Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - Seaplanes or Amphibious Aircraft for Caribbean Adventuring and Logistics

Icelander · 02-04-2020, 03:21 PM

Something tells me that US and Caribbean laws, as well as FAA regulations, probably prohibit mounting rifles or machine guns to turrets of WWII aircraft, even if you may legally own the weapons.

I must confess, though, that I don't exactly know the state of the law on the matter.

Does anyone know what the rules are for flying WWII vintage aircraft with their period accurate defensive armaments, assuming you happen to own registered machine guns of WWII vintage as well?

My guess is that FAA regulations require a pretty comprehensive listing of what parts constitute the aircraft and you most likely would get funny looks and polite refusals if you tried to include two .30 cal and two .50 cal Browning machine guns.

But I figure I better have good answers for my PCs, because if I feature a WWII warplane for them to use, they'll want to know what obstacles exist in the way of them arming it...

Edit: Apparently you can mount the guns, as this guy did, but the FAA takes a real dim view of civilian aircraft leaving the ground with anything designed to drop from it (e.g. cartridge cases) without the appropriate waivers. Which they are somewhat reluctant to grant for warbirds armed with machine guns.

02-04-2020, 03:21 PM	#54
Icelander Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Iceland*	Mounting Weapons to Old Warbirds Something tells me that US and Caribbean laws, as well as FAA regulations, probably prohibit mounting rifles or machine guns to turrets of WWII aircraft, even if you may legally own the weapons. I must confess, though, that I don't exactly know the state of the law on the matter. Does anyone know what the rules are for flying WWII vintage aircraft with their period accurate defensive armaments, assuming you happen to own registered machine guns of WWII vintage as well? My guess is that FAA regulations require a pretty comprehensive listing of what parts constitute the aircraft and you most likely would get funny looks and polite refusals if you tried to include two .30 cal and two .50 cal Browning machine guns. But I figure I better have good answers for my PCs, because if I feature a WWII warplane for them to use, they'll want to know what obstacles exist in the way of them arming it... Edit: Apparently you can mount the guns, as this guy did, but the FAA takes a real dim view of civilian aircraft leaving the ground with anything designed to drop from it (e.g. cartridge cases) without the appropriate waivers. Which they are somewhat reluctant to grant for warbirds armed with machine guns. __________________ Za uspiekh nashevo beznadiozhnovo diela! Last edited by Icelander; 02-04-2020 at 03:49 PM.