"Emmanuel Gustin" wrote:
wrote:

What would be more effective for strafing -- An F-51 with it's six
50-calibers or an A-1 with its four 20 mm cannon?

If the A-1 had four 20 mm cannon (originally two) this
was in no small part because of the feedback designer
Ed Heinemann had been given on the relative merits of
the 20 mm vs. .50 for strafing during his tour of the Pacific
in WWII. The A-1 incorporated quite a lot of this kind
of user feedback -- probably this was an unique example
of aircrew opinion have more influence on a design than
official specifications.

A wicked video of the A-1's four 20 mm in action he

http://skyraider.org/hook/movies.htm

My father also had a great story about playing a deadly
"cat & mouse" game with a NVN grunt -- literally toying with
then greasing him in his tracks -- using the A-1's slow speed,
great maneuverability and four cannon.

Of course, the F-51 was a poor choice for ground strafing
altogether; much too vulnerable.

Righto.

-Mike Marron