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INERT DEACTIVATED. British, 1942 Dated, Hispano-Suiza 20mm (20x110) HS 404 Aircraft Cannon Semi Armour Piercing Incendiary (SAPI) Round. - O 2263 INERT DEACTIVATED. The HS.404 is a cannon was originally designed and produced by Spanish/French company Hispano-Suiza in the mid-1930s. The guns also referred to as Birkigt type 404, after its designer Marc Birkigt and later versions based on British development are known as 20 mm Hispano. In 1938, an aircraft based version of the HS.404 was produced at the request of the French government which was installed on a wide range of pre-war French fighter aircraft, notably in installations firing through the propeller shaft of the Hispano-Suiza 12Y engine. The HS.404 was fed by drum magazines which held 60 rounds of ammunition. Later on in 1940, the HS404 cannon was adopted by the Royal Air Force and entered service arming the Bristol Beaufighter and the Westland Whirlwind which carried 4 of the guns internally. The gun was also used in Spitfires in the Battle of Britain. The gun however with its original 60 round drum feed although very effective in combat was mechanically unreliable. The gun was later modified to a belt feed which was reliable and served in many aircraft throughout WW2 including the Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, Westland Whirlwind, Bristol Beaufighter, Hawker Typhoon and Tempest as standard equipment or an upgrade of the Browning .303 machine gun as an effective hard hitting gun. The round was later used in the De Havilland Vampire and Gloster Meteor fighter aircraft in World War 2 and after. This 20mm HS 404 semi armour piercing incendiary (SAPI drill round made by Raleigh Cycles Limited of Birmingham. The cartridge case was made by the Raleigh Cycle Company and has an empty primer pocket and is headstamped R.H (Raleigh Cycle Company, Limited, Nottingham, England) 1942 (1942 Air Service date) 20MM. The a steel H.E. projectile has a copper driving band and is fitted with a solid steel piercing cap representing a ball round to give it a semi armour piercing quality. The price U.K. delivery and no licence is required to possess inert rounds in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. O 2263 £125.00
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