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Topic: RON 5 PT 105 |
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Grady
MASTER
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 Posted on: Jul 19, 2021 - 9:53am
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good looking pics Jeff, probably not new to you guys but I found these
a good look at the 50 mount, plus what I believe is a M18 recoilless rifle mounted forward. That would bust a barge .
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Jerry Gilmartin |
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jul 19, 2021 - 11:19am
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That is not a recoiless rifle it is a 37mm Army Anti Tank Gun single shot type with the wheels and splinter shield removed. Just FYI
Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
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Grady
MASTER
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Posted on: Jul 20, 2021 - 1:55am
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Thanks Jerry, the M18 was my best guess
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Jerry Gilmartin
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jul 20, 2021 - 3:57pm
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I wonder what caliber the M18 RR was? 75mm maybe? Just curious. Was the M18 RR developed and in use in 1944?
Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
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Grady
MASTER
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Posted on: Jul 21, 2021 - 2:45am
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57 mm used in 1945, fun note as late as 1984 the weapon, was still being produced under license in Brazil
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PRJM3
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Jul 21, 2021 - 10:54am
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Grady beat me to the reply; a surprisingly long-lived weapon. That's possibly due to its moving from its original anti-tank use to more of an anti-personnel weapon. As a category I wouldn't think recoilless rifles would be particularly good in the close quarters of a PT boat due to their back blast.
Randy McConnell (Randall J. McConnell III) |
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Jerry Gilmartin |
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jul 21, 2021 - 1:30pm
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Hey Grady, I found these photos in the National Archives a few years ago (2016?) that might show the old single shot anti tank gun 37mm and a home made twin 50 cal mount on the bow of a PT103 class Elco boat.
Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
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Stearman
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Jul 21, 2021 - 8:23pm
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PT-103 sight has some great information on the 37mm Army guns. Apparently they were not found or stolen, they were procured from the 25th Infantry Division, who also sent men to mount them. 8-10 boats were suppose to get them, but I only know of PT109, 103 and 108 for sure getting one. Also, the Oldsmobile 37mm cannons were not salvaged either. That makes sense, since even in a belly landing, the prop on a P-39 is going to take a lot of shock which will then transmit it to the cannon, hard to see the barrel not being tweaked. By the time PT Boats started to use the 37mm, the P-39 were rapidly being fazed out of combat, so there were probably many cannons in the ordinance department! I have never seen the first photo of the Army mount, thanks.
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Grady
MASTER
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Posted on: Jul 22, 2021 - 10:30am
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Thanks guys for all the pics looking at everything it looks like a short mount was common ? Any thoughts or recommendations the type I should build , standing or sitting profile type??
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Jeff D
Moderator
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Posted on: Jul 24, 2021 - 10:34am
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Thanks guys, great stuff!
I don't recall ever seeing that 37mm anti-tank mount before Jerry, thank you.
I'd go with a short mount Mike, it would help the gunner keep a low profile. You'll have to decide on a mount type and whether to use straight ammo boxes like in the photo you posted or the curved type as used in the turret mounts.
The single shot anti-tank gun lashed and chained to the bow of the 109 when she was rammed, and in the photo Mike Grady posted (Morobe 1943), is an M3.
The 37mm commonly seen on the early boats is an M4. The later boats had an M9 factory mounted and was a fairly larger gun than the M4 although similar in appearance.
I have this one noted as a M1A2 AA gun mounted on a few RON 19 boats:
This photo shows the different 37mm ammo and gives an idea of their range and hitting power. The M9 looks to be a substantial upgrade from the M4:
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