XM75 grenade launcher pod - any info?

[Speedy]

Recently I found a mention about a new (for me) US experimental aircraft weapon from 1960s: an XM13 gun pod with 40 mm XM75 grenade launcher. Have you any information about this pod?

EDIT: sorry, wrong sub-forum my mistake. This post could be in Guns , Boats and Vehicles sub-forum. Unfortunately I don't know how to move it there

 

[HAZORD]

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...militarys-first-forgotten-light-attack-planes

 

[ordnance]

I am not familiar with the gun pod but the launcher is the prototype designation for the M75 40mm launcher. This was the first power driven automatic grenade launcher installed on Huey and Cobra helicopters in Vietnam. The barrel was positioned at the bottom of the launcher with a drum and cam above it to drive the barrel in a reciprocating fashion.

The offset design apparently created torque problems in operation which were corrected with the M129 launcher that replaced it. The M129 was a concentric design with the barrel in the center and the drum/cam surrounding it.

I think the XM13 pod was designed for fixed wing aircraft, a concept that didn't get very far. The muzzle velocity is so slow with the 40 X 53MM that aircraft would outrun them, even in helicopters where most were employed. I had a friend who flew Hueys in Vietnam and observed on high speed runs he would fire the 40mm chin gun and watch the rounds arc slowly downward and impact as he flew by.

 

[Speedy]

Thanks all for info and picture, I saw this pod first time.

Most interesting would be typical pod data: total weight and number of ammo