The business end of the M197 20mm Gatling gun in the chin turret of a Marine Corps Bell AH-1J SeaCobra. The M197 was developed in 1968 as a lightened variant of the M61 Vulcan cannon when it was realized the M134 7.62mm Minigun on the early Cobra gunship variants lacked the punch against more difficult targets in Vietnam. Designed specifically for helicopters (as well as for light attack aircraft and naval vessels), the M197 took the M61 Vulcan gun and removed three barrels and shortened the remaining three barrels. This was done primarily to lighten the gun and reduce the recoil forces. As a result, the M197 has an average recoil force of 1300 lbs/5.8 kN while the M61 Vulcan has a recoil force of 2100 lbs/9.4 KN for 4000 rounds/min and 3200 lbs/14.2 kN for 6000 rounds/min. And because I know the question has just popped into your heads, the recoil force for the A-10βs GAU-8/A Avenger is an astounding 10,000 lbs/45 kN! #avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KAFW #AFW #FortWorth #AllianceAirShow #airport #Texas #FWAAS2011 #FWAAS11 #avgeekery #avgeekschoolofknowledge #Bell #AH1 #SeaCobra #helicopter #M197 #USMC #mil_aviation_originals #instaaviation #Avgeekery #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge (at Fort Worth Alliance Airport)
