Rockets in the Typhoon

[LukeFF]

1 hour ago, Avimimus said:

Here is another question... my assumption has been that the double-stacked rockets are fired together due to game-engine limitations. Is this correct?

 

I know that later double-stacked rockets had the ability to fire the outer rocket first... but perhaps both of them were indeed triggered at the same time?

 

I also assume that they would come apart in flight, but I could be wrong... anyone know? I'm curious.

 

Not a limitation - they were designed to be fired both at the same time and remain attached throughout the entire flight (if you look close, you can see a latch holding the two rockets together and fins removed, so that they could be properly joined). 

 

 

In any case, the combination wasn't used that much, largely because it took the armorers a lot longer to arm the plane - and it adversely affected the plane's handling. 

Edited June 11, 2021 by LukeFF

[migmadmarine]

I assume they were only placed on the inboard pilons as opposed to all 8 as a weight/handling thing? 

[LukeFF]

39 minutes ago, migmadmarine said:

I assume they were only placed on the inboard pilons as opposed to all 8 as a weight/handling thing? 

 

Yes, they tested a plane with double-loaded rockets on all 8 rails, but it brought about a severe drop in performance.

 

[RedKestrel]

I’m personally finding that the most effective deployment of the rockets is the same way as I deploy bombs...pickled at short intervals at a linear row of targets if possible to maximize damage, get rid of them all on the first pass then decide if you are going to stick around and beat up the target with guns. For taking out AA guns I will say I am much better with cannons so far. Playing mostly online, I think the rockets work mostly for clusters of small buildings or soft targets. With the way AA is emplaced on most targets I think you are better off using the cannons with them it is not possible to suppress multiple AA with one salvo, at least when I’ve tried.

 

I think for a lot of targets the rockets are more effective than bombs because you can spread them out and are more likely to get a direct hit...with the bombs you basically have two bombs hit the same aim point, and splash damage is usually not enough to make up for low accuracy. The doubled up rockets do cause a lot more damage but if you are jumped on the way to the target they are a liability.

[Avimimus]

On 6/11/2021 at 1:04 AM, LukeFF said:

Not a limitation - they were designed to be fired both at the same time and remain attached throughout the entire flight (if you look close, you can see a latch holding the two rockets together and fins removed, so that they could be properly joined). 

 

Thanks!

 

So, it was more along the lines of the other experiments combining multiple 3in rocket engines to throw more weight!

 

 

8 hours ago, RedKestrel said:

For taking out AA guns I will say I am much better with cannons so far. Playing mostly online, I think the rockets work mostly for clusters of small buildings or soft targets. With the way AA is emplaced on most targets I think you are better off using the cannons with them it is not possible to suppress multiple AA with one salvo, at least when I’ve tried.

 

I dive at a steep angle from ~2500 metres on the anti-aircraft battery... fire off one pair of rockets immediately to gauge the wind and fall of shot, then correct. Under ideal conditions I can take out an anti-aircraft gun with four rockets... although if there is wind I'm more likely to use up all of the rockets. In either event the result is that I'm able to fire on an anti-aircraft gun from over a kilometre (1000m) away... which is outside of the effective range of most anti-aircraft guns.

 

I'm obviously not able to wipe out multiple targets the way I would be if I were spreading pairs of rockets down the length of a road convoy during a diving attack... however I am able to take out an anti-aircraft gun without it being able to take me out... which I think is almost unique (perhaps the only alternative would be to do a perfect dive bombing attack in a Stuka and release the bombs very early in the dive?)

[RedKestrel]

1 minute ago, Avimimus said:

 

Thanks!

 

So, it was more along the lines of the other experiments combining multiple 3in rocket engines to throw more weight!

 

 

 

I dive at a steep angle from ~2500 metres on the anti-aircraft battery... fire off one pair of rockets immediately to gauge the wind and fall of shot, then correct. Under ideal conditions I can take out an anti-aircraft gun with four rockets... although if there is wind I'm more likely to use up all of the rockets. In either event the result is that I'm able to fire on an anti-aircraft gun from over a kilometre (1000m) away... which is outside of the effective range of most anti-aircraft guns.

 

I'm obviously not able to wipe out multiple targets the way I would be if I were spreading pairs of rockets down the length of a road convoy during a diving attack... however I am able to take out an anti-aircraft gun without it being able to take me out... which I think is almost unique (perhaps the only alternative would be to do a perfect dive bombing attack in a Stuka and release the bombs very early in the dive?)

I will have to try that flak suppression technique. I really like the idea of using the Tiffie as a 'wild weasel' to clear AA before other attackers arrive, but it is risky business with light AA.

[Avimimus]

4 hours ago, RedKestrel said:

I will have to try that flak suppression technique. I really like the idea of using the Tiffie as a 'wild weasel' to clear AA before other attackers arrive, but it is risky business with light AA.

 

Using rockets, I tend to have fully broken away from the attack at 750 metres or more (rather than 200 metres when using cannon)... it makes it much less risky. One is certainly within effective range of a 20mm or 37mm cannon but travelling at >600 km/h and turning away they really have almost no chance of scoring a hit.

 

As for using the Tiffy as a 'wild weasel'... they had this role historically. Two flights of rocket Typhoons suppressing the anti-aircraft guns using diving rocket attacks and drawing their attention so that the Bomb laden Typhoons could slip in at low altitude for relatively precise bombing attacks. So, you have a historical excuse as well if you want to use it in that role!

 

The downside is that one has to be pretty content to hit a single anti-aircraft gun per mission. I find attempting a second attack (using the last two pairs of rockets) is only possible if one leaves the target area to climb back to altitude.

 

P.S. The approach begins by orbiting the target area at >2500 metres, diving on a target and firing rockets between 1500-1000 metres (which gives enough time to judge the fall of the initial pair of rockets and correct) and recover into a slight climb, breaking away at 750 metres. Ideally I'd begin firing the rockets earlier, but I find I lose about 100 metres getting into a stable dive and lining up the first shot. Compare this to the attack profile with cannons where it would be pretty normal to fire between 500-200 metres...