Pic update the big 17
 

Can anybody help me out with pics of the cleaner canteen's on the inside/front right of shield? Are they out there? Cheers Rob

Rob,

The basket holds two canvass mop bags, attached is a pic of my gun with the bags in place. I have some of these (somewhere) if you need a couple.

That sight assembly looks familiar, now in its rightful place !

Do you have the steel direct fire case ? these are usually tricky to find these days.
Looking Great :thup:

Rob..................rnixartillery.

Good morning Rob....
 

I am missing everything on the inside of shield. Do you know what diameter/length the drag ropes were? Any pics of the hardware on the ropes? Cheers Rob

Elevating mechanism
 

Greetings Robs and other 17 pounder aficionados:

The 30 RCA gun is part way through tear down with success achieved last week in pressing out the breech operating cross shaft. Tomorrow night we tackle pushing the breech block out.

The biggest headache is removing the elevating mechanism shaft (number 37 in the parts diagram you posted Rob F). The gear has rusted to the shaft. Any suggestions on removing it without causing more damage?

I'll try to post photos of the gun so far.

Rob Nixon- I notice your breech operating lever is missing the top six inches or so. If you need it copied I can see if my welder chap can make it for you.

Cheers and Ubique! Mike

Hi Mike,

How are things with you ? The elevation shaft that runs through the front of the saddle takes a bit of gentle persuasion . I assume the elevation works so it turns inside the Tube ? I have removed two of these shafts in the past and neither were easy, plenty of heat required !

Thanks for the offer of the hand grip but I have one just not got round to fitting it. :thup:

Rob.................rnixartillery.

Elevation shaft
 

Hi Rob: I'm well but up way past my bedtime. I'm hoping to pay another visit soon but cannot decide if I will come for the D Day show or the Market Garden show later on. I have an invitation from Mike either way. We have to get a contingent of you Britons over here to see us Colonials and our toys!

The gear is frozen into the wide spot in the support tube due to an accumulation of sand, rust, pine needles and other grunge. I hope to free it to rotate before trying to pull the shaft. Can't see how to heat the gear evenly in that wide spot unless I can get the beast to rotate. Another little headache is the odd two bolts holding the traverse handwheel box to the gun. These are the two with slots in them and almost no exposed head go get a socket onto. Ahh the joys of rusty old cannon!

Cheers and Ubique! Mike

apologies for interrupting your thread Rob but I guess the more information available publicly is always a good thing for our exclusive club !

Mike ,attached are a few pics of the last one I removed, as you can see the gun had been well looked after by the previous owner.
It would be best to get the shaft turning first and remove the gear box to eliminate any unseen obstructions.

Rob...............rnixartillery.

Ps ,I would love to come over and check out the kit you Guys have ,my only fear is that I wont want to go home !

17 Pounder elevating mechanism
 

Exactly what I needed, Rob, thanks! The photos confirmed what I thought and I should be able to report success after tonight. The previous owner certainly did look after that gun... very nice condition! :eek: Cheers! Mike

Post away guys...
 

this thread is all about the guts of the big 17! Cheers Rob

Shafted!
 

Success! With the help of your photos, Rob N, and a bodged pulling tool, we pulled the elevating cross shaft out on Thurs night. The gear wheel was a bitch until we figured out the little removable bar in the arc support! The elevating arc and the elevating gear both are missing a tooth where someone tried to cut away the monument welds. Same for the traverse arc and gear except the traverse gear is worse and is missing three teeth. Hopefully our welder can build up the missing teeth and we can hand cut them back to true.

Took a first stab at pushing the block down. Framed the breech ring with massive 10 inch "I" beams and one inch threaded rods. The 20 ton jack then groaned and nothing moved. We will try some heat along with the jack next week. Last major moving parts to free up are the spades. Then its cleaning and polishing time in order to reassemble the beastie.

Missing bits: we are pretty complete except for some odds and ends. The mops and bags would be nice. We have a panoramic sight for the 25 pounder which can be shared by the 17 but they were only used for indirect fire anyway. We have a six pounder direct fire telescope which fits the 17 pr mount but has the wrong graticle pattern. We need a set of cleaning staves. We have lots for the 105 C3 so we can fake it for now! The funny bill hooked machetes seem to be quite hard to find in Canada and our rivet counters are trying to find a T handle shovel as they don't believe me when I tell them that the Canadian army used both the T and the D handles!

