| Class "S" Mk. 1 gun | |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | UK |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 134 kg |
| Length | 2,970 mm |
| Barrel length | 1,700 mm |
|
|
|
| Calibre | 40 mm |
| Rate of fire | 100 rounds/min |
| Feed system | 15-round drum |
The Vickers Class "S" was a 40 mm gun used to arm British aircraft for attacking ground targets in the Second World War. For the fictional characters see Gunbarrel (Transformers. A gun barrel is the tube usually Metal, through which a controlled Explosion The term caliber or calibre designates the interior Diameter of a tube or the exterior diameter of a wire or rod Rate of fire is the frequency at which a specific Weapon can fire or launch its projectiles Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 2004 World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including
Contents |
History
The Vickers Class "S" 40 mm gun was developed in the late 1930s as an aircraft weapon. The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression. The ammunition was based on the 40x158R cartridge case of the naval 2 pdr Anti-aircraft gun (the "Pom-pom"). The 2-pounder gun, officially designated the QF 2-pounder ( QF denoting "quick firing" and universally known as the pom-pom, was a 1 The weapon was a long-recoil design derived from the 37 mm 1½pdr "COW gun" (Coventry Ordnance Works). Recoil operation is an operating mechanism used in locked-breech autoloading Firearms As the name implies these actions use the force of Recoil to provide energy The COW 37 mm gun was a British Automatic cannon that was developed as an aircraft weapon but did not enter general service The gun was originally intended as a bomber defensive weapon and was tested as such in a turret fitted to a modified Vickers Wellington II. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout This was not adopted for service, but when the need to attack tanks from the air was identified the "S" gun was chosen and special armour-piercing ammunition developed. An armor-piercing shell is a type of Ammunition designed to penetrate Armor. [1]
Combat History
Two underwing guns were fitted to Hawker Hurricane IID fighters which were issued to No. 6 Squadron RAF. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout No 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operated the Jaguar GR3 from RAF Coltishall, Norfolk They served in North Africa from mid-1942 where they achieved considerable success; claims included 148 tanks hit, of which 47 were destroyed, plus nearly 200 other vehicles. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan However, they suffered heavy losses, mainly to ground fire (the Hurricanes were poorly protected) and also lacked effectiveness against the Tiger tank. In 1944, the aircraft served in the Far East, mainly firing HE ammunition against road and river transport. The Far East is a term often used by people in the Western world to refer to the countries of East Asia. An explosive material is a material that either is chemically or otherwise Energetically unstable or produces a sudden expansion of the material usually accompanied
Tests in the Far East showed a high level of accuracy, with an average of 25% of shots fired at tanks striking the target. Attacks with HE were twice as accurate as with AP, possibly because the ballistics were a closer match with the .303 inch Brownings used for sighting (the HE shell was lighter and was fired at a higher velocity). The Browning M1919 is a.30 caliber Medium machine gun family widely used during the 20th century By comparison, the practice strike rate of the 60 pdr RPs (rocket projectiles) fired by fighter-bombers was only 5% against tank-sized targets. The RP-3 (from Rocket Projectile 3 inch) was a British air to ground Rocket used in the Second World War. Operational Research following the Normandy battles of 1944 revealed that in action this fell to only 0. Operations Research (OR in North America South Africa and Australia and Operational Research in Europe is an interdisciplinary branch of applied Mathematics and Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. 5%, presumably because of problems in making the complex mental calculations about the trajectory of the slow-accelerating rockets, although the effect of a salvo of RPs on the morale of tank crews was admittedly considerable.
See also
- 2-pounder gun Mark XIV : a rival development to the Vickers S
References
- ^ Wallace, G. The 2-pounder gun, officially designated the QF 2-pounder ( QF denoting "quick firing" and universally known as the pom-pom, was a 1 F. (1972). "10, The 40mm Guns", The Guns of the Royal Air Force 1939-1945. William Kimber. ISBN 7183-0362-8.
External links
- Anthony G Williams, 37MM AND 40MM GUNS IN BRITISH SERVICE
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