[CPTAUSRET]

Little history lesson.

When I first started flying gunships we were issued 6lb warheads, they didn't do much, but flew pretty well. Next we were up graded to 10 pounders, did a lot more good but didn't fly as well, then we got 17 pounders (ea equivalent to a 105) they did a great job, but since we were using the same solid propellant nitrocellulose/nitroglycerin 2.75 in rocket body which was originally designed to be fired from fast movers. Their airspeed gave the rockets lot of momentum and inherent stability, as compared to a B model gunship which was overloaded to the point that it wouldn't even hover, and top speed on a target attack never much exceeded 80-85 knots. Sooo, the 17 pounders pretty much blooped out there, and didn't travel very far, thus limiting accurately.

Flying the Cobra helped some with the greater airspeed, perhaps 150 knots in a target attack, and the fact that the cobra held 72 of these beauties, which could all be salvoed in approx 3-6 seconds, this meant that you could be pretty effective with what is an area fire weapon, if you were willing to hang your ass out enough to get close enough that missing was not an issue.

Terry