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\"Let Me Introduce You To My Little Freind\"
[url]http://mach3ti.com/images/IMGP1957.JPG

His name is \"lil Worthog\" Fabricated in the 81st CRS Machine Shop Bentwaters/Woodbridge 1984.[/url]

http://mach3ti.com features rare collectibles from the USAF most amazing aircraft.

and that would be???????

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The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

‘LIL’ WARTHOG

This black powder cannon is one of a kind. The ‘LIL’ Warthog is fabricated to resemble a mini towed howitzer. The main chassis is made of harden steel bank vault door pins and steel extrusions.

But wait! This is the kicker,
The cannon barrel is from the breach end of a barrel on the–
General Electric GAU-8/A AVENGER 30 MM Armament System.

What’s that?
It’s the most powerful gatling gun mounted on a fighter aircraft. And of which the USAF A-10 THUNDERBOLT II was designed and built around. That’s the one that flew on deterrent missions in Europe during the cold war and when put to use during Desert Storm they slaughtered Iraqi Armor.

Also known as the “WARTHOG” hence the name “‘LIL’ WARTHOG”.

The A-10 and its Avenger cannon are well known for its ability to decimate enemy armor. With a firing rate of 10 rounds per second, and recoil thrust of 9,000 lbs, a muzzle velocity of MACH 3, Shooting 2.051 lb Armor Piercing Incendiary Rounds, Well you’re talking about some pretty serious engineering and metallurgy. As far as the target goes, well let’s just say it’s a “High velocity mass of vaporized metal”

Any way enough of that, this black powder cannon is a fun toy, people love to check it out and hear the loud boom.

Specifications-
Weight 92 lbs.
Wheels folded forward 33” long, 22” wide..
Barrel length 16-1/2”.
Manual elevation screw.
Stainless steel trunions bolts.
Heavy duty tow hitch.
Two man carrying handles.
Removable dolly handle with ball lock pin.
Tires 4.10 / 3.50 – 4 , 30 psi.
Wheels fold out for towing and fold forward for firing.
Bore 30MM rifled bore.
The threaded gas ejector port is now used for the fuse hole.
Camo netting and operator goggles.

Seems we have a snake oil salesman in the house.

Yeah but thank goodness he gave us all that great info about that A-10 THUNDERBOLT II airplane, sounds like a cool plane.

mach3Dan, do you have a web link to a forum or something that talks about that A-10 THUNDERBOLT II airplane?????

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The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

Just thought you would like to see my cannon that I made from one the avenger Barrels when I was with that 81st TFW. Its not for sale.
Dan at http://mach3ti.com

I was at RAF Bentwaters same time frame. I worked in the Gun Shop, taking care of the GAU-8/A gun systems and the ALA loaders that fed the 30MM into the A-10.

Now don't take this wrong, but the scale of the barrel in the picture looks wrong. Not sure what it is, but it it doesn't look correct. I know you would have shortened the barrel, that is not what I am talking about. The breech end of the barrel has interuppted locking lugs and is not fluted like the one in the picture.

Fenderstrat72,

You would know that old gun tubes were taken to the Welding shop to be demilled. And that the Machine shop, had made trophies and plaques out of barrel half’s and polished dummy rounds.
I may also be that the picture looks incorrect because the breech end was faced off on a lathe in order to accept a plug. The plug is quite a bit larger than the OD of the barrel. It may also look different because it could be an earlier style barrel. The locking lugs are cut off, but the side reliefs can still be seen.
I was told that earlier barrels were made in France, and that could be the difference. I not gun guy so I would know much about that. Its only 16 inches long.
The markings on the Barrel are – Tube No POUR CANON DE 30MM DEFA TYPE 558 .
There is also a number stamped on the top – 524-1-c .
And the gas port has 2.75 stamped on it.
Of course it’s now painted over the bluing.
The photo doesn’t show the rifling. The main reason I liked it so much was because of the fluting.
I don’t take your skepticisms wrong; I completely understand that these sorts of things are not your usual collectibles.
If possible maybe you could give me more information on the piece. I would really appreciate that.
If your interested I could send photos from different angles. Email me at mach3ti@att.net and I’ll send photos. Cheers!

This is the breech end of a GAU-8/A barrel. Of course the barrel itself has been split but you get the general idea of why I questioned the one in the picture. The barrels on the GAU-8/A were never fluted. I believe, and I could be very wrong here, that the 30MM barrel on you cannon came off of a helicopter 30MM gun.

That is very enlightening; maybe what I have is rarer than an A-10 Barrel.

All I know is that they said that they were A-10 cannon barrels and that we had to cut them up. That was 24 years. Heres some pics of it.
Thanks Dan

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh31 ... GP3071.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh31 ... GP3070.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh31 ... GP3069.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh31 ... GP3068.jpg

It's a French 30mm cannon, not one from a GAU-8.

Coach

That brings up more questions.

What did it come off of?

Why did they have us cutting up french canons at the 81st TFW in 1984?

I would appreciate any help. Thanks.

Coach,
Thanks a million for that info, I found all the information about it on the web at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEFA_cannon . Thanks to you, you solved a 25 year mystery. I always thought it was from an A-10.

Now I will call her \"Little Fi Fi\"

If you ever want a piece of SR-71 Blackbird, just let me know.
Thanks Dan at http://mach3ti.com