Sunderland Vs Catalina

Lightning Guy · 07-16-2004, 02:21 PM

Yes that is an impressive feat.

A part of the accuracy of an air-to-air weapon is the sight. A manual MG can have the same site as a power turret so there is no edge there. The edge of the power turret is the ability to quickly move the guns without having to muscle through the slip stream. On the Cat, I don't think the slip stream would have been that bad as the speed was fairly slow anyway, and the waist blisters must have deflected at least some of the airflow.

the lancaster kicks ass · 07-17-2004, 11:50 AM

it wasn't that i was worried about, it was the fact that they would shake quite a bit as you try to controll it with your hands, wheras in a turret you don't have to worry about that....................

Lightning Guy · 07-19-2004, 11:36 PM

Well even in a turret the weapon won't remain stationary. And the fixed mounts themselves were fairly rigid.

the lancaster kicks ass · 07-21-2004, 01:31 PM

but you have to admit they would proberly shake quite a bit when they're hand aimed, having an effect on the aim and accuracy.........................

Lightning Guy · 07-21-2004, 01:43 PM

It had an effect. But there were plenty of aircraft shown down by these flexible guns so it couldn't have been too much of an issue.

the lancaster kicks ass · 07-21-2004, 01:51 PM

i'd still rather be in a turret.....................

dead parrot · 07-21-2004, 03:56 PM

Hmm, but going back to the armament of the Sunderland vs. Catalina:

The Short Sunderland Mks III and V (by far the most common) had 8 .303s plus an addition pair of .50 MGs (or 4 .303s) in the nose and two in the beam postion, which made it the better defended of the two planes--the turrets were a bonus. It had a reputation, among allies and axis alike, for being a very scary plane to try to take down, being able to fight off groups of Ju88s, even. The Flying Porcupine nick was well-earned..

As I said, I prefer the Cat for emotional, like-the-look-of-it reasons, but I have never seen anyone claim it was better defensively armed than the Sunderland.

By the way, there are quite a few good shots of a Cat in Tora Tora Tora, flying and on the ground.

Lightning Guy · 07-21-2004, 11:59 PM

The Sunderland probably was better defended. But the Cat was very capable of defending itself, more versatile, and more effective.