Inter Acco ? machine gun mount

[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?

[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

[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