[geeks] Multi-Barrel Machine Guns

[Phil Stracchino]

On 08/30/11 13:45, Nick B wrote:
> I think that's more of a deisgn choice than an engineering limit, as the
> GAU-8 in the A-10.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAU-8_Avenger
> And of course, some insane Finns decided to hook it up to the CWIS system,
> ending up with
> Goalkeeper http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goalkeeper_CIWS

Well, it's an engineering problem to an extent.  You can pretty easily
fit single or twin Mauser 27mm revolver cannons into an existing
aircraft design.  The Hawker Hunter carried four 30mm ADENs.[1]  But the
only aircraft that carries the GAU-8A is the Fairchild A-10, and they
literally had to design the aircraft around the gun and its ammunition
drum.  The gun and the ammo feed drum together are HUGE.


[1]  Which is actually the reason the RAF bought the Hunter over the
Folland Gnat.  The Gnat was smaller, lighter, cheaper, much more agile,
just as fast, and harder to target due to its small size and high
agility, but it only carried two 30mm Adens to the Hunter's four.  It
later turned out in service, though, that you could only actually use
the inboard two ADENs at the Hunter's design engagement altitude anyway,
because if you fired the outboard two ADENs above about fifteen thousand
feet, the engine would ingest enough combustion gases from the guns that
it would flame out.


-- 
  Phil Stracchino, CDK#2     DoD#299792458     ICBM: 43.5607, -71.355
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