Test 1 - Weapon Design Flashcards
What do detonators mainly consist of?
Mercury Fulminate
Who is credited with the concept of a gun?
The monk Black Berthold
Why were trunnions an important improvement to weapons?
Absorbed some of the recoil shock.
Allowed the gun to be raised and lowered for firing.
Who designed first modern combustion time fuse?
Colonel Boxer
What is the British name for Picric Acid?
Lyddite
What are the two smokeless propellants and what do they consist of?
Ballistite - camphor (wax), nitroglycerine (NG) and Collodion (Nitrocellulose (NC)).
Cordite - Nitroglycerine (NG), guncotton (nitrocellulose (NC)) and petroleum jelly.
What is FAE?
Fuel Air Explosive:
Two casualty producing elements to be hardness together - Heat and Overpressure.
compound termed: Thermobaric
What was Roger Bacon’s importance in regard to the development of explosives?
He described the composition of gunpowder and experimented to improve its quality and explosive power
When and where was the first self contained SAA cartridge created?
1808 in Paris
What does NG do to NC?
Dissolves it.
HMX was initially a side product of what HE?
RDX
What does gunpowder consist of?
Potassium nitrate (saltpetre), Sulphur and Resins/charcoal. With arsenic added to produce toxic smoke.
What is Tetryl used for and why?
A booster as it’s too sensitive for a main fill.
What is fulminate mercury used for?
Mainly used for detonators
What does guncotton consist of?
Nitrocellulose, Nitric Acid and cotton fibres.
PETN is used as a secondary explosive in what service EO?
Detonating Cord.
Name three early methods of rifling.
Hexagonal barrel and projectile
Studded projectile
Lead coated projectile
What does Greek fire consist of?
Naphtha, Sulphur and Pitch.
More incendiary than explosive.
When we’re the first atomic and Hydrogen thermonuclear bombs developed?
1945 (little boy and fat man) and 1947 (Russian A bomb)
Who experimented with gunpowder and why?
Roger bacon, to improve its quality and explosive power
Why do grains of gunpowder loaded in a Gun have sufficient room between them?
To allow the flash to reach them all at the same time.
What are the types of modern smokeless powders?
Single, double and triple based propellants.
When the cast iron barrels become prevalent?
16th Century
Who invented the breech loading gun?
Sir William Armstrong.
What does dynamite consist of?
Nitroglycerine (NG)
Single shot martini Henry rifle suffered what problems?
Extraction issues due to weak cart cases and excessive fouling due to the use of black powder as the main charge
List the methods of barrel construction.
Monobloc Composite Wire Wound Built Up Barrels Loose Barrel/Loose Liner
What do fume extractors aid in?
To prevent the fumes entering the crew compartment
What are the 2 categories of breech mechanisims?
Screw and Sliding
A decrease in the initial resistance to shot start is cause by what and what effect will this have?
Barrel Wear
Rand Range is decreased
There are three types of muzzle brakes, what are they?
Built Up
Solid forging
Swaged - double baffle, single baffle
What term is used to describe the diameter of the bore excluding the depth of the lands?
calibre
how do you measure the calibre?
the diameter of the bore excluding the depth of the lands.
What are the three groups of firing mechanisms?
Percussion
Electric
Percussion Electric
What categorioes of ammunition are each breech mechanism designed for?
Screw - Separate Ammo
Sliding Block - Semifixed or Fixed Ammo.
Two types of Barrel Wear?
Erosive Wear - chemical action of hot, high pressure gases
Abrassive Wear - driving band
Name the types of Stresses on barrels?
Girder stress Radial Stress Circumferential Stress Longitudunal Stress Torsional Stress
4 Barrel Characteristics
Life,, Strength, Stiffness, Centre of Gravity.
3 Main components of Ordnance
Barrel incl attachments
Breech
Firing Mechanism
What is the function of the Ordnance
Provides a vessel to contain the force of the burning charge in such a way that the energy produced is transmitted safely and predictably to the projectile.
Types of Trails?
Pole Trail
Box Trail
Split Trail
Bowed Box Trail
Function of Trails
Transmit recoil forces to the ground
hold gun in position
connects weapon to vehicle
Define Mountings and Carriages.
The Part of the gun which provides support during transport of the ordnance and maintains its stability during firing.
Difference between Carriage and Mounting?
Carriage travels on wheels and it’s wheels in contact with ground when firing. Mounting doesn’t fire with wheels in contact with the ground.
Two types of Mountings?
Mobile (towed) or Self Propelled.
Functions of a Carriage or Mounting
Provide mobility for transportation
Support Ordance and give stability
Give ordnance direction in eleveation or traverse
Provide accurate and quick laying to ordnance
Absorb recoil energy and return gun to firing position
Two classificaitons of Mounting
Static and semi static mounting.
Two major parts of a carriage or mounting?
Superstructure and Basic structure
Superstructure Consists of:
SRCBETS
Saddle consists of:
Central pivot
Trunnion bearings
Some gun designs don’t require a saddle
Cradle Types:
Trough Type
Ring Type
Open Structure
Balancing Gear types:
Tension and Compression.
