Granted, it is an obscure design that has become a minor footnote in firearms history.
But that doesnt mean it should be.
worth of 12 gauge shot and .6 lbs.
Interestingly, the Davis Gun was patented as the C. Davis Aeroplane Gun.
Not only was Davis invention recoilless, it was also among the earliest forms of airborne artillery.
In-flight reloading proved challenging, particularly based on the design of the carrying aircraft.
The weight of the Davis Gun was also an issue: nearly 210 lbs.
for a 6-pounder with the gun and mount, plus the weight of the ammunition.
These were tested by squadrons based in Dunkerque, France, and were used on ground attack missions.
The war ended before they could be tested in combat.
Both aircraft were intended to fly anti-submarine patrol missions equipped with the 6-pounder Davis Gun.
The Navy also mounted the larger Davis Gun variants aboard small sub chasers.
Suitable stops prevent the rear barrel being depressed sufficiently to endanger the upper wing of the airplane.
Had a seaplane armed with a Davis gun been present the destruction of the submarine would have been assured.
American ingenuity and American exceptionalism led the way to a new international dynamic.
By the time of the Second World War, combatants finally caught up to Commander Davis invention.
