Paul F Austin wrote:
"Tony Williams" wrote

The merits of the 27 mm BK 27 revolver as opposed to the M61A1 can be
clearly demonstrated. In the first 0.5 seconds of firing, the M61
fires 18 rounds massing 1.8 kg in total weight of projectiles, the BK
27 fires 14 rounds weighing 3.7 kg. In the first full second, the M61
fires 68 rounds weighing 6.9 kg, the BK 27 fires 28 rounds weighing
7.4 kg. In weight of fire, as well as the destructiveness of the
individual projectiles, the Mauser clearly has an advantage, albeit
one that the faster-accelerating M61A2 reduces somewhat. This is
significant in that dogfights frequently permit only the briefest of
firing opportunities, and although a skilled pilot anticipating a
firing opportunity can 'spin up' a rotary in advance, such notice
cannot always be guaranteed.

Tony, why have none of the Gatling guns been designed to be "armed"
and spun up with the ammunition feed disengaged and "fired" at full
rate by engaging the ammunition feed? It seems obvious enough. There
are some obvious issues in inertial loads in the ammunition train but
a "burst's worth" of rounds could be decoupled from the main ammo
tank.

One thing I've not thought of before and that's the gyroscopic effects
of a fast rotating drum on the directional abilities of an aircraft ?
It can't be that much of course or it would not have been used at all. I
assume that the drum is relatively low mass ?


Richard.