P51D Reccomended Ammo type

[SirGoonda]

Sup fellas. I personally use stealth belts because I love being able to shoot early in head ons and suprise people even more when I pounce on them. Just was wondering how effective tracer belts are and if ground target belts are even worth it. Any comments are very much appreciated thanks!

[Eftwyrd]

tracer belts are pure API-T which is your best ammo type

[J.C. Laminar]

Tracer belts might have couple of unrealistic disadvantages while the ground target ones seems quite plausable. Eitherway they'll let the enemy prevent you from surprising them.

At M2 brownings, try using ground or universal belts since they both contain quite a decent amount of armour piercing bullets. That can help atleast on pilot knockouts even on 109s.

At M3 brownings, use the tracer belts mostly. they contain the incendiary bullets alongside a full set of armour piercings. That can kill and pretty much eat anything it comes on its path.

[Eftwyrd]

Originally posted by AIR Maverick:

Tracer belts might have couple of unrealistic disadvantages while the ground target ones seems quite plausable. Eitherway they'll let the enemy prevent you from surprising them.

At M2 brownings, try using ground or universal belts since they both contain quite a decent amount of armour piercing bullets. That can help atleast on pilot knockouts even on 109s.

At M3 brownings, use the tracer belts mostly. they contain the incendiary bullets alongside a full set of armour piercings. That can kill and pretty much eat anything it comes on its path.

there are 2 versions of the M2 which differ in ammo selection

m2/early doesnt have pure API-T so the universal is best as you said

m2/late which is what OP has on his p51d gets pure API-T in its tracer belt so you should be using that

[J.C. Laminar]

Originally posted by Eftwyrd:

Originally posted by AIR Maverick:

Tracer belts might have couple of unrealistic disadvantages while the ground target ones seems quite plausable. Eitherway they'll let the enemy prevent you from surprising them.

At M2 brownings, try using ground or universal belts since they both contain quite a decent amount of armour piercing bullets. That can help atleast on pilot knockouts even on 109s.

At M3 brownings, use the tracer belts mostly. they contain the incendiary bullets alongside a full set of armour piercings. That can kill and pretty much eat anything it comes on its path.

there are 2 versions of the M2 which differ in ammo selection

m2/early doesnt have pure API-T so the universal is best as you said

m2/late which is what OP has on his p51d gets pure API-T in its tracer belt so you should be using that

The ones on the P-47 you mean?, I thought i was only the M3. Thanks for remind me though.

[EDIT]: On M2/early if there is one to easily determine that, Ground targets or universal could both be good at taking out aircrafts too since they rack alot of armour piercing bullets.

[Eftwyrd]

Originally posted by AIR Maverick:

Originally posted by Eftwyrd:

there are 2 versions of the M2 which differ in ammo selection

m2/early doesnt have pure API-T so the universal is best as you said

m2/late which is what OP has on his p51d gets pure API-T in its tracer belt so you should be using that

The ones on the P-47 you mean?, I thought i was only the M3. Thanks for remind me though.

yes the m2/late is unfortunatly not distinguishable from the early just from the statcard, they both just say '12.7mm M2 browning'. but the p47s, p51s, f4u4, f8f1 and f80a5 all get the version with better ammo

[Rumpelcrutchskin]

I use stealth, the API-T lightshow is pointless, all it does is warn the one you are shooting and they can dodge. Also head-ons are far more effective with stealth.
I used to use API-T as well but after switching to stealth there was far more kills with Mustangs and Thunderbolts.

[J.C. Laminar]

Originally posted by Rumpelcrutchskin:

I use stealth, the API-T lightshow is pointless, all it does is warn the one you are shooting and they can dodge. Also head-ons are far more effective with stealth.
I used to use API-T as well but after switching to stealth there was far more kills with Mustangs and Thunderbolts.

Well you can overcome the high ping disease with the tracer belt since atleast the enemy will die alot quickly and when it's night. GOD its soo beautiful that it means that i'm watching a star wars film i've never seen. Its utterly beautiful like its a lazer in space.

