Quote:
Originally Posted by IceFire
I feel the .50cal is perfectly lethal when I'm aiming properly. My record is still 7 Zeros (A6M3 and A6M5) shot down online by me flying a F6F-5. That is the exception rather than the rule for me ...but its possible. Its also quite possible to keep firing and waste the whole ammo load on one or two Zeros without scoring a definitive kill. I've also done that  |
This what USMC Medal of Honor winner Jo Foss had to say about shooting with 0.50 cal ...
" Q. How close do you have to come to do effective damage?
A. When we started out, all our shooting was out of range. We would begin on the enemy a quarter of a mile away, and by the time we actually got into range we'd used up our ammunition. Then we started getting in there from 300 yards to 50 foot off, and really started hitting them. Then we moved it down so that we'd shoot right at 100 yards - then you can't miss. If you're off to one side or the other, just kick it on. If you shoot too far off, you scare 'em! If you keep your tracers out of there - the Jap pilot shoots. I've seen him shoot half a mile off; they just keep shooting until they go on range, and they're still shooting whan they pass you. They really get rid of the ammunition! I talked to the boys when a new outfit would come in. When you talk to a man before he goes out the first time, it doesn't do any good; but after he's been out the first time or the first two times, then you can talk to him. He knows what you're talking about. I'd just tell them, "Get in there, really get them in your sights, and really shoot close." I told one group that, and every flight scored on the trip. They'd all had a couple of combats before; they were shooting away out of range - 500 or 600 yards."
The entire interview with him is here ...
http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Aircraft/VMF-121/
its well worth a read.