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15 x 110mm, 20/15mm & 0.60 inch/20mm HV Aircraft MG

bdgreen

Well-Known Member
After test firings with the British 15mm BESA the U.S. Government, in 1941, gave the Bendix Aviation Corp. (Eclipse Machine Division), Elmira, N.Y., U.S.A. a contract to develop a 15mm high velocity aircraft machine gun. Bendix took an existing Hispano-Suiza (HS) aircraft MG, made minor modifications, rebarreled it to 15mm and used 20mm HS cases necked to take a 15mm bullet. The resulting MG was given various designations including 15mm, 20/15 and 60/20 (0.60 cal. & 20mm). During ensuing tests over the next year various loadings were experimented with. Various projectiles were tested including British 15mm BESA, German 15mm AP projectiles and projectiles from the concurrent but separate Cal. .60 AT gun & aircraft MG development programs. Muzzle velocities were in the 3000 to 3200 f.p.s. range. It appears that loaded cartridges for the program were manufactured at Frankford Arsenal using brass cases either unheadstamped or headstamped BBC 1941 20mm (Bridgeport Brass Co., Bridgeport, CT, U.S.A.). Some steel cases were manufactured by Stant Manufacturing Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A. and have no headstamp. These steel cases were also loaded for testing at Frankford Arsenal. The number of cartridges loaded at Frankford Arsenal was at least 2500 and most likely 4000 or more.

Due to various problems including primer blowout, excessive barrel erosion, excessive wear on mechanical parts and the fact that the Cal. .60 MG program was producing better results, the Bendix 15mm MG program by late 1942 was allowed to fade away with only minor testing done at Aberdeen in late 1942 and 1943.

The 15mm ball rounds shown in the attached picture are probably loaded with BC-3 Cal. .60 projectiles.

Information sources:
219th Partial Report of Functioning and Mechanical Test of Machine Guns and Machine Gun Accessories & First Report of Test of Bendix 20-15 MM Aircraft Machine Gun, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, September, 1942
The Machine Gun, Vol. 3, 1951, George Chinn
History of Modern U.S. Military Small Arms Ammunition, 1940- 1945, Vol. II, Hackley, Woodin & Scranton
 

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  • 15mm Bendix MG Cartridges, 1942.jpg
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