Convergance and gun options.

Probably begginer's question, but anyway:

What relation si between gun convergence (in DCS P-51 fixed to 1000 ft - if I understand correctly) and K14 option to change distance to target from 600 to 2400 ft while aiming?

What sence is to correctly aim to target in let's say distance of 2000 ft and open fire if convergence of guns is set 1000 ft?

Probably begginer's question, but anyway:

What relation si between gun convergence (in DCS P-51 fixed to 1000 ft - if I understand correctly) and K14 option to change distance to target from 600 to 2400 ft while aiming?

What sence is to correctly aim to target in let's say distance of 2000 ft and open fire if convergence of guns is set 1000 ft?

The P-51D is set up for gun Harmonization as opposed to convergence. What that means is that all of the guns do not have one very specific point that they converge. It's a pattern effect. The range you are setting with the K-14 is to help the gyro site compute the correct lead for the aircraft you are trying to get a shot on. Range of the target and the size of the target are important variables that are used to determine the correct angles. From what I understand 1000ft is the optimal harmonization distance but as we all know it is not the only distance you can fire from.

Thanks for explanation. I just went through diagrams of gun harmonisation presented here by YO-YO and HEGYKC and I think I understand that 1000 ft is not the only fixed effective range of fire. But if I understand correctly, 1000 ft is the most effective range (if I have aimed the target precisely) and so I shoud concentrate to learn to open fire in that distance. Am I right?

Another question: Is the range change for correct K14 gyrocomputing PRACTICALLY used by pilots in DCS combat? On the game videos I have seen so far no one changes the diameter of "ring of diamonds" during dogfight and people even often use fixed gunsight....

I still suck very badly at air combat, but...

I frequently use the range adjust, not so much to aim at somebody beyond 1000 feet, but to more accurately estimate the real distance to target. Instead of matching the ring to the enemy wingspan and read the range, I set the range at 1000 feet and make small corrections from there to judge how much closer to get before firing.

I wonder if anybody ever uses the entire range of the K14, though. It seems unlikely you'd ever have use for settings beyond 1200 feet or so.

That is a good question. I personally, am in the habit of setting the range to 1000 initially. Then I really don't vary from that much except if I'm trying to hit a target that is extending and is just out of reach. When I am closer than 1000ft I feel I can lead the target effectively without any help from the sight. It might be a bit easier to constantly adjust the range if we had a twist handle like on the actual throttle setup.

Thanks for comments.

(I am just starting to learn how to aim with K14 - I have Saitek X52, so I mapped range adjusting to slider on the throttle and IMHO it is very easy controllable this way in combat)

I was under the impression when reading about D.C.S P-51 that there would be an option to remove the outboard guns to make room for more ammo for the inboard guns. Also that the convergance may be able to be adjusted. I do have the P-51 module and have not been able to locate any such features. Do they actually exist? If so where can I locate them. Thank you.

You do not need MORE ammo. What you need is, to get close enough so the bullets have more power at the beginning of their trajectory using well placed brief shots with LESS ammo. When I qualified on the M-60 machine gun on the ground, we were instructed to use 6 round brief bursts. Two minutes of constant firing the M-60 will warp its barrel. Maybe that is why they gave us an asbestos mitt and an extra barrel. An all out charge, a machine gun nest would be lucky to last 4 minutes.

Thanks for comments.

(I am just starting to learn how to aim with K14 - I have Saitek X52, so I mapped range adjusting to slider on the throttle and IMHO it is very easy controllable this way in combat)

I recently re-read the DCS: Flight Manual's proper use of the throttle grip aiming device. I have been using it as a static aiming pipper, instead of a dynamic device and have been doing it wrong!

Me too, I have my Pro Throttle mapped with an appropriate two-way switch easy to use.

Thanks for explanation. I just went through diagrams of gun harmonisation presented here by YO-YO and HEGYKC and I think I understand that 1000 ft is not the only fixed effective range of fire. But if I understand correctly, 1000 ft is the most effective range (if I have aimed the target precisely) and so I shoud concentrate to learn to open fire in that distance. Am I right?

 

Another question: Is the range change for correct K14 gyrocomputing PRACTICALLY used by pilots in DCS combat? On the game videos I have seen so far no one changes the diameter of "ring of diamonds" during dogfight and people even often use fixed gunsight....

Ask Anon6_BigGamer, that guy is pretty good!

The P-51D is set up for gun Harmonization as opposed to convergence. What that means is that all of the guns do not have one very specific point that they converge. It's a pattern effect. The range you are setting with the K-14 is to help the gyro site compute the correct lead for the aircraft you are trying to get a shot on. Range of the target and the size of the target are important variables that are used to determine the correct angles. From what I understand 1000ft is the optimal harmonization distance but as we all know it is not the only distance you can fire from.

From my Aces High experience and the gurus and adamant hardliners perspective, convergence in that sim was horizontal spread convergence at an adjustable, on the ground, before flight setup. Was it realistic? According to the Aces High gurus---yes. All three pairs of guns could each be set at an adjustable distance and also various interlacing crossfire patterns. Then to test the hit pattern we were given a target facing north that could be set at various ranges to test the gun pattern spread in-flight. 200 yards (600 feet rotary dial) was ideal if you could get in that close, few rounds were needed for a kill.

The DCS: P-51D read, earlier in this thread, hints at a preset horizontal convergence pattern in addition to the vertical set drop rate.

My understanding, which may be wrong, I thought the adjustable ranging of the gun sight and its throttle grip was the adjustabilty ranging of the guns; but now I think it means the optical aiming device is being adjusted allowing for lead and probable impact points, since it was said the convergence is pre-set. Is parallax an issue?

(Setting up, setting the sights or scope aiming a M-16 rifle, is similar, set to an individual's taste, based where the sight or scope is and the condition of the barrel and windage if needed at distance. Out on the range we were given just 3 rounds to sight-in on before our annual qualifications. Before going into the military I never fired a rifle or pistol, but I bow hunted. I fired Expert with the M-16 at 100 yards.)

And the so called "bad habit" in other sims or games was not started from IL-2. Maybe this article is the one.

http://www.simhq.com/_air/air_031a.html

And NO slip!

The manual page.48:

 

"The guns can be adjusted on the ground for different convergence points based on the tactical needs of the mission."

 

And this can also be found in "AAF Manual 51-127-5" page.40

I will check this info out... I am very used to setting convergence in all my flight sims. it said in page 48: They can be set on the ground 250-300 yards. But, apparently , not in the sim. Oh well.

One way of looking at the whole convergence issue is that in reality pilots were quite often assigned an aircraft that was not their usual one due to repairs and maintenance. If everyone had set their own personal convergences it would have made it harder to adjust to another aircraft, so they were usually kept to standard settings.

Just think of it as flying with "Historical Settings".

Cheers, Scream.