Evil_Merlin

My Feedback: (13)

Finally!

Yes, this is the FuG 227, which homed in on the Monica system in the tails of British bombers.

This is only where the story starts.

In July of 1944, a Ju 88G-1 fitted with the 227 landed in England (RAF Woodbridge). As the British investigated the aircraft, they found the FuG 227. When they realized what it was for, they removed the Monicas from ALL RAF aircraft. The only problem was that they now had a LOT of these units laying around. So the Americans bought a bunch of them, renamed them the AN/APS-13.

Which eventually found its way into Little Boy as its radar altimeter.

Ram-bro

My Feedback: (101)

Merlin you Evel genius....good question.

SimonCraig1

Very cryptic.... Funny thing is that I though about the FuG 227 early on then dismissed it as I could only think of active systems being useful in the atomic bomb.

I'm going to throw the question open as I will be AFK for the next two days...

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Well, no one seems anxious to step forward; so I'll have a go. This one should be pretty easy. Thanks; Ernie P.

Question: What warbird do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It wasn’t produced in larger numbers than any other warbird; but it was certainly produced in greater numbers than any other in its class.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

An excellent question, E-M. Not because it was a difficult question to answer ("What warbird was this screw used on?" would be difficult to answer, for example), although it was; but because there was a good reason for asking the question. The question opened up a story; and the story taught us something. Thanks! Ernie P.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Last clue for tonight. Thanks; Ernie P.

Question: What warbird do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It wasn’t produced in larger numbers than any other warbird; but it was certainly produced in greater numbers than any other in its class.

(2) In production longer than any other warbird produced by its host nation.

Ram-bro

My Feedback: (101)

Corsair

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Nope. The Corsair was in production for 10 years. This warbird was in production much longer. Thanks; Ernie P.

da Rock

C-47

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Nope, sorry. Only one military aircraft was in production longer than this one. Thanks; Ernie P.

Question: What warbird do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It wasn’t produced in larger numbers than any other warbird; but it was certainly produced in greater numbers than any other in its class.

(2) In production longer than any other warbird produced by its host nation.

(3) It served as very much a “jack of all trades” airplane.

uncljoe

My Feedback: (8)

P 80/T 33 Shooting star

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

No; sorry, uncljoe. One of the things I like about this plane is it somehow stayed very much in the background for a long, long time. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It wasn’t produced in larger numbers than any other warbird; but it was certainly produced in greater numbers than any other in its class.

(2) In production longer than any other warbird produced by its host nation.

(3) It served as very much a “jack of all trades” airplane.

(4) It was truly a mule; serving in every role from ground attack to reconnaissance to trainer to liason to cropdusting.

mobyal

Cessna Bird Dog?

cfircav8r

My Feedback: (1)

Bell 47?

Experten109/40

My Feedback: (-1)

The P-35 Seversky

Ram-bro

My Feedback: (101)

Cub

Mk23socom

My Feedback: (7)

Polikarpov Po-2 or U-2

It is the second most produced aircraft, and the most produced biplane, in the history of aviation. More than 40,000 Po-2s were built between 1928 and 1953. It remained in production for a longer period of time than any other Soviet-era aircraft.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

No correct answers thus far. I'll hurry the clues, so as to get some one else in the seat. Hint: Clue (4) is a giveaway. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It wasn’t produced in larger numbers than any other warbird; but it was certainly produced in greater numbers than any other in its class.

(2) In production longer than any other warbird produced by its host nation.

(3) It served as very much a “jack of all trades” airplane.

(4) It was truly a mule; serving in every role from ground attack to reconnaissance to trainer to liason to cropdusting.

(5) It was noted for being simple, reliable and forgiving.

Mk23socom

My Feedback: (7)

Polikarpov Po-2 or U-2

It is the second most produced aircraft, and the most produced biplane, in the history of aviation. More than 40,000 Po-2s were built between 1928 and 1953. It remained in production for a longer period of time than any other Soviet-era aircraft.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner. Sorry I missed your post initially, we posted at the same time. It's kind of hard to believe a 1928 biplane would stay in active use, and production, until 1953.

