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Experimental Oerlikon 35 X 228 projectiles.

SG500

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Attached a couple of photos of some experimental Oerlikon 35 X 228 projectiles.
Note the plastic band on the blue projectile.
The APDS is definitely not the standard service version, any further information on this would be welcome.
The other 2 are a mystery, anyone any ideas?
All INERT.
Note the fluted cases on a couple of the rounds.
Dave.
 

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Dave,

I can believe the one with the plastic band, and the APDS. The other two look like someone with some empty cases and a lathe got creative, but you never know.

The cases all look really nice though.

John
 
Fluted cases.

Cases are experimental and were made for tests involving "Ease of extraction" as the weapon system has suffered a few case jams, so these BMARCO cases were made to ease the chamber swelling problem that caused the jam ups.
The idea most likely was "reverse engineered" from the Russian ZSU 23mm gun as this had a fluted chamber which was the way the 35mm Oerlikon went in the end so that the standard cases could be used and the gun chamber was fluted by means of "spark erosion" as the cases were problematic and expensive to produce.
Nice items-wonder where they came from:tinysmile_eyebrow_t
 
Hi John yes these ones are real, I'll send you some close up photos and you'll see what I mean.

Thanks for the info Chris, very interesting. Yes the guy I had them off keeps comming up with some good stuff, it seems to be out there still.

Dave.
 
I don't notice any case 'fluting' on the photos of the cartridges. Besides why would there be fluting marks on the case of an unfired cartridge?

"...the way the 35mm Oerlikon went in the end so that the standard cases could be used and the gun chamber was fluted by means of "spark erosion" as the cases were problematic and expensive to produce." Are you certain the chambers of Oerlikom 35mm guns are fluted? I can not find confirmation anywhere.
 
Fired Oerlikon 35mm case showing fluting.
cheers ,Bob
 

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Fluted cases

I don't notice any case 'fluting' on the photos of the cartridges. Besides why would there be fluting marks on the case of an unfired cartridge?

"...the way the 35mm Oerlikon went in the end so that the standard cases could be used and the gun chamber was fluted by means of "spark erosion" as the cases were problematic and expensive to produce." Are you certain the chambers of Oerlikom 35mm guns are fluted? I can not find confirmation anywhere.
In answer to your question initially the cases were made with the "flutes" prominent on the cases instead of the weapon chamber-as initially this was thought to be the most cost effective answer to prevent case jams, but I believe there were other problems possibly in the case manufacture leading to this idea being dropped.
You will see the "flutes" on the picture of one of SG500's cases fairly clearly.
 

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Thanks Chris, for the explanation and photo.
I've taken a few more, the flutes are difficult to photograph but can be seen OK in these images.
Dave.
 

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Some experimental 20mm Oerlikon fluted cases were also made in the UK - they were illustrated recently in the ECRA Bulletin.
 
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