MK 101 cannon
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| MK 101 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Autocannon |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1943-1945 |
| Used by | 23x15px Nazi Germany |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Rheinmetall-Borsig |
| Designed | 1940 |
| Manufacturer | Rheinmetall-Borsig |
| Produced | 1943-1945 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 394 pounds (179 kg) |
| Length | 96 inches (2,400 mm) |
| Barrel length | 47.2 inches (1,200 mm) |
| | |
| Cartridge | 30x184B mm steel casing |
| Caliber | 30 mm |
| Action | Recoil operation |
| Rate of fire | 230-250 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 960 m/s (3,168 ft/s) |
The MK 101 is the designation of a 30 mm autocannon used in German combat aircraft during World War II. Although accurate and powerful, with a high muzzle velocity, it was very heavy, with a slow rate of fire, which limited its production.
Development and Use
Developed in 1935 by Rheimetall-Borsig as a commercial venture as the MG-101 (later designated MK 101, with the "MK" abbreviating the term Maschinenkanone, as an autocannon), the MK 101 cannon was a 30 mm (1.18 in), long-barreled automatic cannon capable of firing nine different types of 30x184B mm ammunition (ranging from basic high explosive to tungsten-cored armor-piercing rounds). Featuring pneumatic cocking and fired by percussion via an electrical solenoid, the Mk 101 was recoil-operated. In operation, the barrel and bolt recoiled 30 mm (1.18 in) to the rear after each shot. The bolt locked via a Stange-type machined sleeve with internal interrupted threads, similar to some Solothurn weapons such as the 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 30 light machine gun. The locking system was strong, but rate of fire was limited to a rather slow 230-250 rpm, which limited its use against other aircraft. Powerful and accurate for its day, it was carried primarily on the Henschel Hs 129 ground-attack aircraft, commencing in late 1941. Fed by a 10-round (early versions) or a 30-round box magazine, the MK 101 could penetrate 75 mm (3 in) of armor at 300 m (330 yd) range. Used as an aircraft-mounted anti-tank weapon, the Mk-101's tungsten-cored AP round was capable of penetrating the turret and side armor of the Soviet KV-1 heavy tank.[1] An electrically-fired version of the MK 101 cannon was later developed and designated the MK 103.
See also
Notes
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- ↑ Kay, Antony L. and Smith, John R., German aircraft of the Second World War: Including Helicopters and Missiles, Naval Institute Press (2002), ISBN 155750010X, 9781557500106, p. 169
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