Cloudsdale was no longer a pegasi hub for weather control. Shortly after the war had started, it became a giant, mobile airbase. Among the changes that the city experienced was the change in population. No longer was the population all pegasi. Now, the city welcomed earth ponies and unicorns, all of which served or worked with the military.
Inside the city, pegasi milled about in anticipation for the next offensive. One particular cyan pegasus was playing with the gear that she was issued. She was part of the Equestrian Royal Flying Corps and was a member of the Dragon Hunters, a highly esteemed dogfighting group. To be more specific, she was the most experienced dogfighter of the Dragon Hunters.
Dogfighting was a very dangerous art as both sides had an equal capability of killing each other. For both sides, the average aerial dogfighter's life expectancy was 11 days. This specific pegasus had survived the entirety of the war since it had started. Considered a hero among her peers, Rainbow Dash was just as cocky as she ever was. Since she survived seventy times longer than the average pegasus, her boasts weren't lies (most of the time).
One of the benefits of having survived so long was that she could customize her gear as she wanted.
The standard uniform of the Equestrian armed forces was a dark brown jacket with dark brown pants. This uniform was meant for dealing with the cold, nothing else. An optional aviators cap and goggles were also available to be worn, the latter being useful for keeping the wind from attacking your eyes. Over the uniform, ponies would have to wear a set of canvas webbing gear. This webbing composed of multiple pouches and pockets meant for carrying ammunition and gear.
Rainbow Dash's uniform was bright cyan (the same as her coat) instead of the required dark brown. Her webbed gear, also cyan, had half the normal number of pouches and pockets. While this meant she could carry a very limited amount of ammo, she was weighed down far less than anypony else. For her, speed was key.
Her weapons, just as customized as her gear.
Her service rifle wasn't standard Equestrian issue as it was a captured griffon weapon. It was a Harpy Model 06, a magazine-fed semi automatic rifle. A normal Harpy Model 06 was chambered in 7x45mm Talon and held 10 rounds. Rainbow Dash's Harpy was rechambered to fire the standard Equestrian rifle round, 6.5x50mm Stomper, and hers held 15 rounds. Part of the rifle's design was a fixed magazine, meaning it could only be reloaded with stripper clips or loose rounds. There was no way getting around this, the magazine incorporated the feed ramp and held the lower receiver to the upper receiver.
Other than rechambering the rifle, she had to shorten the stock to be able to use it. In its original griffon configuration, the stock was much too long for ponies to use comfortably. Also, the rifle's trigger guard was removed and the trigger replaced with a long lever trigger, one that allowed easy usage with hooves. Other than that, the griffon sling was replaced with a standard issue Equestrian sling.
This was her rifle. There were few like it and this one was hers.
Then, there was her sidearm. Unlike her rifle, her sidearm was standard issue. It was an Equestrian Ordnance Works Model 92 revolver. The Model 92 was a single action or double action revolver chambered in 8x27mm Equestrian Ordnance and like most revolvers, it held 6 rounds. The 8mm Equestrian Ordnance round was, to quote the average Equestrian gunsmith, "a retardedly anemic round". Most ponies would agree with this statement, especially those that have shot at a minotaur with one.
Why would such an experienced dogfighter carry such a sidearm? Well, it and its ammunition didn't weight much. Also, Rainbow Dash carried it solely for the purpose of shooting down other enemy dogfighters. While the Model 92 fired a weak cartridge, any griffon would have trouble flying after being shot no matter the bullet.
There was nothing special about the revolver. It was in a basic flight configuration. It featured a snub nose barrel, parts made of light metal alloys, and a lanyard loop. This lanyard loop connected the revolver to the holster that was strapped to Rainbow's webbing gear so she could never lose it in flight.
Rainbow Dash drew her revolver and aimed it at a lone stray cloud in the sky. This revolver had served with her since the start of the war. It was no longer a simple handgun. It was now a piece of her.
"Rainbow Dash" came a voice from behind her. Surprised, Rainbow Dash turned around while instinctively pointing her revolver at whoever it was. Before she could think, she found herself disarmed and knocked down by an orange maned gold pegasus. "Be careful there," Spitfire said. "You might hurt yourself." Spitfire unloaded the revolver and tossed it back.
