Inter Acco ? machine gun mount

[Mike K]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GUN-MOUNT...item419d756e78

[Mike Cecil]

Yes, the cab roof/ground mount (it has a set of legs) designed for the No.1, 2.5 ton truck built by International. Not a trial: many were manufactured by Howard Auto Cultivators (HAC) - they were all sold off about 12-13 years ago, most never having been unpacked from their crates. A chap outside Canberra had over 100 in crates. Wonder what happened to them.

Mike

[Tony Smith]

While the ebay link is now dead, and we have no picture, I do recall the fitting discussed. The Australian versions were indeed made by Howard's, but they weren't designed in Australia for the Inter Mk1 apparently.

A UK Ebay seller is selling a copy of a British manual from 1953 (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-cal-L1...gAAOSwo6lWQ1yc) that shows that these roof mounts were a British design, for a range of vehicles and received the nomenclature of Mounting, MG .50 AA, L1A1 and Vehicle Stand, L1A1.

Seems we adopted the mounting from the Brits and included it in the design of the Truck, 2 1/2 Ton, No1 Mk1. In this pic of a No1 Mk1 we can see the ball fittings on the roof

[Mike Cecil]

Interesting, Tony, well spotted. Can't say I ever delved into the history of the mount in any detail, so that's a revelation to me. But they were certainly made in Australia to be mounted on the Inter No.1 Mk.1 - perhaps the legs were re-designed to fit? In any event, it seemed like such an awkward contraption!

I accepted one for the AWM collection, which sits in a shelf in storage at Mitchell. Don't know if it has been cattle-dogged as yet - it was pretty far down the list.

May be you could send those images/references to the AWM for their interest,for when they do get around to looking at it in detail?

Send to the Duty Curator at MHT@awm.gov.au

Mike

[Richard Farrant]

Tony and Mike,
A lot of British trucks of the 1950's era had the fittings on the cab for this contraption, the illustration in the picture Tony attached looks like the Austin K9. The Leyland 6x6, AEC 6x6 and 6x4 were other, I seem to think the Humber 1 ton 4x4 (which Australia also had in service), had the fitments. Recently several of these Australian ones were brought to the UK as I understand. Never seen photos of them fitted in service though.

regards, Richard

[Ryan]

Who had the mounts for sale?
I remember a bunch at Corowa some years ago, $150 or so I think. Maybe I'm wrong. I wouldn't mind one now.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Ryan

Who had the mounts for sale?
I remember a bunch at Corowa some years ago, $150 or so I think. Maybe I'm wrong. I wouldn't mind one now.

Hi Ryan,
I know who had them for sale at Corowa a few years ago, will contact him to see if he has one and let you know.

regards, Richard

[Tony Smith]

The only pics I have seen of them fitted are during the Trials. The Trials vehicles, P1 and P2 had very high canopies on the rear of the tray. Later vehicles in service had a lower roofline on the canopy, which would have seen the mounting protruding quite high and likely to foul any overhanging branches (as would the "trial" canopy itself). It may be that the Trials or Mk1 trucks had a trombone arrangement on the canopy support bows that enabled two heights to be selected, but later marks of the Inter only had one roof height.

In the very few available pics of Mk1 trucks in service, it is not usually possible to see the ball pins on the roof. Maybe the mounting was only considered during the trial, and discounted for production vehicles along with the higher canopy?

[Ryan]

Thank you sir.
You put the 'a' in Ace.

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

Hi Ryan,
I know who had them for sale at Corowa a few years ago, will contact him to see if he has one and let you know.

regards, Richard

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Ryan

Thank you sir.
You put the 'a' in Ace.

Hi Ryan,
Sending you a PM

cheers Richard

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

A while back I came across a little footage of these .50 cal. mounts being tested on the ACCO prototype, appear to work very well. 7.22 mins, to 8.14.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roj2...imYhxFYf5gzjmR
Rich

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

A while back I came across a little footage of these .50 cal. mounts being tested on the ACCO prototype, appear to work very well. 7.22 mins, to 8.14.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roj2...imYhxFYf5gzjmR
Rich

Your link takes me to a message. " Your video does not exist"

[Mike Cecil]

Yep, I get 'Video unavailable' ..... and I'd really like to see it, please Rich!

Mike

[Lang]

I think these might have been one of those "Seems like a good idea at the time" efforts.

I was in the system for the great majority of the Inter's service period and never saw or heard of this kit.

I wonder how long the roof would have remained without stress cracks. I certainly would not have liked to be standing up there like the proverbial awaiting return serve from the people you are shooting at.

Would be a great novelty at a show to see a vehicle set up with all the gear.

Here appears to be the full Inter story (40 minutes, maybe the roof mount is in it - haven't watched it through yet)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roj2G5uNptA

PS Just watched it and this has the mount operation on it. Love the fake pommy accent which was compulsory for narrators until the mid-60's and the "Family Going to the Beach Holiday" music which also seemed compulsory for Australian docos of the period.


Lang

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Lang

PS Just watched it...... Love the fake pommy accent which was compulsory for narrators until the mid-60's and the "Family Going to the Beach Holiday" music which also seemed compulsory for Australian docos of the period.

Lang

Much like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLj1czHA1DY

I could quite easily envisage the closing scene with a "Have you driven a Ford lately? See your Ford Dealer today! Affordable terms available to primary producers and fleet operators!"

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks Lang and Tony,

Two great videos.

I liked the positive spin regarding the body re-design from the standard 3 ton - the real reason was that the prototype didn't meet the Army spec of a 3 ton carrying capacity, so (1) reduce the body weight to increase the carrying capacity and (2) change the army spec from a 3 ton truck to a 2 1/2 ton truck.

Mike

[Paul Taylor]

I have one of these mounts, mye intention is to fit it to my K9, I'm having to fabricate the support struts but at the moment I cant find any suitable ball socket for the ends. Does anyone out there have or know where I can find some 1" ball sockets, I will need 7.

Thanks

PT

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

In the very few available pics of Mk1 trucks in service, it is not usually possible to see the ball pins on the roof. Maybe the mounting was only considered during the trial, and discounted for production vehicles along with the higher canopy?

In a series of pictures of the 18LAA Rgt in the 60's (FLICKR), there are two pics of 107-342. This is a No1 Mk2 truck in service, not a trials vehicle, and the mounting balls are visible on the roof.

PS I recommend having a look through the Flickr pictures. Some interesting WW2 vehicles still in service in the late 1960's.

[Lang]

Tony

In 1964 when I was 17 and in 11 Field Regiment CMF We had an exercise to Tin Can Bay (About 300km north of Brisbane). Our battery had GMC's and the rest of the regiment had Studebakers. The small vehicles were a mix of Austin Champs and Landrovers The regular Army were rapidly changing from Studebakers to Internationals and of course wanted little to do with Champs and were Landrover equipped.

The whole hundred vehicle convoy was limited to a 25mph average speed by the water truck from the central transport pool - a 1943 C60L. Just like the WW2 Atlantic convoys were speed limited to the slowest ship in the fleet.

Lang