PV-1 Nightfighter

[spence]

VMF(N)-531 flew the PV-1 Ventura equipped with an air intercept radar as a nightfighter. I found a photo (actually several) which show the noses of some of these PV-1s and it looks to me that the armament which may include a pair of 20mm guns. The CHS database shows the plane with 2 x .50 cal and 2 x .30 cal in the nose (I didn't check Stock). The aircraft commonly carried a "gun pack" of 3 additional .50 cal in its daytime incarnation. It would seem logical to upgun the "factory" version from its 2 x .50 cal but adding only 2 x .30 cal doesn't make a lot of sense. In any case here is a picture. The muzzles of the the two outboard guns look way too big to be .50 cals. The inboard guns do look like .30 cal. (the planes retain the 2 x .50 cal on the upper deck of the nose).

[Feinder]

Boy, ol' Gertie looks like he woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
 
Cheer up old boy, they'll give you a P-61 next year!

[JeffroK]

The barrels may have flash suppressors on them, I didnt think the USN or USAAF were big fans of the 20mm until late war.

[spence]

Well they won't give him a P-61 since he's a "jarhead" but that's really a never mind. I've seen and fired the .50 cal AA MG and those barrels are considerably bigger than that. BUORD may not have been all that fired up over 20mm but the boys at the point of the spear may well have had a different opinion. The squadron (VMF(N)-531), which is included in WitP, was unique. If some field modification changed their factory installed armament I figure it out to be represented correctly in the game.

[Terminus]

This is how the nightfighter PV-1 will look in AE. I'm sure the 30-cals you thought fired forwards in CHS probably fired backwards.

[Terminus]

BTW, I don't know what aircraft "Gertie" was, but its nose looks far too flat to be a Ventura.

[goodboyladdie]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

This is how the nightfighter PV-1 will look in AE. I'm sure the 30-cals you thought fired forwards in CHS probably fired backwards.

Thanks for the the peek T. I SOOOOOOO want this game. Hopefully I'll get it for Christmas...

[goodboyladdie]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

BTW, I don't know what aircraft "Gertie" was, but its nose looks far too flat to be a Ventura.

The fuselage is deep enough. I think the poster who stated that it was a field mod was right.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

This is how the nightfighter PV-1 will look in AE. I'm sure the 30-cals you thought fired forwards in CHS probably fired backwards.

what does "serv rating" (5-15) days mean? One mission and it will take 5-15 days until the aircraft will be ready for the next mission?

[Terminus]

ORIGINAL: goodboyladdie

Thanks for the the peek T. I SOOOOOOO want this game. Hopefully I'll get it for Christmas...

No problem. Oh, and just to head off the obvious question, people are hard at work at this thing. It's taken longer than anybody expected, but it's definitely going to happen.

[TheElf]

ORIGINAL: castor troy

ORIGINAL: Terminus

This is how the nightfighter PV-1 will look in AE. I'm sure the 30-cals you thought fired forwards in CHS probably fired backwards.

what does "serv rating" (5-15) days mean? One mission and it will take 5-15 days until the aircraft will be ready for the next mission?

Service Rating is how we assign "Maintainability".

Certain A/C required more man hours per flight hour in the hangar. In this case 5-15 days is equivalent to a Service rating of 2. The PV-1 is twin Radial engine A/C. when it becomes damaged, either by Combat or operations/fatigue, or regular maintenance requirements, the game will check for it's repair randomly between 5 and 15 days. So as you might imagine, the higher the Service rating the more time that type will spend with the wrench turners.

[FeurerKrieg]

Data End Mau 29, 1946

Cool.

Many check boxes for type (Amphibian, Attack bomber, Light bomber, etc)

Cool.

Service Rating

Very Cool.

What looks like a very easy to use editor

Massive super coolness!!!

[Dili]

Many check boxes for type (Amphibian, Attack bomber, Light bomber, etc)

Hmm can i put bombs in a transport aircraft if i tick the light bomber box? that will be good for old types that had mixed mission capability.

This is how the nightfighter PV-1 will look in AE.

I am seeing crew is only two is that supposed to be that way?

[JeffroK]

[X(]
 
I have this fear that its going to take a week IRL to play 1 day of AE!!

[jwilkerson]

ORIGINAL: JeffK

[X(]

I have this fear that its going to take a week IRL to play 1 day of AE!!

hahaha - be careful what you wish for!!!
[:D]

[m10bob]

PV 1 Nightfighter

http://home.inreach.com/trinity/VMFA-531%20History.html

[spence]

Seems there's a text page with some illustrations and photos and then a photo page with some text

This is the photo page:

http://home.inreach.com/trinity/photos/ ... ra-01.html

Several of the aircrafts' photos show the alternate "gun pack" of 2 x .30 cal and 2 x 20mm(?) in the nose (along with the standard 2 x .50 cal).

[Zakhal]

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson

ORIGINAL: JeffK

[X(]

I have this fear that its going to take a week IRL to play 1 day of AE!!

hahaha - be careful what you wish for!!!
[:D]

PacWar3: You have to use virtual wrench to repair each plane yourself.

I dont mind extra detail as long as it doesnt slow down the game itself. WITP is too slow allready. I just want a good flowing pacwar like the original - not a one where I need to micromanage each detail daily for irl years on. I dont want to die of old age before I get to 1945 in my first game.

Very nice looking nightfighter and editor though.