Rainbow Dash caught the revolver in one hoof while jumping back up. "You need to stop doing that," came her reply.
Spitfire smiled and gave the ammo back. "And you need to get a better sidearm," Spitfire said while drawing her sidearm. Her sidearm wasn't necessarily a handgun. Instead, she carried a sawed-off double barrel shotgun. "Like this!" There was nothing that could defeat a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with buckshot in a short ranged match.
A shotgun was a rather strange weapon for a dogfighter, but Spitfire wasn't a dogfighter. Well, she used to be a dogfighter. At the start of the war, she was one of the most feared dogfighters. Early on, she earned the nickname of "The Phoenix's Fire" from her aggressiveness in aerial combat. Unfortunately, she was shot out of the sky too many times and could no longer keep up with the average dogfighters' fast flight speeds. Now, she was an infantry pony who just so happens to be able to fly.
Rainbow Dash didn't bat an eye at the sight of the sawed-off shotgun. "What are you here for anyways?"
Spitfire's smile faltered. She let out a sigh before responding. "Just gotta ruin the mood, huh?" Spitfire said. "The higher-ups believe that a griffon offensive is starting in Baltimare."
Rainbow Dash reloaded her revolver and aimed it at the same cloud as earlier. "And? They're always saying that new offensives are starting or happening all the time."
Spitfire hit the unlocking lever on her shotgun, exposing the breach. Loaded in the chambers were brass shotgun shells, 12 gauge 2 3/4 inch buckshot (the standard combat shell). Snapping the shotgun shut, she aimed it at the same cloud that Rainbow Dash was aiming at. "They have proof this time."
Lowing her revolver, Rainbow Dash looked at Spitfire. "What proof?" she asked.
"They've started attacking the 5th Ground Division's main base."
A deafening boom echoed through the skies as a powerful shockwave rocked the foundations of Cloudsdale. Following that, a brilliant growing rainbow ring trailed through the air.
The Sonic Rainboom hadn't even fazed her. Too much exposure to artillery and explosions had desensitized the feeling to her, something that scared her to the core. Looking at the same stray cloud (which miraculously survived the Sonic Rainboom), she continued aiming her shotgun at it. Without blinking, she pulled the trigger and sent a spread of buckshot at the cloud's direction.
What was the importance of this news? Scootaloo was assigned to the 5th Ground Division.
5th Guards Division, clearly some Russian inspiration as the Guard Divisions are the best of the best, also I bet that Rainbow Dash is going to encounter either MIGs, Suhokois, Vipers, Eagles, Eurofighters, Raptors, Rafales, or Tornados enroute. Or better yet, Warthogs something that can laugh at gunfire and then turn shit into a varying degrees of dead.
8378156
Can you guess what the guns are based off on?
I like the sniper rifle.
But i have to ask... have you ever shot a 50. Cal?
8378175
...
Seriously?
8378218
Yes.
Had to ask... sorry
Maybe i shouldn't have asked, but i did so i can't take it back.... again, i apologize as the question seems to annoy you if i'm not mistaken...
8378240
You're good and to answer your question, yes. If you take a look at the author's notes in the recent chapter, you can see a .500 S&W. It is my own personal .500 S&W which is known as a .50 caliber revolver. If you're trying to ask if I've ever shot a .50 bmg rifle, then yes. Yes I have.
On another note, I'm currently serving in the Army in an artillery unit and I'm one of the unit armorers.
8378161
From the sounds of it the Herdier is based on the Swiss Schmidt-Rubin Bolt Action Rifle, which had a en bloc clip, the Harpy Rifle appears to be based on the Soviet SKS Rifle but it has a larger magazine, the standard revolver however is based on the French Model 1892 revolver. Whereas the double-barrelled sawed off shotgun is just a sawed-off shotgun, however with the Griffon rifle, their's not really enough information to go off of to identify it, for all I know it could be a Springfield Model 1892-99!
Those are my guesses for the weapons, out of all of them, I am only certain about the Equestrian standard issue revolver.
