Hughes Heligun

[robunos]

http://www.forgottenweapons.com/ex-17-heligun/

Download the PDF at the link, most interesting...

Not sure if this is the right section, Mods, please move if necessary.

Images from PDF referred to above.


cheers,
Robin.

 

[CostasTT]

A few more from: http://galerie.valka.cz/showphoto.php/photo/152742 and http://sobchak.wordpress.com/2010/01/09/hughes-ex-17-heligun/

 

[Avimimus]

lol - I burst out laughing when I saw the guitar case ;D

I guess this is an equivalent to the GSh-G?

 

[Abraham Gubler]

I guess this is an equivalent to the GSh-G?

Nope its the small arms variant of the Marquadt gun (20mm Mk 11 Mod 5). Its actually a revolver gun not a rotary (barrel) gun.

 

[jsport]

http://www.forgottenweapons.com/ex-17-heligun/

Download the PDF at the link, most interesting...

Not sure if this is the right section, Mods, please move if necessary.

Images from PDF referred to above.


cheers,
Robin.

Thank you Robin...wow...quite a find..appears ignition was the most prevalent issue at 36% of the failures...Makes Gats look like Civil War tech ;D

 

[robunos]

Thanks for the extra info and images. AG, I'd seen the references to the 'Mark !!' and the Navy in the PDF but hadn't got round to following them up.
Avimimus, I believe the violin case stunt was a promotional thing the show the weapon's small size compared to the Minigun.
One thing I have noticed, is that there are two configurations shown in the various images. One form has a large spring mounted between the gun barrels, and the other does not. These are obviously 'early' and 'late' versions, but does anybody know which one's which?

cheers,
Robin.

 

[CostasTT]

I took a good look at the PDF file. Everything dated up to 1965, including the pics from the trials on the OH-6, shows the EX-17 with the short spring. The files dated 1966 show it with the long spring. Therefore, I believe it's safe to say that the long spring is the late version.

 

[tround]

A beautiful weapon.

One of the three attempts at replacement of the M134.
The contenders are the 5.56mm xm214 Microgun and The open chamber gun HIVAP.

 

[jsport]

Dear Tround, you must have know we'd notice the Tround...a long time believer in the Tround concept for autocannons and high volumn like Minis....preferably caseless.. Always something else to see the RPM for HIVAP..Other augmenting tech and TTPs would need some thought..

 

[Kiltonge]

Video found via Reddit, reportedly recorded at 9300fps, of the EX-17 firing six rounds in 0.047 seconds. After that the cylinder doesn't seem to cam properly before returning forward, resulting in failure to feed.

https://imgur.com/a/TVYSptM

Notable difference from the Mk 11 cannon is that the lower barrel fires first on the EX-17.

 

[Kiltonge]

Hughes ad from 1962 detailing the Mk 11 and the EX-17 Heligun. Interesting notes:

• Recoil force for the Heligun was 190lbs
• Hughes was developing a 20mm salvo round

 

[Scott Kenny]

Honestly, I think an externally powered weapon is better than a self-powered one for aircraft. Even if it is heavier.

We can make arguments either way for ground vehicles, depending on what your other assumptions are. Today, it's likely that crew will be under armor, so externally powered guns are better than self-powered. In the 1970s, crew were heads up and manning each gun individually anyways, so the externally powered gun advantages of being basically self-clearing are reduced.