Recent content by Tony Williams

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    Luftwaffe Cannons and Machineguns topic.

    I recall something about a Fw 190 being fitted with a single belly MK 103 for ground attack, but I don't know whether this happened or was just a paper project. I believe it was abandoned because of concerns about the reliability of synchronisation with the big cartridge and the consequences if...
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    RAF guns and ammunition

    The armament of the RAF fighters was initially harmonised at 400 yards - not because they expected the shooting to be done at that distance, but because at shorter distances this provided a spread of fire which could cover the fuselage and engines of a twin-engined bomber. They reduced the...
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    Luftwaffe Cannons and Machineguns topic.

    75mm M4 (modified from the Sherman tank gun): weight 405 kg. 75mm M5 (lightened version - service designation of T13): weight 184 kg. Both guns manually loaded, could fire up to 4 shots in a typical attack run (after which the plane was slowed by 10-15 mph by the recoil). They were about 3...
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    Focke-Wulf Fw 190A/D and outer wing cannon

    Yep, that's what I said. :) The MG 151 was initially developed in a percussion-primed form as the first installation was intended to be the Bf 109's engine mounting. The electric-primed versions were specifically developed for the Fw 190 wing-root mountings, but it was decided to fit these...
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    USSR Aircraft weapons

    The AM-23 is I believe still manufactured in China.
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    Luftwaffe Cannons and Machineguns topic.

    The also modified the Yak-9T and Yak-9K by moving the cockpit further back to leave enough space for the gun and ammunition feed.
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    USAAF US Navy Guns since 1930.

    The problem wiith the MK 12 gun installation in the F-8 Crusader was the distance between the ammo tanks and the guns, which meant thhat long belt runs were needed. G-forces in violent manoeuvring would cause the ammo belt links to pull apart.
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    RAF guns and ammunition

    The 11mm Gras-Vickers was actually a French development. They had already converted some of their Hotchkiss M1914 to the 11x59R Gras cartridge (which was the old French army rifle round replaced by the 8mm Lebel) for balloon-busting from the ground. They were already using the .303 Vickers as...
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    USAAF US Navy Guns since 1930.

    Not the best example, as that was only a 20mm M3 modified to take the more powerful 20x110 USN ammunition and speeded up somewhat. I now believe that the RAF's 20mm ammunition was probably coated in hard wax at the factory to provide lubrication. That way, they didn't have to grease the...
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    USAAF US Navy Guns since 1930.

    I agree. I've summarised the problems and remedial actions and added some comments of my own here: Modifications and Attempts at Standardization
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    30mm Mine Shell?

    Errm, that picture actually comes from the photo gallery on my website....
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    RAF guns and ammunition

    I expect it might have been because when synchronised, the rate of fire of the Vickers would have been about half that of the Browning.
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    RAF guns and ammunition

    The bolt was held back using a separate sear to the firing pin sear. So when the pilot pressed the firing button, the bolt closed, chambering a cartridge. The firing pin was only released by the synchronisation system when the propeller blades were out of the way. The MG 17 used the same...
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    RAF guns and ammunition

    Thanks for the info, Henning.
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    RAF guns and ammunition

    Aircraft only, as far as I know. The Vickers was steadily improved in the 1920s and 30s, the Japanese using the Class E, which was capable of up to 900 rpm as you say. The final version was the Class J Central Action, which used a much-modified action to achieve up to 1,250 rpm. This was the...
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