8379133
You definitely got the Modele 1892 correct but try again on the other two. For the Herdier, there's other rifles with en bloc clips (the in-story magazine capacity is a hint) and try an older design for the Harpy
8379160
Found it, the Herdier is based on the French Berthier rifle and the Harpy is based on the Soviet AVS-36 rifle. An interesting note about the AVS-36 had the ability to go both full auto and semi-automatic. But it had a fifteen round magazine.
8379182
Correct on the Berthier Rifle but still wrong on the other one (Harpy). Here's a hint, It's one of the first self loading rifles to see combat use.
8379254
The Harpy is based on the Winchester 1907/15.
Love the ww1 refinance of spitfire having a shotgun. To any one who doesn't know the first air to air kill was when one recon pilot took a double barrel shotgun and fired on a enemy pilot as they passed. Thus air combat was born!
8379264
The Monragon SLR rifle
8379310
The first aerial kill-to-kill was done in October 1914 when a French mechanic engaged a German plane with a 1914 Hotchkiss chambered in 8mm Lebel
8379357
Oh, still did come up with a number of good ideas for what they could be. Although, I wonder who else will show up to help Equestria.
8379357
Remember hearing that it started when one scout fired on another with a shotgun... maybe it was just first time pilot fired on another then. It was on the history channel some 3 years ago.
8379464
Yeah, but air combat really didn't become a thing, until someone strapped a machine gun to their plane.
8379479
No shooting at each other with shotguns and pistols counts in my book
8379491
Point, although I am fairly sure that any hits would be more luck than anything else.
8379497
It was at first though I played crimson skies and well the bull dogs twin air plane shotguns sure did a number or enemy planes. Yes I know it's fiction but would flack weapons on aircraft not be more effective?
8379504
True, but range plays a major factor as does range.
8379508
Yes I agree but in context of the story air war is more like open field gun fights at high speed given its air infantry so actually beter comparison would be probably flight mobile suit battles from gundam. Now that I think about it.
8379514
8379508
Flak guns weigh a lot. The ammo also weighs a lot. They also have a lot of recoil. Also, a flak round requires a good amount of distance before it detonates, a distance that is too far to be aimed if fired from a plane.
The first air to air kill was done with a machine gun but before that, pilots would shoot at each other with pistols or revolvers but they never managed to hit each other. Why? Well, I'd like to see you shoot someone who is sitting on a fast moving platform while you yourself are on a fast moving platform with a pistol.
8379549
I would love to try
Though I cannot legally get a semiauto handgun in the US yet (ATF said 21 when I applied for the owner's permit), I've got my eye on a Ruger SR1911 chambered in 10mm Auto. Your thoughts on it, knowing how much you like your 1911s?
You spend an ungodly amount of the chapter just describing her gear. If I didn't know any better I think I was reading a wiki article instead of a story. If you're looking to improve, you should focus a lot more on the story and by far less on describing every minute detail of someone's equipment.
...Look, I understand the passion you've put into the description of the firearms, but it's a bit much.
in my opinion u could have used better fire arms than a civilian single shot rifle, i mean it would’ve been awsome if it was a barret 50 bmg but still u should have at least had a military grade modern sniper that uses a magazine
Chapter notes:
* I have such a giant boner about the guns, both the realism, and attention to detail!
* 8x27 sounds like a black powder round, probably in the 200J range; think 32short or something like that.
* I really hardly know anything about aerial combat, but I do know callsigns and nicks are never cool.
* Fuck yeah, shotguns!
* Nice reference to historical WW1 pursuits, at least they weren't called the Twenty Minuters.
* In retrospect, I would have grouped CH1-CH3 together and made it all one big chapter.
One point. Cloudsdale is a cloud city. Has it been strengthened to allow ground pounders or do they have cloud walking spells on them?
10040130
Enchanted boots maybe?
Images are broke
They could do with an upgrade
Mfw half of the story is spent on describing items and miscellaneous things
11415724
Unfortunately happens more than you think, hell I did the same shit a couple of times, simply because I love guns so much.
I don't mind it much but I completely understand why it can be annoying