20mm tarasque

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The 20 mm Tarasque is a French machine gun in 20 mm caliber.

history

With the rebuilding of the French armed forces after the Second World War , the French needed an effective anti-aircraft gun against low-flying planes and helicopters . The four-pipe Fk 1 arose from the development work . The single-pipe version Tarasque was created to guarantee greater mobility and use on a battlefield . The weapon is so lightly designed that even jeeps and light trucks can be used for transport. By transporting with helicopters (also with light ones), an effective air load capacity can be guaranteed within the battlefield. Although primarily designed for air defense, Tarasque can also be used in ground combat.

technology

With the Tarasque system, complicated tube return mechanisms and other weight-generating accessories were deliberately avoided. A protective shield against enemy fire is missing. Height and side alignment is done hydraulically by a motor pump. If this fails, it can also be straightened manually. If the gun is detached from the transporter, it is ready to fire within 20 seconds. The operating team consists of three soldiers.

Technical specifications

  • Caliber: 20 mm
  • Combat weight: 650 kg
  • Pipe length: 2.06 m
  • Elevation range: −8 ° to + 83 °
  • Side straightening range: 360 °
  • Ammunition type / weight: highly explosive / 125 g
  • Muzzle velocity: 1050 m / s
  • effective shot height: 2000 m

literature