You're up, Mk23socom. Thanks; Ernie P.


Polikarpov U-2 (Po-2)
The Polikarpov U-2 or Po-2 served as a general-purpose Soviet biplane, nicknamed Kukuruznik (Russian: Кукурузник, from Russian "kukuruza" (кукуруза) for maize; thus, 'maize duster' or 'crop duster'), NATO reporting name of "Mule". The reliable, uncomplicated and forgiving aircraft served as a trainer and crop-duster in peacetime as well as a low-cost ground attack, aerial reconnaissance, psychological warfare and liaison aircraft during war, proving to be one of the most versatile light combat types to be built in USSR. It is the second most produced aircraft, and the most produced biplane, in the history of aviation. More than 40,000 Po-2s were built between 1928 and 1953. It remained in production for a longer period of time than any other Soviet-era aircraft.

Mk23socom

My Feedback: (7)

The M2 .50 caliber machine gun was used both in the ground forces and the air forces alike, however; the two machine guns, while of the same design differed in a couple of ways. This difference made the firing rates of both gun systems, quite different. The ground force version fired from 450-575rpm while the aircraft version was able to acheive 750-800rpm.

Question part 1:
What was the reason these aircraft guns were able to fire at a higher rate even though they were essentially the same thing??

Question part 2:
There were some MGs that were able to fire even faster than the already fast rate of the aircraft MGs, they also were mounted on aircraft but what made them able to increase the firing rate!?

Bonus!
What was the firing rate of the MGs from question part 2 and what were they used on?

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Essentially, the rate of fire is determined by required durability; which is controlled by available cooling and type of barrel used. Aircraft units are exposed to the airstream, and can thus cool more quickly and maintain a heavier rate of fire. Essentially, the standard units fired at 450 - 575 RPM; aircraft units at 750 - 850 RPM; and the AN/M3, using a mechanical or electrically-boosted feed mechanism to increase the rate of fire to around 1,200 rounds per minute. Thanks; Ernie P.

Part 1: Cooling from the airstream and the lighter barrel.
Part 2: Boosted feed mechanism.
Part 3: 1,200 RPM. The AN/M3 was widely used in Korea on such planes as the F-86 Sabre and in Vietnam in the XM14/SUU-12/A gun pod, and currently in the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano.

The M2 has varying cyclic rates of fire, depending upon the model. The M2HB (heavy barrel) air-cooled ground gun has a cyclic rate of 450-575 rounds per minute.[8] The early M2 water-cooled AA guns had a cyclic rate of around 450-600 rpm.[9] The AN/M2 aircraft gun has a cyclic rate of 750-850 rpm; this increases to 1,200 rpm or more for AN/M3 aircraft guns fitted with electric or mechanical feed boost mechanisms.[10] These maximum rates of fire are generally not achieved in use, as sustained fire at that rate will wear out the bore within a few thousand rounds, necessitating replacement. For the M2HB, slow fire is less than 40 rounds per minute and rapid fire more than 40 rounds per minute.[11]

The basic M2 was deployed in US service in a number of subvariants, all with separate complete designations as per the US Army system. The basic designation as mentioned in the introduction is Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, with others as described below.

The development of the M1921 water-cooled machine gun which led to the M2, meant that the initial M2s were in fact water-cooled. These weapons were designated Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, Water-Cooled, Flexible. There was no fixed water-cooled version.

Improved air-cooled heavy barrel versions came in three subtypes. The basic infantry model, Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, Flexible, a fixed developed for use on the M6 Heavy Tank designated Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, Fixed, and a "turret type" whereby "Flexible" M2s were modified slightly for use in tank turrets. The subvariant designation Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, TT was only used for manufacturing, supply, and administration identification and separation from flexible M2s.

