Strafing with bomber machineguns/defensive guns ineffective (?)

[poppasmurf311]

Howdy folks!

 

Looked around a bunch and couldnt find anything on this topic so I will ask. I'm mostly an HE-111 pilot but sometimes fly the Stuka, singleplayer missions predominantly. I'm no expert but I can run these planes with complex engine management and can actually land the 111 3/4 of the time and get airborne with the 1800kg bomb in the Stuka, so I'm a decent pilot.

 

....except when it comes to firing at ground targets.

 

I usually fly at treetop level which has me flying over lots of targets of opportunity, usually artillery pieces but sometimes airfields with parked airplanes and convoys. Using the default front MG, in my entire career, after emptying all of my ammunition on dozens of flights, I think I managed to destroy a single truck, a few searchlights and I think I managed to stop a locomotive but I'm not sure. But AA guns, cannons, non tank vehicles all seem to be immune to fire. I should have accidentally destroyed something by now. And the 20mm gun in the nose and gondola...I have never hit anything on the ground with it! I hit some attacking fighters but I cant hit anything on the ground with the 20. I man the front gondola position and fly the aircraft with the stick while emptying all my ammo and I cant recall ever hitting anything. And this is at 100m altitude.

 

Same with the stuka's mg's. I can "pepper" a row of artillery positions over and over again but I never get a kill message and they keep firing.

 

So what am I doing wrong? Do I shoot "under" the target? "Over the target?" Do I have to shoot them more? Is it limited to trucks and searchlights and really soft targets?

 

Sorry for the dumb question. Have a great day and keep up the good fight!

[Sokol1]

Is not realistic expect blow up a artillery position with 7.92mm.

 

IRL eventually you can kill the crew - in game you can scatter then.

 

Anyway you can make a mission in ME and set targets "durability" very low, so few shoots blew then, even a T-34.

[TP_Jacko]

What angle of attack are you using and what is the convergance angle on your guns. See Darts il2 videos on ground attack.

[Dutchvdm]

Do you have the same problem with the Bf-110? It has all the guns in the nose and is perfect for strafing stuff.

 

Grt M

[poppasmurf311]

Thanks for the replies! :D

 

The angle of attack for most of my bomber attacks is shooting down at a strange -30 -> -45 degree angle. With the 109, I can hit things on the ground (tested this last night) and even got some cannon kills on trucks.

 

Does convergence range matter for the defensive guns? Is that what is messing up my aim?

[poppasmurf311]

...maybe a more pertinent question is... what SHOULD I be shooting at using mg15's and a 20mm defensive gun other than aircraft?

Wow.....I just watched Dart's video. I think I was doing everything wrong at once