swampyankee
Chief Master Sergeant
- 3,987
- Jun 25, 2013
Other than Lend Lease, the RAF seems to have kept the 20mm or 303 to the end of the War. Was the M2 ever consider for the later Hawker fighters?
The RAF looked at 0.5 in MG before WWII, but found the advantages of this bore insufficient compensation for heavier weight and lower rate of fire (RAFHS 08). I suspect this similar to at least part of the reason for the USAAF staying with the 0.5 in until it was found insufficient during Korea: the 0.5 in was successful in WWII, and the 20 mm was heavier with a lower rate of fire. No doubt, the failure of US industry to make the 20 mm aircraft gun successfully was a further discouragement.