B-52 tail gun

[upyr1]

It would be nice to have a B-52 with a tail gun 

[Tank50us]

While I do agree, the reality is that after the '91 Gulf War all of the BUFFs lost the Tail Gun since it didn't do much good anyway. It would however be nice to have various options for tail guns and nose and engine configurations to represent the B52 throughout its service life.

[upyr1]

53 minutes ago, Tank50us said:

While I do agree, the reality is that after the '91 Gulf War all of the BUFFs lost the Tail Gun since it didn't do much good anyway. It would however be nice to have various options for tail guns and nose and engine configurations to represent the B52 throughout its service life.

The tail gun might not be that useful, but if I am flying a MiG-19 and I am trying to intercept a BUFF on a mission set in 1960, I want them trying to shoot me down not Marty and Doc Brown flying a 2000s upgrade

[bies]

15 hours ago, Tank50us said:

While I do agree, the reality is that after the '91 Gulf War all of the BUFFs lost the Tail Gun since it didn't do much good anyway. It would however be nice to have various options for tail guns and nose and engine configurations to represent the B52 throughout its service life.

This was true, obviously in 1991 tail gun wasn't particularly useful, but it was because B-52 was already badly outdated during those times. It could rely only on total alled air dominance to operate. Or to be used to lauch very long range cruise missiles from way outside any enemy SAM reach.

During 1950s or even early-mid 1960s tail gun was considered very useful significantly increasing difficulty for enemy interceptors. It was only in Vietnam late 1960s tail gun started to be less and less relevant as interceptors became flying high supersonic speed, using first early guided missiles and early radars.

[upyr1]

8 hours ago, bies said:

This was true, obviously in 1991 tail gun wasn't particularly useful, but it was because B-52 was already badly outdated during those times. It could rely only on total alled air dominance to operate. Or to be used to lauch very long range cruise missiles from way outside any enemy SAM reach.

During 1950s or even early-mid 1960s tail gun was considered very useful significantly increasing difficulty for enemy interceptors. It was only in Vietnam late 1960s tail gun started to be less and less relevant as interceptors became flying high supersonic speed, using first early guided missiles and early radars.

B-52 gunners shotdown two MiGs during the Vietnam war, and IMHO effectiveness debates aside there is historical accuracy. 

[MickV]

+1

Having the Tu-22M available in the mission editor really adds another dimension for Cold War-era bomber intercept scenarios. It would be nice to have a BluFor option along the same lines - especially with the F-4 on its way. 

Chasing a B-52 in a MiG-19 or MiG-21 will be waaaaay more interesting with a radar-guided gun keeping you from just casually sliding up to 6 o'clock and then blasting it out of the sky.

[upyr1]

1 hour ago, MickV said:

+1

Having the Tu-22M available in the mission editor really adds another dimension for Cold War-era bomber intercept scenarios. It would be nice to have a BluFor option along the same lines - especially with the F-4 on its way. 

Chasing a B-52 in a MiG-19 or MiG-21 will be waaaaay more interesting with a radar-guided gun keeping you from just casually sliding up to 6 o'clock and then blasting it out of the sky.

It would be awesome to have the buff open fire as you Try to bring them down

[Mogster]

https://www.airforcemag.com/article/0112gunners/

Quote

The B-52 Gunners

By Peter Grier

Jan. 1, 2012

From his gunner position in the back of the bomber, SSgt. Samuel O. Turner detected the enemy fighter just before it began its firing pass.

The attacker came in from below and behind, climbing quickly, while a second bogey lingered in the distance to observe the coming combat. The wrangle did not last long. As the fighter came within range Turner fired a six-second burst from his tail guns—about 700 rounds.

6 seconds is a long time to pull the trigger 

Edited July 24, 2022 by Mogster

[Evoman]

If anyone has ever played War Thunder you can get a pretty good sense of how approaching aircraft with tail guns makes it a bit more challenging and thrilling. 

Which made me wonder if some of the WWII AI aircraft have working AI turrent and tail guns?