[Eftwyrd]

Originally posted by Rumpelcrutchskin:

I use stealth, the API-T lightshow is pointless, all it does is warn the one you are shooting and they can dodge. Also head-ons are far more effective with stealth.
I used to use API-T as well but after switching to stealth there was far more kills with Mustangs and Thunderbolts.

i guess the diffrence between us is i dont try to head on...

while the element of surprise from stealth is great and all with wing mounted guns i tend to have them harmonized to 400m range so by the time i open up theyve either spotted me and are already evading or havnt and are as good as dead

[Chaoslink]

It somewhat comes down to preference. I have a lot more success with stealth belts than any other. That extra second it takes an enemy to realize you’re opening up already can be the difference between only a few hits and over a dozen.

However, play style and situations can affect your ideal belts. When I fly the BF 109 F-2 (I think) I always load the 15mm gun with full AP ground belts. Even against aircraft. I use it for ground strikes, but have gotten rather good at engine sniping with those 15mm guns. I’d definitely argue there is no “best” belt to use simply because each has its use.

[J.C. Laminar]

Originally posted by Chaoslink:

It somewhat comes down to preference. I have a lot more success with stealth belts than any other. That extra second it takes an enemy to realize you’re opening up already can be the difference between only a few hits and over a dozen.

However, play style and situations can affect your ideal belts. When I fly the BF 109 F-2 (I think) I always load the 15mm gun with full AP ground belts. Even against aircraft. I use it for ground strikes, but have gotten rather good at engine sniping with those 15mm guns. I’d definitely argue there is no “best” belt to use simply because each has its use.

WO WO WO! HOLD IT RIGHT THERE.. did you just said that AP bullets can damage engines?

[EDIT]: Shouldn't the incendiary bullets damage the engine since it'll heat it up more than it'll just penetrate the useless bit of the engine that'll make no difference?. I'm massively confused.

[Chaoslink]

Originally posted by AIR Maverick:

Originally posted by Chaoslink:

It somewhat comes down to preference. I have a lot more success with stealth belts than any other. That extra second it takes an enemy to realize you’re opening up already can be the difference between only a few hits and over a dozen.

However, play style and situations can affect your ideal belts. When I fly the BF 109 F-2 (I think) I always load the 15mm gun with full AP ground belts. Even against aircraft. I use it for ground strikes, but have gotten rather good at engine sniping with those 15mm guns. I’d definitely argue there is no “best” belt to use simply because each has its use.

WO WO WO! HOLD IT RIGHT THERE.. did you just said that AP bullets can damage engines?

[EDIT]: Shouldn't the incendiary bullets damage the engine since it'll heat it up more than it'll just penetrate the useless bit of the engine that'll make no difference?. I'm massively confused.

*shrug*

Might be true might not. In my experience with this plane specifically, I knock out engines frequently. Not always resulting in fires, but a plane with no engine is not very combat effective, especially for very long.

[Intrspace]

Originally posted by Eftwyrd:

Originally posted by AIR Maverick:

Tracer belts might have couple of unrealistic disadvantages while the ground target ones seems quite plausable. Eitherway they'll let the enemy prevent you from surprising them.

At M2 brownings, try using ground or universal belts since they both contain quite a decent amount of armour piercing bullets. That can help atleast on pilot knockouts even on 109s.

At M3 brownings, use the tracer belts mostly. they contain the incendiary bullets alongside a full set of armour piercings. That can kill and pretty much eat anything it comes on its path.

there are 2 versions of the M2 which differ in ammo selection

m2/early doesnt have pure API-T so the universal is best as you said

m2/late which is what OP has on his p51d gets pure API-T in its tracer belt so you should be using that

Actually there are three versions of the M2.
The early variant (on planes such as P-36, P-40) lack API and AP-T bullets and instead contain dedicated AP and T bullets.
The middle variant (P-38, F4U) has API over the early belts, but not API-T.
The late variant (P-47, P-51) contains all of the above plus API-T.

[J.C. Laminar]

Originally posted by Intrspace:

Actually there are three versions of the M2.
The early variant (on planes such as P-36, P-40) lack API and AP-T bullets and instead contain dedicated AP and T bullets.
The middle variant (P-38, F4U) has API over the early belts, but not API-T.
The late variant (P-47, P-51) contains all of the above plus API-T.

Why can't they just label them on the aircraft menu in the first place?

[Intrspace]

Your mum is frowned upon

[SirGoonda]

Welcome back I guess lol