bergmen
Member.
Actually is an M39A1 20mm cannon developed by the Springfield Armory after WWII. There are a pair of them mounted in the F-5 fighter shown here:
Dan
Dan
20mm Revolver
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firesky101
Member
can someone make me a holster for that thing?
beag_nut
Member
You wouldn't want to carry it around; many of the shells use depleted uranium for the bullet.
Dain Bramage
Member
I'm waiting for the version with an unfluted cylinder.
Actually, they were the standard gun armament for a lot of US jet fighters. I believe the Vought Crusader carried four of them.
Actually, they were the standard gun armament for a lot of US jet fighters. I believe the Vought Crusader carried four of them.
Walking Dead
Member
Can it shoot .410's?
lg&m
Member
I't can shoot 410's / 411's what ever it takes.
The Crusader had 4. IIRC, that revolver pattern was common for aircraft cannon. I think the Germans had or have a 27 mm one on some modern planes. Could be wrong.
No - here it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauser_BK-27
No - here it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauser_BK-27
I believe the reason this type was used in the F-5 as opposed the the Gatling style used on the F-4 was space and maybe weight. The F-5 is a pretty small aircraft compared to most other fighters. Heck, it might even be smaller than the old F-104, never seen them side by side.
Regarding "depleted uranium". If the concern is radioactivity, there is no threat, hence the term "depleted".
The metal is used as a projectile for it's mass, as I understand it.
The F-5 was a nifty little fighter. General Chuck Yeager was involved in the development of it's twin-engined successor, the F-20. His accolades regarding the airframe speak much regarding the plane's capability.
Mike
The metal is used as a projectile for it's mass, as I understand it.
The F-5 was a nifty little fighter. General Chuck Yeager was involved in the development of it's twin-engined successor, the F-20. His accolades regarding the airframe speak much regarding the plane's capability.
Mike
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
It would look better with a blackpowder bevel on the cylinder and a case colored frame. Will Turnbull work on these? I'd like to have one mounted on my Silverado F2500. 
The F-20 was supposed to be, like the F-5 for smaller air forces with lower budgets. Both filled the bill nicely. The F-20 was killed by the US' willingness to sell F-16 and such for pretty low prices. Old technique, kill off your competition by underselling them, then when you're in the cat bird's seat, charge what you want.
kBob
Member
Depleted uranium is also pyrogenic.....not only does it have the weight to punch through armor but produces a boat load of plasma level sparks when it does so. This does bad things to enemy ammo componets, anything remotely flamable in the vehicle, water heavy items that can be rapidly converted to steam ( like say living creatures) and cause a heck of a very fast over pressure in a closed vehicle.
The F-100 had four of the pictured guns in most models.
The T-38 Talon based fighters were smaller than the F-104 which used a Gatling type gun.
Would you believe the West German Air Force trained to use F-104s in ground attack? They were very noisy in that role to an Infantryman only ten yards or so away......trust me.
To keep on board topic, US aircrew in those days carried .38 Special revolvers with FMJ ammo certainly up through the Panama Invasion.
-kBob
The F-100 had four of the pictured guns in most models.
The T-38 Talon based fighters were smaller than the F-104 which used a Gatling type gun.
Would you believe the West German Air Force trained to use F-104s in ground attack? They were very noisy in that role to an Infantryman only ten yards or so away......trust me.
To keep on board topic, US aircrew in those days carried .38 Special revolvers with FMJ ammo certainly up through the Panama Invasion.
-kBob
The F-20 was designed for Tiawan. It would have a radar and carry an AIM-7 radar guided missile. Tiawan didn't want the F-20. It was considered inferior because the US wasn't using it. They also proposed a version of the F-16 with a J-79 engine as a way of limiting the range and making it strictly a defensive weapon, but no one wanted that either.
I flew F-4s and we had the Hughes MK IV gun pod. It was a two gun pod with guns mounted vertically with a total rate of fire of 4,000 rpm. Fun to use, but strictly air-to-ground.
You know, I miss those old smoking Phantoms. I know they are seriously outdated, but nostalgia being what it is, I can't help but feel they were the best fighter bomber ever. The whining sound, the rip of the gun and the plumes of black smoke as they were going away are sights and sounds I'll never forget. And yea, that gun may only have been good for ground attack, but if you were on the ground, it was a wonderful sound to hear. Thanks for being there.
ApacheCoTodd
member
I remember an outstanding quote - and quite true at the time - that somewhere around the globe Phantom/IIs had been someone's front line fighter for half the time man has engaged in powered flight.
Quite an endorsement for the airframe.
beatledog7
Member
Ah, the F-4! There was proof that anything, given the right AOA and enough thrust, can be made to fly. Best way ever devised to turn JP5 into smoke and noise.
All kidding aside, what a wonderful airframe! Probably brought more pilots home after being hit than any other aircraft ever built, after the B-17 of course.
All kidding aside, what a wonderful airframe! Probably brought more pilots home after being hit than any other aircraft ever built, after the B-17 of course.
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