American 20mm Trench art rounds?

**ian_** · 06-25-2013, 07:44 PM

These came from a local antique shop and with a good shot of lighter fuel are working well. The lettering on the heads reads FSW LOT 51336-2 1-42 and MMD LOT 23346-10 3-42. The font looks American but can anyone tell me more. I'm hoping they are aircraft use. Did the yanks use 20mm on the ground at all?

**zwerge** · 06-26-2013, 03:33 PM

These are 20x110 mm Hispano cartridges made by Bridgeport Brass Co. USA...Used in aircraft and also as AA guns....Pete.

**ian_** · 06-26-2013, 06:54 PM

Thanks for the info Pete. They're sat either side of my P38 yoke now and look the business. Done a bit of research and seen what a cock up the US made of Hispano manufacture. Every round had to be greased to stop jams. Didn't know where to start!

**Steve T** · 06-30-2013, 10:45 AM

Hi Ian_

The Americans did use 20mm in their aircraft but not sure about a ground role. Certainly the vast majority of ground based 20mm were Oerlikon and not Hispano-Suiza as your rounds are. There were a few HS guns used on the ground but these were very rare compared to the Oerlikon. This being the case, these are almost certainly air fired rounds.

Hope that helps.

Steve T

**ian_** · 06-30-2013, 02:58 PM

Cheers Steve, that's good to know. Probably P38, P51 or P61 then. Wasted some more google time and found this excellent scan. USAAF & US Navy Guns since 1930.