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2-pr.,1 1/2-pr., and 1-pr QF Auto Guns
- Thread starter Bonnex
- Start date
Tony Williams
Well-Known Member
Yep, that's a useful list.
The following extract from
Flying Guns – World War 1: Development of Aircraft Guns, Ammunition and Installations 1914-32
might be of interest. I found the information in the PRO (sorry, I keep trying to format the list but it won't take the spacing: a - signifies no guns, eg the 1 Pr COW should be none in service, 450 on order:
In July 1918 a "Statement of Guns for RAF" was drawn up which detailed all of the British cannon in service or on order, as follows:
GUN IN SERVICE ON ORDER NOTES
1 Pr COW Mk III - 450 RAF, inc 50 for France
1.59" QF Vickers 150 - Admiralty + RAF
2 Pr Davis 200 - Admiralty + RAF
6 Pr Davis 60 25 Admiralty + RAF (cancelled October)
12 Pr Davis 40 - Admiralty
6 Pr SA Vickers - 25 Admiralty (to be cancelled)
2 Pr SA Vickers Mk III 1 - Admiralty experimental
2 Pr SA Vickers Mk V - 2 RAF trials expected
6 Pr EOC Non-recoil - 2 Admiralty for trials
6 Pr COW Non-recoil - 1 Admiralty for trials
6 Pr CSOF Non-recoil - 1 Admiralty for trials
1" Vickers 1 - Admiralty experimental
1 Pr EOC - 1 Admiralty experimental
The list reveals many gun projects of which details no longer survive (and curiously omits the 1 Pr Vickers Mk III/V), but it does provide an interesting insight into the extent of British plans and experiments. In addition, C.O.W. guns in 47 mm and 75 mm calibre were reportedly developed for testing.
The following extract from
Flying Guns – World War 1: Development of Aircraft Guns, Ammunition and Installations 1914-32
might be of interest. I found the information in the PRO (sorry, I keep trying to format the list but it won't take the spacing: a - signifies no guns, eg the 1 Pr COW should be none in service, 450 on order:
In July 1918 a "Statement of Guns for RAF" was drawn up which detailed all of the British cannon in service or on order, as follows:
GUN IN SERVICE ON ORDER NOTES
1 Pr COW Mk III - 450 RAF, inc 50 for France
1.59" QF Vickers 150 - Admiralty + RAF
2 Pr Davis 200 - Admiralty + RAF
6 Pr Davis 60 25 Admiralty + RAF (cancelled October)
12 Pr Davis 40 - Admiralty
6 Pr SA Vickers - 25 Admiralty (to be cancelled)
2 Pr SA Vickers Mk III 1 - Admiralty experimental
2 Pr SA Vickers Mk V - 2 RAF trials expected
6 Pr EOC Non-recoil - 2 Admiralty for trials
6 Pr COW Non-recoil - 1 Admiralty for trials
6 Pr CSOF Non-recoil - 1 Admiralty for trials
1" Vickers 1 - Admiralty experimental
1 Pr EOC - 1 Admiralty experimental
The list reveals many gun projects of which details no longer survive (and curiously omits the 1 Pr Vickers Mk III/V), but it does provide an interesting insight into the extent of British plans and experiments. In addition, C.O.W. guns in 47 mm and 75 mm calibre were reportedly developed for testing.
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Thanks Tony, WOW, I thought it was quite hard to find Mk5 aircraft gun rounds and 1.5 pounder COW gun rounds and now you've come up with a list of 47mm and 75mm COW gun rounds..........has anyone ever seen these rounds, line drawings of them, did they exist?? The plot thickens.
Dave.
Dave.
75mm COW
Dave&Tony,
A brief look at OB/OC minutes indicates that two 75mm mock-ups were made. One COW and one from either EOC or RGF. It seems further work stumbled pending the completion of some ongoing 37mm trials. If you want me to spend a bit more time looking at this let me know but my take on it is that the 75mm didn't get much further. It seems the whole idea centred around a 12-pr ground bombardment requirement from the Inter-Allied Aviation Committee. In the same series there is mention of a Robertson's revolver aircraft cannon which used caseless ammunition (just to upset you cartridge collectors!).
Dave&Tony,
A brief look at OB/OC minutes indicates that two 75mm mock-ups were made. One COW and one from either EOC or RGF. It seems further work stumbled pending the completion of some ongoing 37mm trials. If you want me to spend a bit more time looking at this let me know but my take on it is that the 75mm didn't get much further. It seems the whole idea centred around a 12-pr ground bombardment requirement from the Inter-Allied Aviation Committee. In the same series there is mention of a Robertson's revolver aircraft cannon which used caseless ammunition (just to upset you cartridge collectors!).
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Dave,
Drawings are very unlikely from my resources but there might be a bit more text to find. The 75mm was 'automatic' which I take to mean self-loading. A full-auto button on 3-inch cannon would sort your Handley Page stringbag out never mind the enemy.
Drawings are very unlikely from my resources but there might be a bit more text to find. The 75mm was 'automatic' which I take to mean self-loading. A full-auto button on 3-inch cannon would sort your Handley Page stringbag out never mind the enemy.