Might be a silly thought....

[ShuRugal]

So, yesterday I found myself in the pit of a p-51 flying a sandbox-ish mission with some mates from the SimHQ servers. Had an absolute blast, but I did encounter one slight problem: the armament on the P-51 is, essentially, useless for anything harder than a shilka. HVARs are good for infantry and BTR-80s (if you get a square hit) but the M-2s might as well be putting out confetti for all the good they do.

 

So I did myself some brainstorming and number crunching, and found out that a pair of 2A42s with 300 rounds weighs the same as 6 M-2s with 1880 rounds.

 

This may be pushing things a bit, but I thought it might be nifty to come up with a 'modernizing' project for the Mustang to make it genuinely useful in a CAS/COIN role against modern hardware. I know that in the '60s, Cavalier undertook such a project and came up with the F-51D, so it is not as if the idea is entirely without a real-world precedent.

 

This aircraft is an absolute blast to fly, and is surprisingly survivable in a modern CAS environment: the only times i hit the ground were when i failed to manage my power correctly and cooked the engine. The only thing it lacks to be properly effective is bite.

Edited May 6, 2014 by ShuRugal

[dooom]

i can kill t80 with the bombs. pretty fun actually.

[Sceptre]

I agree, the P-51 could be fitted with a RWR, flares and gunpods for ground attack and it would be a very formidable weapon. Dodging missiles at the moment is really fun though :D

[HotTom]

BTR-80s are easy to kill with your machine guns...I do it every day.

 

But the idea of hanging all kinds of fantasy weapons on an historical simulation just strikes me as wrong in a study sim...let's stick to what modelling really was,huh?

 

:doh:

Edited May 6, 2014 by HotTom

[NineLine]

BTR-80s are easy to kill with your machine guns...I do it every day.

 

But the idea of hanging all kinds of fantasy weapons on an historical simulation suggests you are a gamer, not a simmer...let's stick to what modelling really was,huh?

 

:doh:

 

 

Lets also try to discuss things without labeling people.

[docfu]

6 Gau-8's and an turbo charger to make sure she gets off the ground...

[HotTom]

Lets also try to discuss things without labeling people.

 

You are correct.

 

I edited my post.

 

:book:

[joey45]

Adding some rocket pods maybe.....

[RagnarDa]

I have wanted smoke markers as long as I have had the P-51. It would make it way more useful in MP.

[NineLine]

I thought I read somewhere that the P-51D could carry 1000lbs on each wing, although I dont think it ever did in combat... that could add a little extra punch :)

[SkateZilla]

I thought I read somewhere that the P-51D could carry 1000lbs on each wing, although I dont think it ever did in combat... that could add a little extra punch :)

 

using 907kg on 2 hardpoints was just not feasible, it removed the HVAR Rockets,

During their service, HVAR was more useful than 2x 1000lb'ers

[NineLine]

using 907kg on 2 hardpoints was just not feasible, it removed the HVAR Rockets,

During their service, HVAR was more useful than 2x 1000lb'ers

 

 

Well I could find a use for 2 1000lb'ers :)

[ShuRugal]

BTR-80s are easy to kill with your machine guns...I do it every day.

 

But the idea of hanging all kinds of fantasy weapons on an historical simulation just strikes me as wrong in a study sim...let's stick to what modelling really was,huh?

 

:doh:

 

who said anything about fantasy weapons? And exactly which historical simulation are you referring to, because it isn't DCS in it's present state. When the P-51 has a collection of WW2 era units to fight against, -then- we can call it a historical simulation. But so long as the aircraft must be pitted against modern hardware, it makes perfect sense to refit it with modern weapons. There's in a real-world precedent: The Cavalier Mustang II, which served in the Dominican Republic until 1984, was a refit of surplus Mustangs in 1967.

[HotTom]

who said anything about fantasy weapons? And exactly which historical simulation are you referring to, because it isn't DCS in it's present state. When the P-51 has a collection of WW2 era units to fight against, -then- we can call it a historical simulation. But so long as the aircraft must be pitted against modern hardware, it makes perfect sense to refit it with modern weapons. There's in a real-world precedent: The Cavalier Mustang II, which served in the Dominican Republic until 1984, was a refit of surplus Mustangs in 1967.

 

First: The "WWII era units" are coming so let's stick to WWII. Right now, in DCS World, I leave the tanks alone (because they will use their main guns to fire on you very accurately, which -- as an ex-armor officer -- I seriously question; I've never seen or heard of it done); attack the BMP-1s but not -2s or -3s (same reason: main guns way too accurate) with guns; attack the BRDMs, BTR-80s, missile launchers and, of course, trucks with guns and the SPHs with HVARs (too much armor for guns). There are plenty of ground targets that can be killed with existing P-51D ordnance right now. It's a target-rich environment!

 

Second: Yes, I am aware of the Cavalier but there were only about 20 built and they came along two decades after WWII was over and were used only by a couple of third-world air forces (the term "pissant" comes to mind;)). As I read it. the whole point of "WWII Europe 1944" is to build a quality sim that represents that era accurately. If some third party wants to build a Cavalier and DCS approves it, fine, but let's not detract time and effort away from the WWII P-51D. Keep your eyes on the prize!

 

:smartass:

Edited May 6, 2014 by HotTom