Admiral Beez
Captain
I'm reading about the Boys anti-tank rifle that fires a 0.55 in (14 mm) armour piercing round. Did the Air Ministry consider this calibre before adopting the 20mm cannon and US-spec 0.5 in?
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I thought the BESA was 7.92mm?There was also a 15 mm BESA machine gun round used on Guy and Humber armored cars.
When development of the .55 Boys cartridge began in 1934 the RAF was some years away from fielding a 20mm cannon. And besides, the US fielded both .50 mg and 20mm cannons.Why would one consider a 15 mm gun when a 20 mm gun, better in most specifications[2], which was already in service, albeit with a non-allied, but not threatening, air force was available?
The RAF did a lot of testing for fighter guns in the thirties and the .303 was chosen due to being able to fire at a good rate plusWhy would one consider a 15 mm gun when a 20 mm gun, better in most specifications[2], which was already in service, albeit with a non-allied, but not threatening, air force was available?
The Air Ministry considered it in 1940-41(?) and rejected it. RR was trying to branch out into firearms/armaments and the Air Ministry considered they had enough on their plate making aircraft engines.I'm reading about the Boys anti-tank rifle that fires a 0.55 in (14 mm) armour piercing round. Did the Air Ministry consider this calibre before adopting the 20mm cannon and US-spec 0.5 in?
.55 Boys - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
I'm reading about the Boys anti-tank rifle that fires a 0.55 in (14 mm) armour piercing round. Did the Air Ministry consider this calibre before adopting the 20mm cannon and US-spec 0.5 in?
.55 Boys - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
That was the same round as used by Belgium for their own build Hawker Hurricanes mounting x4 13.2mm FN Brownings.I might be mistaken, but the Boys Gun originally used a 13.2x99 Hotchkiss round and then after trials in March 1936 they decided to neck the round out to .55.
That was the same round as used by Belgium for their own build Hawker Hurricanes mounting x4 13.2mm FN Brownings.
Might depend on the actual facts and the criteria used.Now those were some interesting guns.
Somewhat lighter than the US version and faster firing too, with HE and incendiary rounds ready to go.
Aside from the exploding bullets the 13.2mm ammo doesn't buy much.
Ammo......................................bullet weight.....................velocity
US old (1940) ammo.................46.8g..............................762ms
13.2mm............................................52g.................................790-800ms
US new (1941?) ammo...............46g.................................853ms.
That was another reason for eight machine guns as one being jammed or whatever leaves you with seven to keep using.No idea what the British standards for jams/malfunctions/broken parts were in the 1930s.