Description
30mm DEFA Aircraft Cannon Round with 1968 IMI Case
Product Overview
This 30×113B DEFA aircraft cannon round has an Israeli-made cartridge case manufactured by Israel Military Industries in 1968. Its headstamp connects the case with the French DEFA 550-series cannon family and records its maker and production year. It provides a Cold War display piece linking French aircraft armament with Israeli ammunition manufacture.
Identification and Features
The case headstamp reads 30-550 DEFA / 127 IMI-68-Py. Its main identification elements establish the caliber, intended cannon family, manufacturer, and case date.
- 30-550 DEFA: 30mm caliber and DEFA 550-series cannon identification.
- IMI: Israel Military Industries.
- 68: 1968 cartridge case manufacture date.
- 30×113B: Cartridge-family designation; B denotes the belted case design.
Function
The cartridge family supplied the 30mm ammunition used by DEFA aircraft cannon. In its original service role, the cartridge case held the ammunition components together and sealed the breech during firing. This inert example provides a display and study piece for aircraft armament, ammunition identification, and international manufacture.
Product History
France developed its version of the 30×113B cartridge during the 1950s for the DEFA 551 cannon. The Defense Intelligence Agency's identification guide records that development by 1957. The ammunition family became established in French-designed jet armament and was manufactured outside France, including in Israel. The 1968 marking on this case records production during the Cold War expansion of military jet fleets.
Documented End-Item Applications
The documented weapon association is the 30mm DEFA 550-series revolver cannon family, including the DEFA 551, 552, and 553. Moorabbin Air Museum lists two DEFA 552 cannon for its Mirage IIIO, an Australian version of the Dassault Mirage III produced under license.
IMI Manufacturing and Export Markings
The DIA guide identifies IMI initials on Israeli ammunition made for export. Its section on Israel illustrates markings on 30×113B cases for DEFA aircraft guns, including the 30-550 designation. It also records Hebrew markings on ammunition made for domestic use. The IMI-marked case reflects Israel's role in supplying ammunition for a French-designed weapon family used internationally.
Equipment History
The DEFA cannon family developed after World War II from the German Mauser MK 213 revolver-cannon concept. Development histories credit Anton Politzer, formerly a member of the Mauser design team, as the chief designer of the DEFA guns. The original 551 was followed by improved 552 and 553 models. Their basic layout used a rotating chamber drum behind a single barrel, carrying the postwar revolver principle into French aircraft armament.
Weapon System Background
The Dassault Mirage III was developed in the mid-1950s as a single-engine, delta-wing jet fighter. Its first prototype flew on November 17, 1956, and the French Air Force ordered preproduction aircraft in 1957. The design went on to become an important French export aircraft, bringing DEFA cannon armament into service with several air forces.
History of Use
Documented Mirage III service includes the Royal Australian Air Force, whose first Mirage IIIO aircraft arrived in 1963. Australian production included interceptor and ground-attack versions, and the type remained in RAAF service until 1988. Government Aircraft Factories and Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation shared licensed production, illustrating the international adoption of the French design.
Condition
All ordnance is inert. Please check the pictures for the general condition of the item.
Ideal For
This round suits a collection focused on DEFA ammunition, Israeli military manufacture, or Cold War aircraft armament. Its maker and date markings offer useful details for headstamp study. It also complements a display about the Mirage III and the international production of ammunition for French-designed cannon.
- 30mm aircraft ammunition collections.
- DEFA cannon and Mirage III displays.
- Israeli military manufacturing history exhibits.
- Cold War ordnance and cartridge headstamp collections.
Approx length 8", Approx width 1.5", Approx height 1.5", Approx weight 0.9lbs.
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