Raufoss Mk 211 12.7x99mm round

[bustr]

During WW2 did the US have a round equal to the Norwegian Raufoss Mk 211?

The Raufoss Mk.211 - is a .50 caliber BMG (12.7x99mm NATO) multipurpose anti-materiel projectile originally developed by the Norwegian company NAMMO Raufoss AS under the model name NM140 MP. It is commonly referred to as simply multipurpose or Raufoss. The "Mk.211" name comes from the nomenclature "Mk.211 Mod 0" used by the U.S. military for this round.

The multipurpose name is based on the projectile having an armor-piercing (tungsten core), an explosive, and an incendiary component, thus making it capable of penetrating lightly armored targets and causing damage to personnel inside the target after penetration. It is a suitable round for engaging helicopters, aircraft and lightly armored vehicles, as well as unarmored vehicles, and it has the capability of igniting jet fuel. The Mk.211 has about the same destructive power as a standard 20 mm round against such targets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raufoss_Mk_211
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Raufoss_NM140_MP_(en).svg

[Ghosth]

I think you'll find that in WWII all they had for the .50's were tracer rounds, and Amour Piercing Incendiary. Designed to punch through pilot armor, and start fuel fires.

Nothing "Explosive" for the .50's that I've ever heard of.
But I'm sure the experten will be right behind me to correct me if I'm wrong.

[SmokinLoon]

Without looking up reliable sources on the matter, just keep in mind that the .50 caliber projectile the M2 heavy machine gun fired, regardless of the "armor piercing", "incendiary", tracer, or basic FMJ design, all performed very similar vs the hard components of aircraft.  The basic FMJ (lack of fragmenting or exploding performance) build of the projectile lead to many "straight through" holes in enemy aircraft.  Hence the need for a whole multitude of strikes to deliver as much damage as possible. 

The AP ammo did less dmg to the soft metal of the aircraft because it was that much more likely to keep right on going and not vector off the otherwise straight flight path or tumble.  The incendiary projectile was only useful if impacts were directly to a fuel source AND the conditions were right for ignition.  The tracers were nothing more than a regular FMJ with a bit of something to make them "glow" for a bit in flight for a visual reference.     

[bustr]

Watched a demo film of the round punching through cinder block, 24" of gelatin then through another cinder block. The kinetic disruption and shrapnel inside of the gelatin looked like a small explosion had gone off, which yes there is some RDX to help propel the tungsten core and burning zironium through the initial hole. I would have thought the US would have been working towards a round like that for aircombat and vehical attack to insure more damage than punching holes. Fewer rounds on target to produce maximum results type of mindset.

The round was used by a marine in falhujia at about 1000meters to kill 3 insurgents hiding behind a cinder block wall. The detonation on impact created a shrapnel shotgun effect over the area the insurgents were clustered shredding them. One would think that shredding effect would be ideal to cut control cables, electrical wiring and weaken airframe structure. A direct hit on a fuel tank with something like RDX in the round would be like setting off a small bomb.

[Ghosth]

Well working in that direction, yes, hence the cannon rounds, 20, 30, 37mm with HE.

However the tech simply wasn't there to be able to do that with a 12mm round to any effect.
Not without having it blowing off the end of the barrel or other strange effects.

Even 30mm "Mine" Shells were pretty complicated, had a lot of small parts in a very large round.
50 60 years later, sure, they are doing some amazing things.

[bustr]

If you look at the cross section of the round, 50 to 60 years later it's probably the chemistry for the explosive. The hardware production was doable in the 30's.

[Wmaker]

However the tech simply wasn't there to be able to do that with a 12mm round to any effect.
Not without having it blowing off the end of the barrel or other strange effects.

MG 131 for example had HE rounds and the round is considerbly smaller than a .50 cal round.

[Pongo]

No, that kind of round was not used for the 50 in ww2.
They had an incendiary, an armour piercing and armour piercing incendiary,  and a later incendiary.
The russians never had HE for their 12.7s either.
Most other countries half inch class weapons had an HE Shell.

[WpnX]

Bustr,
No, unfortunately we had nothing like it in WW2 but luckily, we do have it today. We were using it in our Barrett .50 cal sniper rifles and the damage it did was incredible for a rifle round.

[Yeager]

Joe!