P61 Crew Stations Questions

dirtysidedown430 · **Joined:** Sat Apr 11, 2015 12:36 pm **Posts:** 336

Was wondering where the AC was and what their calling the radio operator who I guess was also the radar operator, then the gunner was where. Who controlled the upper turret and could it turn 360 and could the guns go up and down. And when they made contact with target how would they close on it. When they opened fire was it radar guided or get close enough for visual fire.

Matt Gunsch · **Posted:** Sat May 23, 2015 2:46 pm

The gunner was located behind and slightly above the pilot, the radar operator was in the rear. The gunner controlled the turret. All attacks were visual, the radar was not advanced enough to control the weapons.

dirtysidedown430 · **Joined:** Sat Apr 11, 2015 12:36 pm **Posts:** 336

Tinknocker · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2015 6:48 am

The radio operator could also control turret and from what I read and speaking with vets the plane mostly flew with only a crew of two. The guns were also fixed forward and the pilot could fire cannons and turret in forward position.

dirtysidedown430 · **Joined:** Sat Apr 11, 2015 12:36 pm **Posts:** 336

Ths for the info. Few more questions, the pilot sat in the front gunner in back both could control all guns. Gunner would operate radar and tell pilot. Now wondering about the 20mm canons. The P39 pilots I have talked to said if you got two rounds out of 20mm you were lucky. So wonder if the canons on the 61 were a drifferent model and work better or no.

gemmer · **Joined:** Fri Mar 16, 2007 7:54 am **Posts:** 311

dirtysidedown430 wrote:

Ths for the info. Few more questions, the pilot sat in the front gunner in back both could control all guns. Gunner would operate radar and tell pilot. Now wondering about the 20mm canons. The P39 pilots I have talked to said if you got two rounds out of 20mm you were lucky. So wonder if the canons on the 61 were a drifferent model and work better or no.

They were almost certainly talking about the 37mm which equipped most P-39s. The 20mm Hispano, while not free of issues, was much more reliable than early versions of the 37 mm.

Duane

Duggy009 · **Joined:** Fri Mar 23, 2012 6:20 pm **Posts:** 304

From here - link -- http://www.axis-and-allies-paintworks.c ... ic.php?420

dirtysidedown430 · **Joined:** Sat Apr 11, 2015 12:36 pm **Posts:** 336

Thank you

Tinknocker · **Posted:** Thu May 28, 2015 6:24 am

The gunner and radio operator/radar operator only had control of upper turret the pilot is only one who had control of the cannons!

gemmer · **Joined:** Fri Mar 16, 2007 7:54 am **Posts:** 311

I always wondered why the gunner had a birdcage canopy to sight through while the radar operator
clear, blown tail cone for sighting.

Duane

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