Revolver cannon

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Modern Mauser BK-27 aircraft revolver cannon Mauser BK-27 LKCV.jpg
Modern Mauser BK-27 aircraft revolver cannon

A revolver cannon is a type of autocannon, commonly used as an aircraft gun. It uses a cylinder with multiple chambers, similar to those of a revolver handgun, to speed up the loading-firing-ejection cycle. Some examples are also power-driven, to further speed the loading process. Unlike a rotary cannon, a revolver cannon only has a single barrel, so its spun weight is lower. Automatic revolver cannons have been produced by many different manufacturers.

Contents

History

Precursors

MLG 27 remote controlled revolver cannon on board an Elbe class tender of the German Navy Autocannon MLG27.jpg
MLG 27 remote controlled revolver cannon on board an Elbe class tender of the German Navy

An early precursor was the Puckle gun of 1718, a large flintlock revolver gun, manually operated. The design idea was impractical, far ahead of what 18th century technology could achieve.

During the 19th century, Elisha Collier and later Samuel Colt used the revolver action to revolutionize handguns.

The Confederate States of America used a single 2-inch, 5-shot revolver cannon with manually rotated chambers during the Siege of Petersburg. [1] The gun was captured in Danville, Virginia by Union forces on April 27, 1865. [2]

The Hotchkiss revolving cannon of the late 19th century was not a revolver cannon in the modern sense but was rather a Rotary cannon, with multiple barrel allowing for feeding and extraction operations in parallel in different barrels.

In 1905, C. M. Clarke patented [3] the first fully automatic, gas-operated rotary chamber gun, but his design was ignored at the time. Clarke's patent came as reciprocating-action automatic weapons like the Maxim gun and the Browning gun were peaking in popularity. [4]

In 1932, the Soviet ShKAS machine gun, 7.62 mm calibre aircraft ordnance used a twelve-round capacity, revolver-style feed mechanism with a single barrel and single chamber, to achieve firing rates of well over 1800 rounds per minute, and as high as 3,000 rounds per minute in special test versions in 1939, all operating from internal gas-operated reloading. Some 150,000 ShKAS weapons were produced for arming Soviet military aircraft through 1945. [5]

Around 1935, Silin, Berezin and Morozenko worked on a 6000 rpm 7.62 mm aircraft machine gun using revolver design, called SIBEMAS (СИБЕМАС), but this was abandoned. [6]

Modern

It was not until the mid-1940s that the first practical revolver cannon emerged. [7]

The archetypal revolver cannon is the Mauser MK 213 from World War II, from which almost all current weapons are derived. However, various problems, such as only moderate improvements in rate of fire and muzzle velocity, coupled with excessive barrel wear, and the effects of the Allied bombing campaign against German industry, [8] meant that at the end of the war only five prototypes (V1 to V5) of either 20 mm MG 213 or 30 mm MK 213 were finished. [8] In the immediate post-war era the unfinished weapon, and the engineers who worked on it, were seized by the Allies to continue development; Both the British and French worked on the 30 mm versions of the MK 213, producing the ADEN and DEFA, respectively. Switzerland produced the Oerlikon KCA. The American M39 cannon used the 20 mm version, re-chambered for a slightly longer 102 mm cartridge, intermediate between the MK 213's 82 mm and Hispano-Suiza HS.404's 110 mm case lengths. Several generations of the basic ADEN/DEFA weapons followed, remaining largely unchanged into the 1970s. [9]

Around that time, a new generation of weapons developed, based on the proposed NATO 25 mm caliber standard and the Mauser 27 mm round. A leading example is the Mauser BK-27. In the 1980s, the French developed the GIAT 30, a newer generation power-driven revolver cannon. The Rheinmetall RMK30 modifies the GIAT system further, by venting the gas to the rear to eliminate recoil.

Larger experimental weapons have also been developed for anti-aircraft use, like the Anglo-Swiss twin barrel but single chamber 42 mm Oerlikon RK 421 given the code name "Red King" and the related single-barrel "Red Queen" - all of which were cancelled during development. [10] The largest to see service is the Rheinmetall Millennium 35 mm Naval Gun System.

Soviet revolver cannon are less common than Western ones, especially on aircraft. A mechanism for a Soviet revolver-based machine gun was patented in 1944. [11] The virtually unknown Rikhter R-23 was fitted only to some Tu-22 models, but later abandoned in favor of the two-barrel, Gast gun Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23 in the Tu-22M. The Rikhter R-23 does have the distinction of being fired from the space station Salyut 3. The Soviet navy has also adopted a revolver design, the NN-30, typically in a dual mount in the AK-230 turret.

