Davis gun on an RE8

[kristjanr]

Hi, I was leafing through Profile Publications #85 and discovered that some innovative individuals with 30 squadron in Mesopotamia fitted a recoilless 2pdr (1.57 inch) Davis recoilless gun to an RE8. Does anybody know the serial number of this aircraft? Or where else I can find more photos of it?

Thanks,
Kristjanr

[MikeMeech]

Hi Kristjanr
I havn't got the information you want sadly but I can give you two more sources on the weapon. In 'British Aircraft Armament Volume 2' by R Wallace Clarke, PSL, 1994, pages 36-37, he states:
"A few 2-pounder Davies guns were dispatched to Mesopotamia where, in January 1918, 30 squadron armourers fitted one to an RE.8, a small aircraft. It was clamped to the starboard side of the fuselage alongside the observer's cockpit to fire at 45 degrees forward and downward. The installation gave excellant service on ground attack operations and, after a few modifications in the squadron workshop, no trouble was encountered with the gun's action or discomfort to the crew."
The other source is 'Armament of British Aircraft 1909-1939' by H F King, Putnam, 1971, page 296, which on the installation of the Davis gun on the RE.8 of 'A' Flight, 30 Sqn. states:
"The gun was fixed to the starboard side of the fuselage, firing forward and downward at 45 degrees, and was reloaded by the observer/gunner, whose Scarff ring-mounting retained its Lewis gun. The forward muzzle of the Davis gun was roughly on the level of the undercarriage axle; the rear muzzle was above and behind the rear cockpit. The installation was considered successful, although the gun could not be sighted accurately."
I hope that is of some use.

Mike

[kristjanr]

I have scoured all sources on the RE.8 that I can find, but without success. I don't suppose there are any pictures of this bird in the new datafile?

Meanwhile a picture of the beast, I'm still amazed they actually used this rig in action: