite-free post)
yeff at erols dot com

Yeff wrote:

On Sun, 07 Dec 2003 22:31:58 GMT, Guy Alcala wrote:

I don't know how the F-18 is set up.

The F-15 is set up to "loft" the bullets (loft is the word I remember
reading, I just can't remember where I read it...) so I'd think MD did the
same with the Hornet.

That doesn't necessarily follow. Different missions, different services. The
F-15 was slanted A/A from the beginning, while the F-18 was originally two
variants, one fighter and one attack, which were later merged. I don't know
which was given priority as far as the gun alignment goes, or whether they
just left it in the middle. But if we ask on r.a.m.n., someone would probably
know.

Guy

In article ,
"R Haskin" wrote:

"Juvat" wrote in message
...

F-15's gun is angled slightly above the waterline...for air-to-air,
making it unsuitable for strafe.

At least that's the answer I got at a PACAF conference when I asked
why they didn't have a 51-50 requirement to strafe.

Unsuitable is certainly not the word for it. The F-15E community has not
traditionally strafed on a regular basis because of the upcanted gun -- a
10-degree low angle strafe puts you pretty close to the dirt by the time you
cease fire.

It's simple.

Just do your strafing runs inverted.

;-)

--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.

After an exhausting session with Victoria's Secret Police "R Haskin"
blurted out:

Unsuitable is certainly not the word for it. The F-15E community has not
traditionally strafed on a regular basis because of the upcanted gun -- a
10-degree low angle strafe puts you pretty close to the dirt by the time you
cease fire.

Well what would I know? I was a Viper guy.

I talked with Albino guys from Kadena that were experimenting with
surface attack...no strafe. When asked they said something like, "Are
you ****ing kidding? The gun points up, we'd have to bury the nose to
strafe."

They indicated that it was NOT suitable.

Because of the "demand" for bullets in Allied Force, Enduring Freedom, and
Iraqi Freedom, strafe is back in the F-15E vernacular bigtime.

Cool...