View source for M24A1 (20 mm)

== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===
<!-- ''List out vehicles that are equipped with the weapon.'' -->

* {{Specs-Link|f-86k_late_german}}
* {{Specs-Link|f-86k_late_italy|▄F-86K (Italy)}}
* {{Specs-Link|f-86k_late|▄F-86K (France)}}
* {{Specs-Link|f-89b}}

== General info ==
''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the cannon or machine gun.''

=== Available ammunition ===
<!-- ''Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).'' -->

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|I|Incendiary}}
* '''Air targets:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|I|Incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''Armoured targets:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}
* '''Stealth:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|I|Incendiary}}

{{:{{PAGENAME}}/Ammunition|HEF-I, AP-T, I, AP-I}}

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of cannons/machine guns that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the cannon/machine gun in the game - its distinctive features, tactics of usage against notable opponents. Please don't write a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought.''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==
<!-- ''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.'' -->
During World War II, the French [[Hispano 404 (20 mm)|Hispano-Suiza Hs.404]] became the standard Allied aircraft cannon. However, these nations were not idle during the war and worked to improve this design. In the United States, the Ordnance Department's attempt to make an improved shorter version of their licensed-built [[AN/M2 (20 mm)|AN/M2]] cannons spawned the [[T31 (20 mm)|T31]] and later the [[M3 (20 mm)|M3]] which had reliability issues. When the reliability issues that plagued the American variants of the Hispano-Suiza continued, the newly independent United States Air Force would adopt a variant after World War II called the M24. In an attempt to improve reliability, the M24 uses an electric firing mechanism that allows for re-cocking of a lightly struck round. The M24 would be one of the replacements [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2]] and [[M3 Browning (12.7 mm)|M3 Browning]] machine guns in aircraft use. It primarily served as the turret armament of post-war bombers starting with the B-36 Peacemaker, Boeing B-47 Stratojet, and B-66 Destroyer. Fighters would mostly find their machine guns replaced with the [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] rockets under the belief that the Jet Age made cannon armament obsolete for interceptors due to insufficient range. However, a small number of aircraft such as the [[F-86K (Germany)|F-86K Sabre]] and the [[F-89B|F-89B Scorpion]] still received cannons. The M24A1 variant differs from the standard M24 through the bolt retainers for holding the shell casing, breech block side plate contacts for alternative synchronization methods, a new breech block with heat treatment and a changed angle, a flat spring on the firing pin contact for better contact, a reduced diameter breech block slide coil spring and spring guide, a new locking system for the gas cylinder, a two-part guide-spring, a new design and heat treating for barrel and breech block locking key, a large cotter pin for the magazine, a modified gas tube to accommodate the new contact plates, and a short slot to house the new breech block contact. The service life of the M24 was short. The United States captured data on the German Mauser MG 213 revolver autocannon which was used as the basis of the [[FMC T-160 (20 mm)|FMC T-160]] tested during the Korean War and later the [[M39A1 (20 mm)|M39]] revolving cannon adopted in 1952. The M39 would replace the M24 in Air Force service.

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{USA aircraft cannons}}
{{Germany aircraft cannons}}
{{Italy aircraft cannons}}
{{France aircraft cannons}}

[[Category:Aircraft cannons]]