19-Set A-Set Aerial Base Assembly

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Of the three main pieces making up this assembly, I have been looking for years for the middle 'donut' Aerial Base No. 8, Mounting No. 3 that has been finished in the Number 2 Brown Paint to complete a Mark II Cdn Set in that colour. Seems to be scarcer than hens teeth.

My brain now tells me that in addition to these plywood and cork Mounting No. 3's, I have seen a solid black rubber version of this item from time to time and it might actually be a useful substitute until a Number 2 Brown one shows up.

What I would like to confirm is whether or not the solid rubber Mounting donuts were actually part of wartime 19-Set production, or something postwar, as could have been used with the C-42 Sets?


David

Plywood and cork is Canadian manufacture. I have a green one, not seen brown.
Solid rubber is UK or US (I think). I've seen white, black, and I think natural (brown) rubber versions of this.
Steel "donut" is most likely post-WW2 but pre-dates the C42 because they were issued with the WS31 and WS88 AFV sets. (Once you've got the tooling set up they're a lot cheaper to make than the solid rubber ones.)

The stores code (ZA.1827) did not change.

(The Aerial Base No.8 Mounting No.1 (ZA.1825) is a rubber bonded to steel plate with threaded inserts for use through tank turret roofs with Aerial Feeder No.4 or No.5 which act as the retaining bolt for the whole assembly.)

There's a "stack" arrangement of these used with the WS88 AFV, which consists of a threaded tube/plate (simulating the aerial feeder No.4), then a mounting No1, "Plates, Connector, No.2", mounting No.3, and Aerial Base No.10 (or later, No.28). Add rubber gaskets (to keep water and NBC nasties out) between all the components and it gets quite complicated!

There's also a flat steel plate with 6 studs, a central (drilled) bolt and cork gaskets both sides that I believe was used with the WS38(AFV or not) in tanks early on. This takes the standard Cable, Electric, P11 feeder through the central bolt and the ring terminal (or Ross Courtney terminal) is screwed directly to the base contact - no pigtail used - the other end has a split plug to fit the WS38AFV aerial socket.

I keep meaning to do photographs of this lot. "The illustrated VAOS." (Runs away fast.)

Chris.