Mixed .303s and 30-06's on aircraft? Pictures inside!

[tjhaile]

I think that it would be a simple case of using whatever is available. Any performance difference between the .303 and .30-06 versions of the AN-M2 would likely be pretty insignificant given that all rifle calibre MGs were pretty ineffective and had a short range compared to heavy MGs and cannon.

As well, the Tomahawk carried only 4 wing-mounted MGs to the Hurricane's 8 and the Spit's 8.... and this was modded to 12 in later production: the Canadian-built Huricane II mounted a dozen Brownings.

The Tomahawk also had two cowl-mounted .50s firing through the propeller arc besides the 30 or .303 wing guns.

Interestingly, the Germans made both percussion and electrically primed 20x82mm ammo. Percussion primed rounds were used in non-synchronized applications and the electric primed ones in synchronized applications. The FW-190, having one pair of cannon in the wing roots firing through the propellor arc and one pair in the wings outboard of the propeller, used both types of ammunition simultaneously.

 

[smellie]

If you want aluminum, you need bauxite AND a smelter AND a very large source of electricity; the ore does not give up its metal without a struggle.

If we had all the lead that was burned up and turned into sulphate in the old Voltaic cells, just to get a bit of aluminum, we all would be able to shoot 18-pounders.

Aluminum for a long time was much more costly than gold. The French Emperor Napoleon III would have guests to dinner sometimes. The guests ate from plates of solid gold, but the Emperor ate from ALUMINUM!

Weird but true.
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[can14]

inside gun is 303 browning.

 

[purple]

This reminded me to dig out a well rumpled .50 cal round that my father picked out of a P-40 wreck on the west coast during WW2. Headstamp is FA 41 (Frankfort Arsenal).

 

[wheaty]

There were three distinct flash hiders and fore barrel bushings on the AC Mk. II and Mk. II*. Two types are pictured on the picture of the armourers working on the guns. Vickers, BSA and Inglis made them. There was some talk of BCI in Windsor making some complete guns, but never saw one so marked. Did see parts. They were also made in the USA with the designation ANM2, 30 cal.
The difference in flash hider config and location might have something to do with the cooling and or slip stream cooling or the flash obscuring the pilots view at 4 to 6 and 8 to 6 o'clock. Just my take on the different config.

 

[can14]

the guns used compressed air to fire. they have a "flapper" which hooks to an air line and when you put the air to it it fires the gun. BSA 303 aircraft.

 

[Brutus]

I think the mix was purely because the P-40 main armament was two 303's and two 50 cal's in the earliest variant. The addition 30 cal MG's probably were added as a wartime expedient to boost firepower. In 1944 the P-40E had six 50 ca'ls.