A number of additional subvariants were developed after the end of the Second World War. The Caliber .50 Machine Gun, Browning, M2, Heavy Barrel, M48 Turret Type was developed for the commander's cupola on the M48 Patton tank. The cupola mount on the M48A2 and M48A3 was thoroughly disliked by most tankers, as it proved unreliable in service.[43] An externally-mounted M2 was later adopted for the commander's position on the M1 Abrams tanks. Three subvariants were also developed for use by the US Navy on a variety of ships and watercraft. These included the Caliber .50 Machine Gun, Browning, M2, Heavy Barrel, Soft Mount (Navy) and the Caliber .50 Machine Gun, Browning, M2, Heavy Barrel, Fixed Type (Navy). The fixed types fire from a solenoid trigger and come in left or right hand feed variants for use on the Mk 56 Mod 0 dual mount and other mounts.

The M2 machine gun was widely used during World War II and in later postwar conflicts as a remote or flexible aircraft gun. For fixed (offensive) or flexible (defensive) guns used in aircraft, a dedicated M2 version was developed called the .50 Browning AN/M2. The "AN" stands for "Army/Navy", since the gun was developed jointly for use by both services (unusual for the time, when the delineations between the Army and Navy were much stricter, and relations between armed services were often cool, if not down-right hostile[citation needed]). The AN/M2 had a cyclic rate of 750–850 rounds per minute, with the ability to be fired from an electrically-operated remote-mount solenoid trigger when installed as a fixed gun. Cooled by the aircraft's slip-stream, the air-cooled AN/M2 was fitted with a substantially lighter barrel, which also had the effect of increasing the rate of fire. The official designation for this weapon was Browning Machine Gun, Aircraft, Cal. .50, AN/M2 (Fixed) or (Flexible). During World War II, a faster-firing .50-inch aircraft Browning was developed, the AN/M3, using a mechanical or electrically-boosted feed mechanism to increase the rate of fire to around 1,200 rounds per minute. The AN/M3 was widely used in Korea on such planes as the F-86 Sabre and in Vietnam in the XM14/SUU-12/A gun pod, and currently in the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano.

The XM296/M296 is a further development of the AN/M2 machine gun for remote firing applications, and is currently only used in an armament system for the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter. The M296 differs from previous remote firing variants in that it has adjustable maximum firing rate (500–850 rpm), while lacking a bolt latch (allowing single-shot operation).[45] As an air-cooled aircraft gun used aboard a relatively slow rotary-wing aircraft, the M296 has a burst restriction rate of 50 rounds per minute; combat firing which exceeds this limit mandates a ten-minute cooling period to avoid malfunctions due to overheating.[46]

Mk23socom

My Feedback: (7)

Spot on! You have dashed my hopes of feeling smart quite expertly sir!! Perhaps I made that one too easy..

Ernie P., you are on the clock!

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Thank you, Sir. Your question was perhaps not so easy as it appeared. But a few questions back, the answer involved the M2. I took the time to review the M2's history. We all know something; and when the question is about that something, it's easy to look good. Thanks; Ernie P.



Background: This is a simple question; but it involves a warbird with a rather twisted history and a very convoluted background.

The lineage began with a record breaking civilian aircraft, aircraft #1; from which was derived a military aircraft, aircraft #2.

From the military aircraft (#2) was derived a civilian aircraft, aircraft #3.

From civilian aircraft #3 was derived a military aircraft, aircraft #4.

From civilain aircraft #3 another country also built a militarized version, aircraft #5.

From aircraft #5 was developed the warbird aircraft # 6 which is the subject of this question.



Question: What warbird do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It began the war flying for the country that built it. It was then flown by a second government; then by yet a third; and ended up it’s history running errands for a bunch of partisan guys without a formal government.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

A final clue for the evening. Thanks; Ernie P.



Background: This is a simple question; but it involves a warbird with a rather twisted history and a very convoluted background.

The lineage began with a record breaking civilian aircraft, aircraft #1; from which was derived a military aircraft, aircraft #2.

From the military aircraft (#2) was derived a civilian aircraft, aircraft #3.

From civilian aircraft #3 was derived a military aircraft, aircraft #4.

From civilain aircraft #3 another country also built a militarized version, aircraft #5.

From aircraft #5 was developed the warbird aircraft # 6 which is the subject of this question.


Question: What warbird do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It began the war flying for the country that built it. It was then flown by a second government; then by yet a third; and ended up it’s history running errands for a bunch of partisan guys without a formal government.

(2) It was an all metal biplane.