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 Author  Topic: 20mm Gun Empty Casing Catcher Bag on PT Boats?
PeterTareBuilder

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of PeterTareBuilder  Posted on: Aug 14, 2008 - 1:05am
Hi there.

I just recalled some thing from the old movie PT-109 that I thought I'd ask about here. On the 20mm Oerlikon cannon there was a bag hanging beneath it that caught the spent 20mm brass casings. Was there really such a bag used on the real weapon mounted on the early PT-103 class of 80' Elco boats?

The bag looked a lot like a seaman's duffle bag. It also looked like a good idea as it would prevent the spent casings from being a hazard underfoot. However I remember on both the .30 cal gpmg and the .50 cal mg that some times a live round would be ejected from the guns breech whlst it was firing. If the cartrige wewre to land in a bag with other hot casings a possible cook-off of the live round would be more likely.

So, a) were there bags designed to catch the empty 20mm casings? b) were these bags removed in the war zone if fitted?

What colour were they?

Thanks again from PeterTareBuilder

"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!"

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Frank J Andruss Sr

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Frank J Andruss Sr   Send Email To Frank J Andruss Sr Posted on: Aug 14, 2008 - 4:55am
In one of my 20MM Manuals, it shows the catcher bag attached to the weapon. Early PT BOATS did have them, although I do not know why they were removed. Maybe they were something that was just in the way, or they were found to be innefective in catching the shells. The color shows a dark green, although I would guess they could be a tan color as well..........


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