US Navy Air Force Marines – M61A1 20MM VULCAN CANNON FLASH SUPRESSOR – F4 PHANTOM – RARE!

Description

You are bidding on an EXTREMELY RARE example of a M61A1 Vulcan Cannon Flash Suppressor! Though it was used in various aircraft, such as the F-100 Super Sabre, F-105 Thunderchief, A-7 Corsair, and F-4 Phantom, this exact type was SPECIFIC to the F-4 Phantom!

The M61 Vulcan is a hydraulically, electrically or pneumatically driven, six-barrel, air-cooled, electrically fired Gatling-style rotary cannon which fires 20 mm rounds at an extremely high rate (typically 6,000 rounds per minute). The M61 and its derivatives have been the principal cannon armament of United States military fixed-wing aircraft for fifty years. This includes the fighters that they supply to Allies such as the United Kingdom.

This item is SPECIFIC to the F-4 Phantom II. The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, which was a fixed wing tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy. The design was modular, which allowed the aircraft to be configured in any number of ways using various “gun pod” based weapons. As it was, the aircraft did not have any built in armament, and was intended mainly as a bombing and missile platform. However, the need for fighting other aircraft proved to still need some type of cannon, so a gunpod was developed using the M61 Vulcan. 

Made of steel, this item is in EXCELLENT used condition! Serving as a flash hider and muzzle brake, this helped the barrels stay in place while spinning. Though it does feature some slight rust from storage, it still retains 95% of the original paint and finish!  No dents or damage! I have shown its location in the last photos. Measuring approx. 5″ x 18″ in size, it would make a PERFECT addition to any collection, display, or restoration project!