3 Types of Elevating Gears:
Worm and Segment
Nut and Screw
Arc and Pinion
4 Types of Traversing Gears
Nut and Screw
Arc and Pinion
Rapson nut and Screw
He projectiles designed to:
Disperse high velocity fragments and is accompanied by blast.
Requirements for Artillery?
A - Ammunition M - Mobility R - Range A - Accuracy and consistency P - Protection
5 Arty Ammo Natures?
HE, Smoke, Illum, Guided porjectiles, Sub-munitions
3 Ways for Arty fuzes to function?
Airburst, Groundburst, Delay
Types of Arty Carrier munitions?
Smoke, Smoke WP, Illum, Sub-munitions
Arty Smoke uses:
Blind enemy observation
Screen movements of troops
Marking Targets
4 Reasons Illum isn’t carried?
Image Intesifiers
Low Light television
Thermal Imaging
Infa-Red sights
2 methods to increase arty range?
Ballistic Co-efficiency
Post Firing Boost - base bleed or rkt assist
Definition of Accuracy?
measurement of precision which the MPI of a group of rounds can be placed on a target
Definition of Consitency?
meausurement of the spread of rounds around the MPI from the same gun and elevation/aim point.
4 Factors affecting Accuracy:
Survey of guns
Accuracy of target loc
inaccuracy inherent to the ammo and instruments
correntions applied for external conditions
4 factors affecting consistency:
muzzle velocity
ballistic coefficiency
weather
laying, ramming and wear of the gun
Protection for arty guns from indirect fire x4:
dispersion
cam and concealment
digging
mobility
Definition of a Mortar:
F - Fin stabilised bomb L - Low MV O - Own propelling charge H - High trajectory R - Recoil to ground through baseplate S - Smooth bore M - Muzzle Loaded
Weapon in which the recoil if transmitted to the ground through a base-plate. usually smoothbore, muzzle loading, firing a fin stablised bomb with its own propelling charge at low MV and high trajectory.
4 Advantages of Mortars:
Moderate Cost
Low Weight
Simplicity
High Angle and rates of fire
5 Disadvantages of Mortars:
long flight time relative inaccuracy compared to guns dependent on ground conditions degraded performance in wet lack of protection for crews
Categories of Mortars:
Light - 50-70mm
Medium - Up to 100mm
Heavy - 120mm
Gun - Rifled barrels, breech loading, recoil system
2 Main Components with sub components of Mortar ammo:
Bomb Body - Fuze and provides obturation
Tail Unit - Propulsion system
2 Types of Mortar Propulsion/augmenting cartridges:
- Thin leaves of plasticised propellant stapled together.
- Hollow plastic carts containing granular propellant.
Mortar Ammo Natues:
HE, sub-munitons, smoke producing, smoke burst, Illum.
Mortar Fuzes SAD. explain?
Designed to arm themselves on the acceleration that occurs in the barrel and this force is applied for less than 10m/s. Fitted with an additon safety pin.
Modern fuzes include delayed arming mech (escape mech)
Mortar Fuze types x4:
Impact/PD
Delay
MTSQ
Prox
Windage definition:
gap between outer wall of the bob and inner wall of the tube.
Explain Static Margin:
Distance between the Cenre of pressure and CoG. larger static margin the greater chance to canel yaw.
static margin should be equal to at least 1 calibre.
4 ways to extend Range for mortars:
DS
Rkt Assist
Spin stabalised
Breech loaded
Considerations for Delivery Systems:
N - Nature of Task E - Effect Required at target T - Terrain R - Range P - Protection M - Mobility
Tasks for Delivery Systems:
N - Neutralisation I - Interdiction (cut off supply liens) C - Counter Battery Fire C - Coordination of Fire D - Destruction I - Illumination S - Suppression H - Harrassment
FFR definition:
A tube open at one end in which fuel is burnt, the gases form the burning fuel escape out of the opened end.
The momentum of escaping gases causing an equal and opposite reaction on the closed end
The projectile flight path cannot be changed
Name Direct Fire Systems x3:
Small Arms - <20mm
Cannon - >20mm
Rockets
Types of Delivery Systems:
Guns Mortars FFR Direct Fire Systems Recoiless Systems Guided Missles
Points on Recoiless Systems:
84mm M3 Carl Gustaf Man Portable Versatile payload limited armour protection large firing signature
Points on Guided Missles:
Greater accuracy
High Velocity
Increased cost
Specific Target Types
Define Ammunition:
All material used in discharging a weapon that is thrown, dropped, placed, projected, shot, launched, inclusive of explosives, pyrotechnics fuzes are Ammo.
All the material used in discharging all types of firearms or any weapon that throws projectiles, shot, shrapnel, bullets, carts and the means of igniting and exploding them as primers and fixes. Chemicals, bombs, grenades, mines and Pyros are also Ammo.