Characteristics

With a single barrel mated to a cylinder with multiple chambers, this type of autocannon uses the revolver principle to accelerate the cycle of loading, firing and ejecting multiple rounds of ammunition, achieving a very high rate of fire compared to conventional cannon of the same calibre.

Compared to rotary autocannon

Automatic revolver cannons generally have a lower maximum sustained rate of fire than that of rotary cannons [12] because their barrel suffers from much higher heating loads, as it alone must fire every round. Rotary autocannons are capable of a rate of fire of up to 10,000 rounds per minute (such as the Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23), while revolver cannons are capable of a rate of fire of up to 2,000 rounds per minute. However, revolver cannons are generally able to be made much lighter than rotary autocannons, requiring less support and mounting hardware—rotary autocannons spin the whole multiple barrel and breech assembly, which, in equal caliber versions, can weigh hundreds of kilograms more in comparison (though the weight per rounds fired is lower for the rotary). [12] The firing rate of a rotary autocannon is directly related to the rotational speed of the barrel cluster. The need to accelerate this cluster generally requiring a large, external power supply means that the maximum attainable rate of fire is not immediately available. In addition, rotaries suffer from lower accuracy, a consequence of dispersion caused by multiple barrels rotating at a varying speed. As a result of their design, revolver cannons lack these issues altogether.

Examples

Rheinmetall RMK30 (TechDemo 2008 exhibition) Rheinmetall RMK30.jpg
Rheinmetall RMK30 (TechDemo 2008 exhibition)

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autocannon</span> Rapid-fire projectile weapon that fires armour-piercing or explosive shells

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mauser BK-27</span> Revolver cannon

The BK 27 is a 27 mm (1.063 in) caliber revolver cannon manufactured by Mauser of Germany. It was developed in the late 1960s for the MRCA program that ultimately became the Panavia Tornado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ADEN cannon</span> Revolver cannon

The Royal Small Arms Factory ADEN cannon is a 30 mm revolver cannon used on many military aircraft, particularly those of the British Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm. Developed post-World War II primarily to meet British Air Ministry's requirement for increased lethality in aircraft armament, the cannon was fired electrically and is fully automatic once it is loaded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DEFA cannon</span> Revolver cannon

The DEFA cannon is a family of widely-used French-made aircraft revolver cannon firing 30 mm caliber NATO standard rounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M39 cannon</span> Single-barrel autocannon

The M39 cannon is a 20 mm caliber single-barreled revolver cannon developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s. It was used on a number of fighter aircraft from the early 1950s through the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GIAT 30</span> Revolver cannon

The GIAT 30 is a series of 30 mm cannon developed to replace the DEFA 550 series weapons on French military aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hispano-Suiza HS.404</span> 20 mm autocannon

The HS.404 is an autocannon originally designed by and produced by the Swiss arm of the Spanish/Swiss company Hispano-Suiza in the mid-1930s. Production was later moved to the French arm of Hispano Suiza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gun pod</span>

A gun pod is a detachable pod or pack containing machine guns, autocannons, revolver cannons, or rotary cannons and ancillaries, mounted externally on a vehicle such as a military aircraft which may or may not also have its own guns.

The Mauser MG 213 was a 20 mm aircraft-mounted revolver cannon developed for the Luftwaffe during World War II. It was never put into service, but the principles formed the basis for several post-war developments by the Allies. A 30 mm version was developed as the MG 213C or MK 213 and it was this that led to the British ADEN, French DEFA and American M39 cannon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotary cannon</span> Multiple barreled automatic firearm

A rotary cannon, rotary autocannon, rotary gun or Gatling cannon, is any large-caliber multiple-barreled automatic firearm that uses a Gatling-type rotating barrel assembly to deliver a sustained saturational direct fire at much greater rates of fire than single-barreled autocannons of the same caliber. The loading, firing and ejection functions are performed simultaneously in different barrels as the whole assembly rotates, and the rotation also permits the barrels some time to cool. The rotating barrels on nearly all modern Gatling-type guns are powered by an external force such as an electric motor, although internally powered gas-operated versions have also been developed.

