U.S. Aircraft Gun Pods
The idea of the gun pod as a concept largely came into its prime during and period following World War II. So-called "package gun" installations on US medium and light bombers, such as the B-25 Mitchell and A-26 Invader, were probably the first such attempts by the United States military. One of the primary ideas was to provide additional suppression of ground defenses during attack runs, primarily while conducting maritime interdiction, and the extra armament gave the aircraft additional firepower.
With the rise of the missile in the post-WWII period many United States aircraft were produced without internal guns, but it was quickly found that guns were still needed both for air-to-air combat and close air support. Gun pods offered a simple means of giving aircraft this capability, with no weight penalty on missions where guns were not required.
The United States has developed a number of systems for use both on fixed wing aircraft and helicopters, and an overview is provided here.
Read more about U.S. Aircraft Gun Pods: Descriptions of Models
Famous quotes containing the words gun and/or pods:
“What cannot stand must fall; and the measure of our sincerity and therefore of the respect of men, is the amount of health and wealth we will hazard in the defence of our right. An old farmer, my neighbor across the fence, when I ask him if he is not going to town-meeting, says: “No, ‘t is no use balloting, for it will not stay; but what you do with the gun will stay so.””
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything.”
—Bible: New Testament, Luke 15:16.