Hi BG,
Yes, I know what you mean, but fire spreads, so if the initial 'hit' is in the fuel tank, the fuel in the tank is on fire due to air in the tank, it leaks and spreads, setting fire to other flammable materials, runs along the outside of the fuel pipes, burns away the fuel pipe from the outside, then there's an explosion that rips a gaping hole in the tank, etc etc.
We've all seen archive footage of engines on fire and saying 8 Brownings couldn't cause it is simply underestimating them.
One incendiary bullet penetrating the induction manifold where there is a pressurised fuel / air mix would probably cause a big enough explosion to rupture the fuel lines / carburettor / injection system in any event. Certainly the fuel / air mix would burn very nicely.
In practice the RAF soon learned to get in much closer than 400yards too. Guns were then harmonised at 250 yards or less. The Poles particularly harmonised their guns to very short range.
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08-14-2010, 12:01 PM
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