The ShKAS is a 7.62 mm calibre machine gun widely used by Soviet aircraft in the 1930s and during World War II. The ShKAS had the highest rate of fire of any aircraft machine gun in general service during WWII. It was designed by Boris Shpitalniy and Irinarkh Komaritsky and entered production in 1934. ShKAS was used in the majority of Soviet fighters and bombers and served as the basis for the ShVAK cannon.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rheinmetall RMK30</span> Autocannon

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Sea Zenith is a four-barrelled 25 mm CIWS used by the Turkish Navy on their MEKO 200 frigates, like the Barbaros and Yavuz classes. It was developed in the 1980s by Oerlikon Contraves around their Oerlikon KBB gun and manufactured in Switzerland. This automatic gun uses a 25x184mm cartridge at a rate of 800 rounds a minute. Using four independent guns instead of one multi-barrelled rotary cannon improves reliability. The system is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by the Seaguard radar developed by Contraves. The turret is tilted back to allow a higher elevation to intercept diving missiles. The system's primary purpose is defence against anti-ship missiles, and other precision guided weapons. However it can also be employed against fixed/rotary wing aircraft, ships and other small craft, coastal targets, and floating mines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MK 101 cannon</span> Aircraft autocannon

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mine shell</span> Type of shell construction

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The Rikhter R-23 is an aircraft autocannon developed for the Soviet Air Force starting in the late 1950s. It was designed to be as short as possible to avoid problems found on high-speed aircraft when the guns were pointed into the airstream. The R-23 was a gas operated revolver cannon that used gas bled from holes in the barrel to provide the motive force. Firing up to 2,600 rpm, the R-23 was the fastest firing single-barrel cannon ever introduced into service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oerlikon KCA</span> Automatic cannon

The Oerlikon KCA is a Swiss 30 mm (1.181 in) gas-operated single-barrel revolver cannon developed for aircraft use. Its most noticeable use was on the JA 37 Viggen fighter mounted in a conformal pod as the akan m/75. The KCA fires a 30 mm × 173 mm shell that is 50% heavier than the NATO standard ammunition used on ADEN and DEFA cannon. It can fire up to 1350 rounds per minute at a muzzle velocity of 1030 m/s, with an effective range of 2,500 m (8,200 ft)

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References

  1. ↑ Chinn, George M. (1 January 1951). The Machine Gun, History, Evolution and Development of Manual, Automatic and Airborne Repeating Weapons. Vol. 1. Washington, D.C., US: Bureau of Ordnance, Department of the United States Navy. p. 46. ISBN   9781258052447. OCLC   185376830 – via U.S. Government Printing Office.
  2. ↑ McFall, F. Lawrence Jr. (2001). Danville in the Civil War. Lynchburg, Virginia, US: H.E. Howard, Inc. p. 107. ISBN   978-1561901197. OCLC   48461554.
  3. ↑ USpatent 794852,Charles M Clarke,"Rapid-fire gun",published 1905-7-18,issued 1905-07-18
  4. ↑ Chinn, George M. (1 January 1955). "X, XI". The Machine Gun: Design Analysis of Automatic Firing Mechanisms and Related Components. Vol. IV. Washington, D.C., US: Bureau of Ordnance, Department of the United States Navy. pp. 178–209. ASIN   B000JX5F5S – via U.S. Government Printing Office.
  5. ↑ McCollum, Ian (9 January 2013). "Russian ShKAS Aerial Gun". Forgotten Weapons . Tucson, Arizona, US. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  6. ↑ Bolotin, David N. (1995). Istorija sovetskogo strelkovogo oružija i patronovИстория советского стрелкового оружия и патронов[History of Soviet small arms and cartridges]. Military Historical Library (in Russian). Полигон [Polygon]. p. 235. ISBN   5-85503-072-5.
  7. ↑ Williams, Anthony G. (31 August 2000). Rapid Fire: The Development of Automatic Cannon, Heavy Machine-Guns and Their Ammunition for Armies, Navies and Air Forces. West Sussex, United Kingdom: Airlife. p. 50. ISBN   978-1-84037-435-3. OCLC   1109578149.
  8. 1 2 Volume 2, Part 3, Hunter Weapons, The 30mm ADEN Gun, Rocket Projectiles, Air To Air Missiles, Bombs, etc. pp. 2–6.
  9. ↑ "[untitled]" (PDF). 28 January 1955. p. 109. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2018– via FlightGlobal.
  10. ↑ Williams, Anthony G. "The Red Queen and the Vigilante". www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  11. ↑ "Pulemet s barabannym kamernym pitaniem A.I. Konovalova. 1944 g." Пулемет с барабанным камерным питанием А.И. Коновалова. 1944 г. [Machine gun with drum chamber feed A.I. Konovalov. 1944] (in Russian). Moscow, Russia: Federal Archival Agency. Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  12. 1 2 Carel, Maj. Dennis C. (7 May 1987). Student Report: The History of the Aerial Gatling Gun (PDF). US Air Command and Staff College. pp. 14–16. 87-0415. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
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