Rapid Fire: The Development of Automatic Cannon, Heavy Machine Guns and Their Ammunition for Armies, Navies and Air Forces

by Williams, Anthony G.

• ISBN13: 9781840371222
• ISBN10: 1840371226
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-11-01
• Publisher: Motorbooks Intl

Summary

The Development of Automatic Cannon and Heavy Machine Guns for Armies, Navies, and Air Forces. The development of all heavy automatic weapons of every nation during the 20th century is explained with easily understood technical descriptions of mountings, sights, ammunition feeds, and other mechanisms. Analyses of the weapons are presented in the historical contexts in which they were developed, and photos depict the weapons in use. Line drawings and a look into the future of heavy weapons.

Table of Contents

Introduction	8	(2)
The Cartridge	10	(22)
The Guns	32	(52)
Army Weapons	84	(32)
Naval Guns	116	(24)
Weapons for air Fighting	140	(60)
The Future	200	(12)
Appendix 1: Anti-tank and Modern Heavy Rifles	212	(12)
Appendix 2: Data Tables	224	(32)
Table 1: Cartridge Used in Automatic Weapons 11.35mm-57mm	225	(6)
Table 2: Miscellaneous Military Cartridges	231	(5)
Table 3: Service Heavy Automatic Weapons 11.35mm-57mm	236	(11)
Table 4: Service Heavy Automatic Weapons	247	(4)
Table 5: Anti-tank and Current Heavy Rifles	251	(3)
Table 6: Selected Rifle-calibre Machine Guns	254	(2)
Appendix 3: Comparative Scale Drawings of Cartridges	256	(10)
Appendix 4: Comparative Drawings of Second World War Aircraft-Guns	266	(7)
Appendix 5:Comparative Drawings of Post-war Fighter Guns	273	(2)
Glossary	275	(6)
Sources	281	(5)
Index	286