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).
Letter from the RAF comparing the specifications of Belgian and American .5' Browning machine guns.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 176\1\ img102 | |
| Date | 16th October 1940 | |
| DO/RSTHC/49. Headquarters, No. 1 Air Armament School, Royal Air Force, MANBY, Nr. Louth, Lincs. 16th October, 1940. Dear Lappin, When I came over and visited you the other week I had a discussion with one of the Staff - I think his name was ROWBOTHAM - who conducted us round your Gun Experimental Branch. The discussion was on the difference between the Belgian .5" Browning and the American .5" Browning, and I stated at the time that, to the best of my knowledge, the Belgian Browning had a higher rate of fire and a higher muzzle velocity, and that if it had not been for the invasion of Belgium by the Germans, it was the Navy's [handwritten: Government's] intention to use the Belgian Browning. I promised at the time to look up some figures which I had regarding the Belgian Browning, and which I quote below:- Weight ... 53 lbs. Over-all length... 4'.9 & 5/16ths" Rate of fire ... 1,000 rounds per minute (claimed) Muzzle velocity... 2,750 feet per second (approx) Weight of projectile: 1.8 oz. I am not quite sure where these figures were produced from, but to the best of my knowledge they were given to me by the Ordnance Committee; so I imagine they are fairly reliable and may be of interest to Rowbotham. Yours sincerely, [Signature] W. Lappin, Esq., c/o.{Mr Oldham} Messrs Rolls Royce, Ltd., DERBY. | ||