Andrew8604 Posted January 21 Posted January 21 (edited) Working the Anti-aircraft guns aboard a ship in DCS can be a lot of fun. What we had in DCS to date was crude and inaccurate aboard the USS Samuel Chase, attack transport ship. And manning those guns no longer seems possible in DCS. Since ED is producing the F6F Hellcat, which fits in with the Marianas Map and an Essex class carrier of about the 1943 to 1945 time period, I think these gun systems of this era should be modeled in DCS, and fully VR compatible. And I'd like to emphasize the DCS player would man the gun director, not the gun mount ...except for the 20mm mount. When manning a gun director or 20mm mount, AI would operate the remaining guns of that ship, not occupied by players, as well as those of the other ships. I would like to focus my request on the Secondary Battery Guns used for Air Defense by Aircraft Carriers and those ships escorting Aircraft Carriers. This set of Secondary guns were standard on most Battleships, Aircraft Carriers, Cruisers and Destroyers of the 1943-1945 timeframe. So, once simulated in DCS, these guns could be used on most all US Navy combat ships, both in Pacific Theater and Atlantic Theater. There were primarily three types of guns used for air defense in the US Navy. They are: 5-inch/38 These mounts were generally aimed by the Mk 37 Director mount, with range detecting radar. The director would automatically adjust one or more 5-inch mounts in azimuth and elevation to the target with compensation for lead-angle, ballistic drop, pitch and roll of ship and parallax between gun mounts and director positions on the ship. In DCS, a single player could operate the Director. 40mm These mounts were generally aimed by the Mk 51 Director Mount with a mounted Mk 14 Optical Lead-Computing Gyro Sight. The Director would be manned by two director-sight operators, one to steer the sight in azimuth and elevation by handlebars to keep the sight reticle on the target while firing and the other to set the range to target by estimation and relation of tracers to the target. The gun mount crew would then make sure the guns were fed with ammunition. The Mk 51 director is remote from the gun mount, by usually a distance of around 30 feet or so. In DCS, a single player could operate the Director. 20mm These mounts also had a Mk 14 Optical Lead-Computing Gyro Sight directly mounted and were aimed directly by the gunner, with an assistant to help spot targets and set the range to target by estimation and relation of tracers to the target. One or more additional gun crew would attach fresh ammunition magazines as needed. In DCS, a single player could operate the gun mount. I suggest the following classes of ships be modeled in DCS to carry these guns, at least initially... Cleveland Class Light Cruiser - numbers of guns varied from ship to ship, but I would suggest modeling a common arrangement of 6 dual 5-inch directed by 2 Mk 37 Directors; 4 quad 40mm mounts and 4 dual 40mm mounts, each with its own Mk 51 director; and 21 single 20mm mounts. Sumner Class Destroyer - again, numbers of guns varied, but I would suggest modeling 3 dual 5-inch mounts with one Mk 37 Director; 2 quad 40mm mounts and 2 dual 40mm mounts with their Mk 51 Directors; and ten 20mm mounts. Fletcher Class Destroyer - I suggest modeling 5 single 5-inch mounts with one Mk 37 Director; 5 dual 40mm mounts with their Mk 51 Directors; and seven 20mm mounts. There are several more classes of cruisers I like to see modeled, eventually, and of course battleships and carriers. But for now, I think these three (or even one) will be enough to start to escort the carrier(s) in DCS. I only avoid the battleships because the large number of guns (ten dual 5" mounts, 15+ quad 40mm mounts and 50+ 20mm mounts) might swamp our PCs. Also, there would need to be IJN ships and AI aircraft. Edited January 21 by Andrew8604 change a word 2 2
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