Ubique! Mike

The Hard work does pay off in the end ! :thup2: The correct direct fire sight is the No 51 Telescope, I may have a spare if I look through my shelves but do you have the case ? this is the hard bit !
I have a stock of Bill hooks and mop bags so if you need these parts let me know.

Rob.................rnixartillery.

mops and bill hooks
 

Hi Rob:

Can you give me an idea of the cost for two mops in bags and one billhook and an estimate for shipping (our postal code is K0A 2EO). I'll have to go to the unit museum committee for approval. Can you give me a price on a 25 pounder ram as well. The RSM wants one to make into a trophy!

Cheers and Ubique! Mike

No. 9 dial sight...
 

Just found this No. 9...had to have one because it just fit. Missing forehead leather pad , #41/51 scope, and hind sight on mount. How do you like my sand bag stencil? Cheers Rob

forsight Brow pad
 

Rob,

you could make the brow pad yourself, its simply a spong pad covered in thin sheet leather.

Rob..................rnixartillery.

On Ebay...Scopes
 

Kind of different. Cheers Rob
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW-2-tank-...item3a8b9c1ae8

Wow !.....................What a bloody waste................ :bang:

Rob.................rnixartillery.

Sight Unit Cutaways
 

They were probably factory issued cutaways for use by technicians or gunners.

Cheers

Wayne

You could be right there Wayne, The No 41 particularly is in short supply !

Rob..........rnixartillery.

My best stab at the artillery shield oiler/leather
 

Not much to go on but a few scrap remnants. Also see pics of the wavy piece above the shield that has had a little conversation on it over the years on its function??? I am thinking that it helped in the process of lashing up the drag ropes to their proper coil and size before strapping into place on the shield??? Any thought here? Cheers Rob

Couple of parts needed
 

Evening Gentlemen! I have spent the day labouring on my 17 Pounders braking system in prep for a trip to Arnhem in September. Nearly there with the brakes now I have fathomed the US Warner electric system and that exposed metal on the pads is normal and does not mean that they are worn out! Having been pushed down a long hill last year in the Portee by the gun, even with the hand brakes pulled on I have realised that working brakes are a must for this trip.

I am looking for a few small parts to complete my gun. Does anyone have the traverse wheel firing pad and the linkage that slides on the traverse wheel shaft to fire the gun? I have a spare sight base if anyone needs one, It has the pad but the leather cover needs repair. Rgds. Tobin.

I have some NOS original leather oils can frogs here if anyone needs one. I think the top frame is something to do with disruptive camouflage,to break up the silhouette of the gun on horizon just like the shield on the 6pdr,25mm Hotchkiss Gun etc.

Rob.....................rnixartillery.

Crusader & 17 Pdr
 

A bit of inspiration, should you find a Crusader in a junk yard!

A good 17 pounder find!!!
 

Found another 17 pounder casing today...that makes 3. Oddly enough all marked DB/C...Made in Winnipeg Manitoba at Dominion Bridge Company??? Still looking for that illusive projectile, I'll take whatever discarding sabot round you have. I know Rod has a couple down under , but I haven't chatted with him for a long while, he doesn't frequent this site much. Thanks Rob in the UK for a bunch of 17 pounder bits including the tool roll/drag rope/mop bag/...anybody have a muzzle brake? Cheers for now, working at trying to save a very slack golf industry here in Canada.

Dominion Bridge
 

Rob, I'm sure you know how tough it is to find 17 pdr cases, I've been on the hunt for a couple of years and the only one I have seen was down in the states. The 17 Pdr cases you have were made by Dominion Bridge but in Toronto. Winnipeg made 3.7" AA shells among other things.This according to Peter Ford's Infoex. I'll look a bit closer and see who else made them. Hope this helps.

J.P.

17 pounder casings
 

J.P.

Pity you were not at the SOMM weekend, vendors had two 17 pounder casings for sale. And so close to home!

Gord

I would pursue...
 

these shells if someone here could come up with a name and phone number? Thanks Gordon. Rob Fast

casings
 

The casings went on to other homes, I went to check near the end of day two and all shell casings were gone.

Darn...
 

such is life and the hobby. Thanks for the reply. Cheers

17 pounder ammo box on Ebay...
 

Darn I wish this one was closer...C-280???http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ammo-Meta...item3a971cf8db

Looking for recoil/recurerator...
 

Might as well get the part pic up here, you never know. Muzzle brake? Cheers for now Rob