Cartridges for the ADEN Gun (Brittish)
Pict. 01
30x111 ADEN HE mine shell. No type designation known, however of British design and manufacture. The projectile exists of a pressed and rolled thin walled steel body.
The fuze is marked BE 944 Mk1. It has a rotor arming ball which houses the firing cap, however the firing cap is set out of line with the firing pin. Only after firing the projectile, the centrifucal force rotates the ball in line with the centerline of the projectile and firing pin. Above the arming ball the firing pin is placed. The firing pin is prevented from moving down by two pins in a downward angeld hole which hook behind the collar on the lower part of the firing pin. These pins are held in position by a brass rolled up collar which bends open when the pins are thrown outward. After firing, inertia keeps the pins in a downward position, until inertia diminishes and the centrifugal force allows the pins to move outward, climbing upward in the holes, pushing open the brass collar; only than the firing pin is released to move downward on impact. The top of the fuze exists of a top piece which is locked in position by a sheet aluminium cap. Upon straight impact, the firing pin is hammered down by the top piece. With a glancing shot, the top piece is thrown sideways -breaking through the sheet aluminium cap, after which the angled sides on the lower side of the top piece force the firing pin down, exploding the shell. The projectile has no self destruct device.
Regretfully I do not have the correct rotor arnming ball, a smaller one than should be is placed as an example.
Pict. 02
30x111 ADEN HE mine shell of British manufacture. The projectile exists of a pressed and rolled thin walled steel body. The fuze is of the impact & mechanical self destruct type. Inside the body of the fuze an aluminium piston is placed which has a collar with for radial drilled holes at 90 degr with a steel ball placed in it.. A spring is placed in the piston which tries to push the it down, the self destuct spring. Above this piston the hammer pin is placed, which , upon impact pushed the firing pin into the detonator. The firing pin is placed in a hole in the piston and has a collar which is placed below the piston. Below the piston, two brass disc halves are placed, surrounded by a circular leaf spring. This prevents the collar on the firing pin as well as the piston from moving down.Upon firing, the two brass disc halves move outward, releasing the firing pin collar as well as the piston. However, at the same moment the four ball in the piston are thrown outward, clamping (centrifugal force) into the groove formed by the chamfered edges in the fuzes inner parts, fixating the piston in its position. If the projectile hits a target, the hammer pin is pushed inward, pushing the firing pin into the detonator. If no target is hit, there will be a moment that the spring above the piston pushes down the piston with a greater force than the balls clamp in the groove. The balls are pushed back into the piston which can now move down, pushing the firing pin into the detonator by means of its collar, self destructing the projectile.
Pict. 03
30x111 ADEN Mk.2 TP. Cartridge British design and manufacture. The projectile exists of a pressed steel body with a one piece aluminium nosecap-weightpiece.
Pict. 04
30x111 ADEN APHC (Armour Piercing Hard Core). No type designation known. Most probably of British design. The cartridge exists of an aluminium body in which a tungsten penetrator is crimped in place. An aluminium ballistic cap is screwed on top of the body. Any further info about penetration capability and type designation is welcome.
Pict. 01
30x111 ADEN HE mine shell. No type designation known, however of British design and manufacture. The projectile exists of a pressed and rolled thin walled steel body.
The fuze is marked BE 944 Mk1. It has a rotor arming ball which houses the firing cap, however the firing cap is set out of line with the firing pin. Only after firing the projectile, the centrifucal force rotates the ball in line with the centerline of the projectile and firing pin. Above the arming ball the firing pin is placed. The firing pin is prevented from moving down by two pins in a downward angeld hole which hook behind the collar on the lower part of the firing pin. These pins are held in position by a brass rolled up collar which bends open when the pins are thrown outward. After firing, inertia keeps the pins in a downward position, until inertia diminishes and the centrifugal force allows the pins to move outward, climbing upward in the holes, pushing open the brass collar; only than the firing pin is released to move downward on impact. The top of the fuze exists of a top piece which is locked in position by a sheet aluminium cap. Upon straight impact, the firing pin is hammered down by the top piece. With a glancing shot, the top piece is thrown sideways -breaking through the sheet aluminium cap, after which the angled sides on the lower side of the top piece force the firing pin down, exploding the shell. The projectile has no self destruct device.
Regretfully I do not have the correct rotor arnming ball, a smaller one than should be is placed as an example.
Pict. 02
30x111 ADEN HE mine shell of British manufacture. The projectile exists of a pressed and rolled thin walled steel body. The fuze is of the impact & mechanical self destruct type. Inside the body of the fuze an aluminium piston is placed which has a collar with for radial drilled holes at 90 degr with a steel ball placed in it.. A spring is placed in the piston which tries to push the it down, the self destuct spring. Above this piston the hammer pin is placed, which , upon impact pushed the firing pin into the detonator. The firing pin is placed in a hole in the piston and has a collar which is placed below the piston. Below the piston, two brass disc halves are placed, surrounded by a circular leaf spring. This prevents the collar on the firing pin as well as the piston from moving down.Upon firing, the two brass disc halves move outward, releasing the firing pin collar as well as the piston. However, at the same moment the four ball in the piston are thrown outward, clamping (centrifugal force) into the groove formed by the chamfered edges in the fuzes inner parts, fixating the piston in its position. If the projectile hits a target, the hammer pin is pushed inward, pushing the firing pin into the detonator. If no target is hit, there will be a moment that the spring above the piston pushes down the piston with a greater force than the balls clamp in the groove. The balls are pushed back into the piston which can now move down, pushing the firing pin into the detonator by means of its collar, self destructing the projectile.
Pict. 03
30x111 ADEN Mk.2 TP. Cartridge British design and manufacture. The projectile exists of a pressed steel body with a one piece aluminium nosecap-weightpiece.
Pict. 04
30x111 ADEN APHC (Armour Piercing Hard Core). No type designation known. Most probably of British design. The cartridge exists of an aluminium body in which a tungsten penetrator is crimped in place. An aluminium ballistic cap is screwed on top of the body. Any further info about penetration capability and type designation is welcome.
