Savin–Norov machine gun explained

SN machine gun
Origin:	Soviet Union
Type:	Aircraft machine gun
Is Ranged:	YES
Service:	1939–1940
Used By:	Soviet Air Forces
Wars:	Winter War
Designer:	Ivan Savin, Aleksandr Norov
Design Date:	1935
Number:	at least 14 built; 6 used in service
Cartridge:	7.62×54mmR
Caliber:	7.62 mm
Action:	Gas-operated
Rate:	2800–3600 RPM
Feed:	Belt
Sights:	Iron sights

The SN (Savin and Norov) was an aircraft machine gun manufactured in small numbers in the Soviet Union before World War II.

The gun was intended to achieve a higher rate of fire than the ShKAS, while using the same 7.62×54mmR cartridge. In order to achieve this goal, the barrel and bolt moved in opposite directions. Sources vary as to high a rate of fire was actually achieved. One indicates "more than 3600 RPM"^[1] while others give the 2800–3000 RPM range.^{[2] [3]}

The SN gun was designed in 1934-1935 by I.V. Savin (И.В. Савин) and A.K. Norov (А.К. Норов).^{[2] [3]} According to a Western source, it was offered to the VVS, which rejected it in 1936.^[4] Soviet sources indicate that the SN machine gun was installed in the wings of three Polikarpov I-16 aircraft in January 1939; these planes were given the designation I-16 Type 19 and they took part in the Winter War. The gun was also supposed to be installed in a propeller-synchronized mounting in the I-16 Type 20. Although four planes were built in this configuration, they did not go into service; the Type 20 designation was then reused for I-16 aircraft only armed with ShKAS guns, but capable of carrying drop tanks. A further type I-16 Type 22 was planned to be armed with four propeller-synchronized guns, two of which were supposed to be SN guns (and the other two ShKAS), but this type was apparently never built and was cancelled in August 1939.^[5] As with the UltraShKAS, the reliability of the SN machine gun was low, so it did not go into mass production.^[3]

An SN exemplar could be seen (in 1996) at the Central Air Force Museum.^[6]

See also

• ShKAS machine gun
• SIBEMAS machine gun
• List of firearms
• List of Russian weaponry
• List of common World War II weapons

External links

• Exterior photo
• Schematic from the Russian patent
• Photo of mount in an I-16 wing

Notes and References

1. Web site: On-line errata to the book Flying Guns World War II . 2010-08-20 . 2010-01-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100111052015/http://users.telenet.be/Emmanuel.Gustin/volume1/amendments.html . live .
2. Book: С.В. Иванов. ru:И-16: Боевой "Ишак" сталинских соколов. Часть 2. Война в воздухе. 43. ООО "АРС". Russian. "Раньше чем начались испытательные стрельбы ультраШКАСа, два инженера, Савин и Норов, представили в 1935 г. на испытания еще один авиационный пулемет СН скорострельностью 2800-3000 выстрелов в минуту. В 1936 г. пулемет успешно прошел стрельбовые испытания, а в 1937 г. был рекомендован к серийному производству. Пулеметами СН немедленно вооружили истребители И-16; И-16 с пулеметами СН получили обозначение тип 19, несмотря на то, что кроме вооружения самолет ничем не отличался от И-16 тип 10. Пулеметами СН заменили крыльевые ШКАСы, синхронные пулеметы остались прежними - ШКАСы. В начале 1939 г. завод № 21 изготовил три И-16 тип 19 (заводские номера 192111, 19212 и 19213). С 17 по 26 марта самолеты испытывал заводской летчик-испытатель Томас Сузи. По результатам испытаний было рекомендовано построить партию таких самолетов. Но массовое производство посчитали нецелесообразным. Под обозначением И-16СН истребители передали в ВВС. Весной 1939 г. на вооружение ВВС РККА был принят авиационный пулемет ультраШКАС. Истребители, вооруженные ультраШКАСАми и СН, приняли участие в войне с Финляндией зимой 1939-1940 г.г.". 2001.
3. Широкорад А.Б. (2001) История авиационного вооружения Харвест (Shirokorad A.B. (2001) Istorya aviatsionnogo vooruzhenia Harvest.) (History of aircraft armament), p. 73
4. Book: David R. Jones. The Military-naval Encyclopedia of Russia and the Soviet Union. Academic International Press. 978-0-87569-028-5. 5. 126. 1978.
5. Book: Маслов М. А.. ru:Истребитель И-16. Норовистый "ишак" сталинских соколов. Яуза / Коллекция / ЭКСМО. 2008. 978-5-699-25660-0. 55–57. Russian.
6. Book: B. Korolkov. V. Kazashvili. A Guide to the Russian Federation Air Force Museum at Monino. 1996. Schiffer Pub.. 978-0-7643-0076-9. 159.