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Topic: 37 mm. Stern mounted guns |
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CJ Willis
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Apr 10, 2008 - 1:05pm
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Wayne: I do not have any pictures showing the gun. There is a picture of our boat on page 223 of Buckley's "At Close Quarters" but the rear tarp has the gun covered. As I mentioned earlier I do not believe the 37 mm ammunition was interchangeable between the bow gun and the stern gun.
C. J. Willis |
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Gary Szot
MASTER
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 Posted on: Apr 10, 2008 - 6:09pm
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Here's a shot of RON 36 Boats nested with the 37mm gun mounted astern
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Dick
Moderator
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Posted on: Apr 10, 2008 - 7:18pm
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I enlarged a section of Gary's photo for a better look at the aft armament:
Dick . . . . .
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Gary Szot
MASTER
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Posted on: Apr 10, 2008 - 8:30pm
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Here's a shot of the gunners positions. My dad is on the left.
2nd GEN RON 36
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Wayne Traxel |
MASTER
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Posted on: Apr 11, 2008 - 8:00am
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Hello CJ,
While talking to fellow modeler, Alex Johnson over the phone last night, Alex mentioned having an Army M-4 37MM Tech manual "vintage 1942". First question I asked him was about the shells shape. Shell casings on this gun are indeed straight and range in length from 12 7/8" to 12 5/8'' depending on the type of round . It also appears that this gun also could also be fitted with a 15 round belt fed clip.
It does appear your aft mount on PT-242 was a M1A2 with an M-9, 37MM, a more robust gun with the tapered shells that are not interchangeable with 242's bow mounted M-4.
Wayne Traxel |
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Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Apr 11, 2008 - 8:23am
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The really interesting thing here that CJ brought to our attention is the fact that PT BOATS used this type of weapon as a stern mount. I must admit, I never knew they used this weapon on the stern. I have seen this type on the Bow before. Certainly not as hard hitting as the 40MM Bofors, I wonder if the boats at some point changed to the heavier weapon, and were the 37MM guns installed at the HIGGINS FACTORY or in the field. Interesting topic no doubt.
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Dick
Moderator
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Posted on: Apr 11, 2008 - 11:41am
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Were these 37mm's converted to a top feed breech, like the Bofor's 40mm. The enlarged photo show guns with top mount ammo guide rails just like the 40mm's.
Does anyone know about this modification?
Dick . . .
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Alex Johnson
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Apr 11, 2008 - 1:01pm
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Frank, you raise a great point. It's easy to assume that all boats replaced their factory-mounted 20mm stern guns directly with the 40mm mounts. Indeed, as CJ has brought to our attention, other mounts were used. I know PT 190 carried an M4 37mm gun aft on the Mark 10 stand and PT 155 carried an M4 37mm gun on the original Mark 4 mount on the stern. Very interesting information and discussion - thanks for sharing, everybody! ALEX
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CJ Willis
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Apr 11, 2008 - 6:48pm
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Frank: I am sure our boat was outfitted with this gun at Espirto Santo. Bill Metcalf Gm 1/c was elevation operator and Chas. McIntosh MM1/c was the tracker. They said they practiced firing for the first time at Espirto Santos which was the main overhaul base at the time, October 1943. The gun was on the boat when we were relieved from duty in November 1944. The new crew took the boat to the Philippines shortly after that. I assume the gun was on the boat until it was burned at the end of the war.
C. J. Willis |
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Gary Szot
MASTER
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Posted on: Apr 11, 2008 - 8:10pm
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I am hoping that someone here can comment on this. My dad told me that when they were barge busting the crew decided they needed more punch so they scavanged a 37mm gun from the Army and jury rigged it to the bow of the boat. This picture seems to show that they have an artillery piece placed on the bow with palm tree logs to hold it in place. If you look close on this picture you will see it pretty clearly.
Was this prevalent in mostt RON's ? I've seen all kinds of armament on these boats so nothing will really surprise me.
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