[={TTU}=Tomcat]

The primary rationale for many .50 cals on US strafers was to "clear the decks" of ships. Meaning to get rid of human beings. Kill 'em, or make them take cover, because in either case those people are unable to man open gun mounts.

They had the secondary effect of causing fires. Fires can cripple a ship, but ships can burn tot he waterline and not sink.

Ideally, hitting a ship with enough .50 cal would cause smoke, but I'd not expect many to sink. I could see the wooden sea truck we have (the "fishing boat" (love to remove the sails, BTW...)) sinking if it could happen slowly though.

Yes but there are no ppl in Il2 exept on guns ^_^