Burney
Guns were
recoilless guns developed in
Britain by Sir Denis Burney during the period from
1941 to
1945. The design was constantly evolving, but always relied on a
perforated cartridge case which permitted a portion of the propellant to pass into a chamber and through
venturi jets directed to the rear of the
weapon. This
thrust counter-balanced the recoil of the shell leaving the barrel.
Various calibers were developed including 3.45in., 3.7in., 4.7in., 7.2in., and 8in. designs as well as a 95mm barrel. This constant fiddling meant that the weapon didn't reach pilot quantities until 1945, and was too late to see combat.
In addition to the normal explosive shells developed for the weapon, a thin-walled 'Wallbuster' shell was designed, containing plastic explosive for use against think armor or concrete.