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 to the Ministry of Aircraft Production regarding the production of 40 mm guns.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 176\1\ img204 | |
| Date | 11th June 1941 | |
| Copy to Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 11th June, 1941. Ve/NP.1/CB. D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} Arm. D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary}, Ministry of Aircraft Production, Millbank, LONDON, S.W.1. For the attention of Wing Commander Heard. Production Facilities - R.R. 40 mm. Guns Dear Sir, Further to our telephone conversation of yesterday, the following is a summary of the present position on the production of Rolls-Royce 40 mm. Guns. 760 - 40 mm. guns of the single shot type (2 pdr. Mark XIV) are being produced by the British United Shoe Machinery Co. of Leicester for the Navy and it is expected during the course of the next few weeks production will reach the rate of 15 per week, all the necessary jigs, tools and gauges having now be provided and suitable plant installed and set up. The automatic gun for use in aircraft is virtually the 2 pdr. Mark XIV gun with a hopper feed, automatic magazine attached, and it may be taken that the existing production equipment is suitable for manufacturing 80% of the automatic gun. The Barrels, the bore and chamber of which are identical with the 2 pdr. Mark VIII are being made by the R.O.F., Nottingham from forgings supplied by the English Steel Corporation. It is not, of course, possible for us to commit The British United Shoe Machinery Co. to a production programme for automatic guns for use in aircraft, but we are approaching them to ascertain what their best output of automatic guns could be and it is hoped that it will be possible to obtain an output of 5 guns per week dovetailing with the Navy production, or 15 guns per week if the firm are prepared to concentrate a greater proportion of their energies on gun production and to operate full night shifts seven days a week. We will give you a more definite statement as soon as we have discussed this matter with The British United Shoe Machinery Co. Yours faithfully, for ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED. (S.M. Viale) | ||