M41 Assault Gun

[Mig Eater]

The part reminds me of the Hetzer's drive wheel mount...

[Old Wombat]

I’ve no idea what that part came from. It was in the giant box o’ stuff from Mr. Fontaine. Part of a hatch from something German I suspect.

It's definitely a final drive housing from an AFV, but my guess is probably modern(ish) with a sloping lower hull.

[Kerick]

I spent the evening sorting parts as I looked for pieces to make the gun support and sight mount out of. I finally got three parts glued on but at least I now have a plan!

[Jeffry Fontaine]

That's awesome. What did you use for the launcher base?

If memory serves me correctly that base for the launcher originated in an ancient ESCI/AMT-Ertl/Italeri T-54/55 as one of the turret hatches.

[Mig Eater]

If memory serves me correctly that base for the launcher originated in an ancient ESCI/AMT-Ertl/Italeri T-54/55 as one of the turret hatches.

Yeah here it is on the left.

[Kerick]

That’s the one! Good call. I was thinking German because of the color of the plastic. I made me imagine North Africa.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

That’s the one! Good call. I was thinking German because of the color of the plastic. I made me imagine North Africa.

That was one of the things that ESCI (AMT-Ertl, and Italeri) are notorious for is the many colors of plastic used for their products. 

[Kerick]

I have the gun installed and the sights built and attached to the launcher. Now I have to buckle down on the paint job. I might just keep it simple after the Junkyard Dog project. OD green with black stars and such might work.

[Buzzbomb]

Looking great.
On the mount business, I think I have the same part in my, "this is a really cool bit" drawer, just waiting for this right use.
You have used it in what I consider precisely the right spot.

[Kerick]

Thanks, mi amigo!
I managed to get a couple of things accomplished. As stated the gun is in place and the sights installed including a FLIR sight on top. Bolts are in place on the front along with the headlights with brass guards. I'm not totally sure about the headlight setup, it may change. Grenade launchers from a Japanese Type 90 tank are in place.



















I was one bolt short on the front armor. Can you tell which one? Once its painted it will be harder to tell.
So between the Badger and the Weasel there is the two M41 kits, Bradley parts and tracks, Type 90, T-54, Sherman, M48 Patton, some kind of German AA gun, an unknown tank engine deck, sprue, I think an M3 or M5 tank hull, bolts from an M10, part of a Scotch tape dispenser, engine hatch from an M113 and lots of unknown bits and pieces. That's not counting the Evergreen and Plastruct plastic. Plus some orangey-red Bondo spot putty. And I still have to paint and decal it. I do this for the fun, really, I do!

[ChalkLine]

You might want an empty case-link deflector on that M2

[Kerick]

You might want an empty case-link deflector on that M2

I thought about that. That’s why I placed the gun farther from the launcher to allow some space. Now I have to see what one looks like.

[Old Wombat]

All you need is a thin sheet directly beneath the gun to deflect to fired cases away from anything you don't want damaged or clogged up under the M2, the force of ejection should be enough to throw the cases away from the top of the hull (where the hatches are).

The links will be the real problem, as they are ejected out the side of the MG but without any real force & tend to drop straight down as they get pushed off the small (feed) ramp on the outside of the gun, a collection box or bag might be useful in keeping the hatches clear of these.

These videos shows how the cases & links come out of the weapon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l81HtTCUlGw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l81HtTCUlGw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPERpVa9p_s




[PS: Sorry if you already know this stuff, I just didn't want to assume it.]

[Mig Eater]

Interesting, I always thought the shell casings were ejected out the opposite side of the feed

[Old Wombat]

Interesting, I always thought the shell casings were ejected out the opposite side of the feed

Nope, as far as I'm aware, all disintegrating-link-belt fed machine guns eject the casings out the bottom & the links out the side.

[Kerick]

I learned something new! Awesome! Thanks.

[apophenia]

Interesting, I always thought the shell casings were ejected out the opposite side of the feed

Nope, as far as I'm aware, all disintegrating-link-belt fed machine guns eject the casings out the bottom & the links out the side.

My understanding is that downward ejection for machine guns was comparatively rare. Examples that come to mind are those where magazines or ammo boxes can interfere with side ejection (eg: the old Bren) and MG34/MG42/MG3 series).

On the M2A1 in question, the ejection port is on the starboard side (aft of the feed port on the opposite side). Spent brass and links are both ejected out of that port. Spent links tend to eject at right angles but, because of the cartridge extraction process, brass tends to sprong off at about a 30° angle to the rear.

Most modern machine guns eject spent casings and links in the same manner as the M2 - ie: through a starboard side ejection port (eg: M60, MAG/M240, Minimi/M249, M2A1, etc.).

[Old Wombat]

The M60 & M249 Minimi do that, but not through the same opening as the links are ejected, both have an opening below the link ejector out of which the cases are ejected.

The MG42, L7A1/2 (FN MAG), the MG3 (the successor to the MG42), the M1919 & even the venerable Vickers (non-disintegrating link belt) eject their spent cases from the bottom of the weapon.

Slo-Mo cut-away video of the M2;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX2Ea58K0VA

Slo-Mo is after the half-way mark & the links are being ejected with far too much force.


And Gun Jesus;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmLnwiJRr78

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsuGLHGcuik

[Frank3k]

Those were great videos!

[ChalkLine]

Looking at it now it doesn't seem to be that much of a problem. There's no inlets on top of the launcher for stuff to fall into and anyone accessing the upper hatch just has to brush the brass off. However if you do want one they look a bit like this although often curved to improve the passage of the brass to avoid blocking :

[Frank3k]

There's also this link and cartridge collector:



From https://www.army-technology.com/products/mounted-weapon-solutions/

Legend also made this 1/35 IDF Tank .50 Cal Machine Gun Set, which has solenoids on the handle to allow remote operation:

[apophenia]

Those were great videos!

Yup! Thanks for the info and vids, Guy 

[Kerick]

This leads to another question I’ve wondered about for some time now. Are the ammo box holder and other attachments actually bolted or welded to the gun or to the bracket that holds the gun? I feel it’s the latter and model kit makers have taken a short cut for a long time. I try to build something and I’m not sure which way to go.

[ChalkLine]

It's a bracket attached to the mount not the actual weapon.

[Kerick]

That's what I thought. Anything else would get shaken to pieces!