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).
Development work and testing for 40mm guns for the Admiralty and the Beaufighter.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 176\1\ img048 | |
| Date | 12th August 1940 | |
| COPY. Vo. from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/ML.12.8.40. DEVELOPMENT WORK - 40 mm. GUNS. ----------------------------- We now have two 40 mm. guns available for development work. ADMIRALTY GUN. There are two pieces of information that the Admiralty want, they are:- 1 - Completion of Freezing Tests. I believe that you would like to try Lockheed fluid in the buffer. Also, the last test with glycerine and water in the buffer was not really very 100% since it is doubtful whether either the gun or ammunition were anything approaching 0 deg. F.{Mr Friese} when the firing took place. We are therefore asking Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/FJH{Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer} to make the necessary arrangements with regard to the cold chamber and to contact Parry. 2 - Temperature Rise Curve With Number of Shots Fired. It will not be difficult to rig up some thermocouples to get this information. While these tests are in progress it should be possible to observe the reliability of ejection which was not 100% during the Whale Island Tests. We contacted Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry{Shadwell Grylls} about his high-speed camera and it takes 10,000 pictures a second, so it is a bit fast for this job, though it might do for the 1/2" gun. Lector Shaw is getting some tackle made to try and measure the trunnion load accurately for you. GUN FOR THE BEAUFIGHTER. Frise is pretty well on with the installation drawings for putting this gun in the Beaufighter. Presumably we ought to get the gun tested, firing on its side, with the existing automatic feed, as soon as possible, since you believe that the original trouble was due more to the gun than the feed mechanism. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||