1932 33mm Ateliers des Puteaux
TypeAircraft cannon
Place of originFrance
Production history
Designed1931 - 1936
Specifications
Mass150 kg (330.6 lbs)
Length1,960 millimetres (77.16 in)

The 33mm APX (French: Ateliers des Puteaux—"Puteaux workshops") was a series of 33 mm caliber autocannon manufactured in France during the early 1930s for use in aircraft.

The weapon was originally designed to be fitted to the Farman F.1010, a low-wing monoplane test-bed aircraft built to trial the cannon.[1][2] Constructed by Ateliers des Puteaux, the cannon were tested by the French Government in the 1930s and intended to be shot through the propellor hub of an inverted V8 aircraft engine - but were not put into large scale production. A number of prototypes and versions were constructed during the 1930s, some purchased by Greece for testing. The weapon was also fitted to the Hanriot H.115 and KEA L.33, though interest in the weapon generally dwindled. [3]

A number of variants were produced in the early 1930s, with differing muzzle velocity, fire rates and ammunition capacities - some designed specifically for the moteur canon (motor cannon) role.[4] From the mid-1930s onwards, further development was conducted into following-on from the Oerlikon license produced cannons, including a new operating system to increase rate of fire, which eventually resulted in the famed H.S.404 auto cannon.

Properties

A diagram displaying the side-view of the cannon

The 1932 33mm Ateliers des Puteaux cannon fired a High-Explosive or Armour-Piercing round at 650m/s and had a fire rate of 300 rounds per minute.[5] Overall the weapon weighed 150kg and was fed by a drum that could contain up to 35 rounds, firing rounds with up to 72g of explosive filler.[1] The AP round was capable of penetrating up to 32 mm of armour at 500 metres. The later 1933 revision fired the same projectile at 900m/s and retained the cylic fire rate, whilst being 10kg lighter.[4]

Variants

Data from Williams, Anthony G. (2021). Autocannon : a history of automatic cannon and ammunition. Ramsbury: The Crowood Press. ISBN 978-1-78500-921-1. OCLC 1346317968.

Properties 1932 APX 1933 APX Semi-Léger
Rate of Fire 300 rpm 300 rpm
Muzzle Velocity 650/687 m/s 900 m/s 950 m/s
Cartridge 33x95 mm 33x95 mm 30x167 mm
Ammunition Capacity 35 shells 50 shells

Specifications (1932 33mm A.P.X. Cannon)

  • Type: single-barrel automatic cannon
  • Calibre: 33 x 95 mm (1.29 in)
  • Operation: recoil-operated
  • Weight without drum magazine: 129.75 kg (286 lb 1 oz)
  • Weight (complete): 150 kg (330 lb 11 oz)
  • Rate of fire: 300 rpm
  • Muzzle velocity: 650–687 m/s (2,130–2,250 ft/s)
  • Ammunition: AP and HE
  • Projectile weight: HE: 630 g (22 oz), AP: 690 g (24 oz)
  • HE and HEI rounds explosive filler: 72 g (2.5 oz)
  • Length: 1960 mm (77.16 in)
  • Barrel Length: 700 mm (27.5 in)

References

  1. 1 2 Liron, J (1984). LES AVIONS FARMAN (1st ed.). Editions Lariviere.
  2. ↑ "Aviafrance Les Machines: Farman F-1010". 1999-05-29. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  3. ↑ "Hanriot H.115 - fighter". www.aviastar.org. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
  4. 1 2 Williams, Anthony (2022). Autocannon: A History of Automatic Cannon and their Ammunition. The Crowood Press UK. ISBN 978-1785009204.
  5. ↑ "DOCUMENTS MUNITIONS INDEX". www.histavia21.net. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
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