Originally Posted by
nipva
Dodgyoldfart. ''So potentially four aircraft could have been ready to go in about 4 to 5 minutes. This is all conjecture mind but aircraft were certainly left armed over night in RAF Germany''
I am not doubting or gainsaying the overnight loading of gunpacks. The point that I was trying to make was that such preloaded gunpacks were only loaded with ball, not HE, and that I would have thought this alleged use of a Chivenor a/c would have required HE ammo.
I think you are missing the point @nipva Presumably the Hunters at Chivenor were there in a training capacity and would not be armed with HE ammo. Incidentally only 50 rounds per gun were normal loaded for range purposes. However even 10 hits with 30mm ball could do a hell of a lot of damage to a C130. Just one hit in an engine at 400m would likely wreck it.
Incidentally back in the day the most effective round fired from 20mm Hispano was the semi-armour piercing incendiary not the HE. This round retained enough energy to smash the block of the German Junkers Jumo 211 engine at 400 meters and would also penetrate the roof armour of the Panzer Mk 4 at a similar range.
Back in the 1950's in RAF Germany the Hunters normally flew with full gun packs of ball although the ammunition was not loaded into the guns ready to fire. During Battle Flight the ball was exchanged for HE and ready to fire.