Didn't know about the Tuskegee, thanks. As for the size, I just looked at the space between pilot and co-pilot in pictures. With a -17 the pilot can stick his finger in the co's ear without stretching. A friend who worked at NASM got me into Enola Gay once. Chills.
The six 50s was pretty common with P40s & P51s…Spitfires and Hurricanes typically had 8 .303s going more for hitting likelyhood rather than hitting power…(my preference would be 4 .303s for spotting and two 20mm for,hitting power). This P40 has all it guns in the centre…meaning you don’t have to fire at a certain distance in relation to the angles of the guns setting.
Some of the aircraft with wing mounted .50s had an interesting set-up, echeloned for maximum space utilization.
An interesting side note. When a 50 cal was removed for service and the plane was set to fly without it, an oak block weighted with lead was placed in its spot. Weight and balance you know.
It’s said ; You strap in a plane, You strap On a P47. If you ever get the chance to sit in a Fighter take it ! You’ll understand.
That's what many (most?) Spitfires ended up with after the first year or so of the war. Other options were two 20s and two 0.5" as the British termed them or four 20mm. Hurricanes jumped up to twelve .303s and then four 20mm.
.Ball turret simulator to train up new bomber turret gunners. Note the rails on the floor - this is where targets would move for the gunners to track.
This is a more : Something Really post. I consider myself a 'Middle of the Road' kinda person but Judas Priest ! I'll continue to carry on in my capacity as best I can but sometimes things just slap ya silly. "Trump Names Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson and Jon Voight as ‘Special Ambassadors’ to ‘Troubled’ Hollywood: They’ll Bring ‘Lost Business’ Back"
I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it. Just got word another good Friend - Best Bud- childhood comrade died. Two thirds of my childhood friends are gone and I'm not sure rather to be happy to be alive to remember them or sad I'm still here to remember them. On a positive, Allan was someone you looked up to. He was popular, funny, everybody's friend and if you needed - could hook you up with some "Good Shit"! Jamaican Gold comes to mind. Or something like that, I forget. But that was a long time ago. Way back in the last Century. Welp, tomorrow is another day and by god I'm going to do what feels right, whether it's right or wrong.
Don't cheat yourself out of a chance at the golden ring. I met my soulmate in 2010. Fourth time was the charm. (Two died, one AWOL and good riddance.)
I have that Go!den Ring sitting four feet to my right. 51years 1 month 2weeks and we're still together. Only got bit once. Actually stabbed in the heart but that was another time another place. I've almost almost forgotten her name.
I was way too wild to get married until I was in my late thirties. I scared a lot of people, including potential mates. Had fun and matured along the way so I made good choices when it came time. 3 out of 4 were good ones. The other one was hell on wheels, so that was both entertaining and educational.