From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
The installation scheme for a 40 m/m gun in a Bristol Beaufighter aircraft.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 176\1\ img147 | |
| Date | 16th March 1941 | |
| To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} from Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}/JD.{J. Draper - Frames} c. [Redacted text] c. [Redacted text] c. [Redacted text] c. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/J.Burns. Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}/JD.{J. Draper - Frames}6/SW.16.3.41. 40 m/m Gun in Beaufighter. We attach to Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/HH's copy, the original of QPL.176 - Installation of 40 m/m Gun in the Bristol Beaufighter. The above scheme shows the position of the 40 m/m gun in the Beaufighter, the cradle datum line being 78.350" from the zero former line of the fuselage. The guns are shown in the straight ahead position, with provision for both vertical and horizontal adjustment as shown on the rear stirrup mounting scheme QPL.175. We also show a proposal for the blast tubes, which we suggest should be 7" dia. These we assume will be produced and fitted by Bristols or whoever modifies the plane. We also show the front gun support, attaching the front spherical mounting to the plane main spars. This can be detailed from the above scheme, working in conjunction with QPL.173 - Front mounting. The drilling to suit the plane fuselage, will have to be done to suit the plane into which the guns are fitted. Chutes for ejecting the empty shell cases into the interior of the fuselage, will have to be done when the guns are in position in the plane. A certain amount of armouring of the fuselage will have to be done, to prevent the empty shell cases damaging the outer skin. Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}/JD.{J. Draper - Frames} [Signature] Original to Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/HH. Prints to Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Ve. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/HH. 2 Off for Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/J.Burns. | ||