Since weapon capacitor implementation, we see turrets as more powerful than ever. There’s never been such a need for good turret gunners. So the question naturally arises, “what have we been doing to train players as turret gunners?”
This is a fascinating read:
https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/how-become-ball-turret-gunner-180954667/?fbclid=IwAR3zBSpOcLlSLDO3vN9rBo8KzF-BbeyfhNqGio5f8YLvSWDO4ZJXj2mymcs
In history, “The six-week training course combined classwork in ballistics, range estimation, aircraft recognition, and Morse code with shooting practice.” One can guess why these things would make a gunner more effective. These skill requirements remain with us today except craft recognition, range determination and Morse. In particular, if a trained turret gunner can inform the pilot what kind of shot is incoming, this can greatly effect the choice of combat tactics by the pilot. (Projectiles mean fly evasive and wait for your opponent to run out of ammo. Repeaters mean fly evasive and wait for your opponent to run out of capacitor. Laser cannons means he's using slow shot, so turn when he fires, but don't expect him to run out of capacitor. Laser scatterguns means stay outside 400m and refuse to joust.) A trained turret gunner is therefore a hefty advantage in a fight.
It’s also not surprising the hesitance to actually train. People don’t like to work to obtain a skill. They’ve gone to fascinating lengths to avoid training as turret gunners.
“Few AT-6 pilots enjoyed chauffeuring the novice gunners. When guns jammed, instead of landing to swap out the weapon, some pilots ordered their back-seaters to simply jettison ammunition to avoid a prolonged flight, while still giving the student credit for firing the rounds. Once, recalls Dale VanBlair, a former Harlingen student, someone from his barracks experienced an airborne gun jam. “ ‘Throw it over the side,’ ordered his pilot, meaning just the ammunition. But the knucklehead heaved both,” he says.”
I’m curious. 3.14 is with us several months now. Has anyone here gone out specifically to train as a turret gunner or pilot to train someone else? Who has the patience to provide friends with training opportunities?
This is a fascinating read:
https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/how-become-ball-turret-gunner-180954667/?fbclid=IwAR3zBSpOcLlSLDO3vN9rBo8KzF-BbeyfhNqGio5f8YLvSWDO4ZJXj2mymcs
In history, “The six-week training course combined classwork in ballistics, range estimation, aircraft recognition, and Morse code with shooting practice.” One can guess why these things would make a gunner more effective. These skill requirements remain with us today except craft recognition, range determination and Morse. In particular, if a trained turret gunner can inform the pilot what kind of shot is incoming, this can greatly effect the choice of combat tactics by the pilot. (Projectiles mean fly evasive and wait for your opponent to run out of ammo. Repeaters mean fly evasive and wait for your opponent to run out of capacitor. Laser cannons means he's using slow shot, so turn when he fires, but don't expect him to run out of capacitor. Laser scatterguns means stay outside 400m and refuse to joust.) A trained turret gunner is therefore a hefty advantage in a fight.
It’s also not surprising the hesitance to actually train. People don’t like to work to obtain a skill. They’ve gone to fascinating lengths to avoid training as turret gunners.
“Few AT-6 pilots enjoyed chauffeuring the novice gunners. When guns jammed, instead of landing to swap out the weapon, some pilots ordered their back-seaters to simply jettison ammunition to avoid a prolonged flight, while still giving the student credit for firing the rounds. Once, recalls Dale VanBlair, a former Harlingen student, someone from his barracks experienced an airborne gun jam. “ ‘Throw it over the side,’ ordered his pilot, meaning just the ammunition. But the knucklehead heaved both,” he says.”
I’m curious. 3.14 is with us several months now. Has anyone here gone out specifically to train as a turret gunner or pilot to train someone else? Who has the patience to provide friends with training opportunities?
Apart from my lazy mind its an interesting read
