SUBMARINEMUSEUMS.ORG Forum
General Boards => Museum Submarine Discussion => Topic started by: Jim on February 20, 2013, 12:39:09 PM
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Do any of the other still WWII-rigged boats display their mg small arms? BATFISH has a replica of ? It looks like they were going for a .50 but it has a handle like a .30. It looks so bad I think it should be removed and/or replaced. If I replace this with a set would any other boat be interested? These are COMPLETELY BATFE approved and safe as there are NO mg parts in it at all so they are 50 states friendly. I have attached a photo of the BATgun.
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I noticed a few boats had these on their "wish list". Do they have funds to purchase for a reasonable price or are they looking for strictly donations? It would be hard to have 2-5 donated per boat.
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I just noticed some Pics (old) that Cobia has a HB M2 mounted on the conny port side (when they are open I am betting). Any one else?
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We usually have a .50 mounted on the port side, but we took it off to clean it up a bit and, well, never actually got around to it and it's still sitting in the workshop two years later! :P Someday we'll put it back!
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Karen, would you be willing to do a little bartering? I see that the 50 that you have is the infantry style heavy barrel M2 or possibly M3. Correct for the navy sub force was an ANM2. This is the aircraft version with the air ventilated shroud barrel assembly. I have included a couple pictures. I would be willing to change out the barrel assembly to a correct ANM2 front end if you will ship it to the Batfish and let me copy the rest of the "non-gun" receiver assembly that you have. This way I can produce copies for us and any other boat that may want to put some fun guns on the deck (or in the museum proper).
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I love picture number 2 showing the M2 .50 Cal HB Machine gun and in the background you can see where the mount is for the deck gun that had just been removed, they didn't take the time to plate over the mount or remove the barrel lock that was laying flat on the deck.. Funny thing about the M2 is that the reciever housing, slides and barrel haven't changed in almost a hundred years.. Recently the Military had the barrel and slides replaced with an easier removal barrel which is like the M249 SAW and the M60 MG (which was roughly based on the German WWII MG 42) The back plate was interchangeable from having the double handle with the butterfly in the center with the locking ring to make it fully automatic, to the single handle back plate.
Worked on the M2 in Korea, USofA and Kuwait/Iraq, was the Battalion Armorer for 1-3 Avn Atk during OIF1 and by that time had been working on them and teaching them on and off for roughly 5 years
Darrin
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Let me talk to a few people and I'll also take a good photo of ours so you can get a better look at it.
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Excellent! Let's play ball! In the WW II aircraft world I used to play in, barter and borrow were the order of the day. These were flying, functional aircraft. I have always wondered why museums hold everything so close. It seems it has always been "we've got ours - you get your own." It is good to learn the sub crews are a little more open to furthering the goals and aspirations of ALL the sub museums. We're all in this together and it shouldn't be a competition. (Well maybe on who's boat looks the best, not on who can hoard the most correct parts at the expense of another boat that could use them.)
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Here is a photo of our gun. I tried attaching more, but it won't let me. If you want close-ups, I can always email them. The bad news is this is a loan item, so we can't alter it. The last time I asked them if I could alter a loan item they got snippy with me. :P
Is there any other way we can help you out?
Karen
Ok, well it's not letting me post any photos :-[
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Karen the photo size may be too big. They can't be bigger than 3072 KB. If it is a non-gun replica, I would still like to borrow it. The receivers on Ma Duece are almost all the same. I can still get measurements from it to copy and make the ANM2 version. Also, for the loan, I can work you a REALLY cheap price (Cobia only since they are lending the copy-model) on a correct one for the boat and you can put the HB infantry model inside your museum proper.
Let's face it. People like the subs, but they love playing wth the guns. Almost all the pictures of visitors are with the subs guns. Batfish is at a dis-advantage right now, we don't have any guns that tourists can get to. I am working on that. If I can get our bridge re-decked and the rear deck /ladder completed, there will be plenty to play with. Since I have my own machine shop, I think I'll make 6 - .50's for the boat. ;D Two in the conning mounts and two each port and starboard in the railing mounts.
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6 guns on the batfish? talk about about a safe submarine. xD
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Ha. It helps make up for the fact that we have no deck gun. :'( We're working on that though. ;D
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Jim,
I will see what I can do. I'm not sure how the boss will feel about the loan...
Karen
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Thanks, Karen. This is going to be shipped to the museum address and not a personal address. I will only need it for 1 week max.
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Karen, any word?
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Sorry Jim, I've been bouncing around between my many jobs again. Unfortunately we won't be able to send it to you. Not would it be difficult to send because of its size and weight, but becuase it is a loan item, it is not allowed to leave the property. Would it help it took several detailed photos and measurments and sent them on a CD?
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Yes, thanks Karen, that would be a great start! As detailed measurements and photos as you can.
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OK, I will find time in the next couple weeks to work on this for you.
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Thanks Karen. This is our sad little gun.... :-[
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I've got some good news for you Jim. One of my volunteers stopped in for a chat today and metioned he was going to start painting our .50 cal. When I told him about our discussion he offered to do a detailed scale drawing of it. Turns out he's got an engineering background and is famlier with drawing up blue prints! It may take him a few weeks, but I should be able to send you a nice drawing, with measurements, in a few weeks!
Karen
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Karen, that is awesome! a BIG BZ from Batfish to Cobia. Thanks for the help. Could you also help us out with the oerlikon sight in the other thread? :angel:
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I'll ask my volunteers.
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Just a curious thought about the Batfish gun, it looks more like a .30 Cal and not a .50 Cal.. I am sure that there are .50 Cal drawings online if you would like to look.
Darrin
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It's a bastard repro. .50 breach with a 30 barrel. Not sure who made it.
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Gotcha, it has been bothering me and I finally broke down and asked about it
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Mostly what we have is a want-to-be .30 browning 1919A4-ish (barrel shroud, body and rear hand grip). Originally that would be mostly correct as the .30 browning was the load out. Later they were switched to spade handle gripped ANM2 .50 cals. The ANM2 is the aircraft version with the air cooled vented shrouds.