OAP:
Thanks for coming back.
I actually worked with a guy who was part of the Enfield team who converted the MG213 into the Aden, and got to see the original drawings for the Aden. Most of them were simply MG213 drawings with the metric dimensions converted to imperial. The Aden 30's mounting design, which led to quite a bit of weight, was originally designed for the Hunter belly pack. The Aden 30 shell was slightly changed version of the German design, and its antiquated Torpex filling was causing severe problems by the 90s. Essentially, the Aden 30 had been severely neglected for some years.
The shame was that the UK never seriously tried to design another aircraft cannon after the Aden 30. The Aden 25 was a modified version, but very limited in scope. Much more could have been done (at not a lot of cost) to get a lot of weight out of the gun and its feed systems.
The 213, and its design team, spawned a whole generation of derivatives in many other countries, including the DEFA 30 (France), M39 (US) and Oerlikon (Sweden) revolvers.
The main problem immediately after WW2 and into the 50s was that early jet fighters struggled to be able to carry out an effective 'pursuit' gun attack on a large, fast, jet bomber. One attempt at a solution was a very large gun with a long range, and I understand that the Javelin was originally designed to carry a retractable ten shot 4.5 inch recoilless weapon. Gawd.
Eventually, it was realised that a 'collision course' attack was required, and that led in turn to unguided multiple FFAR rocket systems, intended to fill the sky with enough HE to get enough hits on the oncoming target. These rocket packs appeared on most 1950s fighter in various guises. The Hughes development of 'control theory' that I mentioned a few posts ago was done to provide intercepting fighters with an automatic guidance system that would put them where the FFAR systems could be used - an early form of IFFC. Once guided missile emerged as practical proposition, the techniques being developed by Hughes were moved on to supporting the F-102 and other programs that were using automated missile interception systems.
Hope this lot's not boring anyone yet,
Best Regards
Engines