My latest project almost done.

[Ed Storey]

Attached is a photograph of the RCN demonstrating the twin A.A. Mounting as well as a page illustrating the various M2 types.

F-4293 (2) copy.jpg

Browning Machine Guns, Caliber .50, M2 - Caliber .50, M2 Browning Machine Gun - How the Gun Work.jpg

[rob love]

Thanks for the photo Ed. Also for the data on the 50s. I had no idea the watercooled guns were so much heavier. It makes me wonder why the spring for the aircooled guns had more coils than the water cooled spring. One would think it would be the opposite.

Tonight I got the brackets for the shoulder stocks sandblasted, painted and installed. Also got the proper pins for the two guns sandblasted, painted and most of them installed. I placed the two tombstone mags on it.....tres cool. They will get sandblasted and painted next. I also hung the swing seat on it. The web is in poor condition on it, so that will require some work.



A rather short project of just a couple weeks. I wish all the projects were this short....I might have a chance of getting most of them done.

[Harry Moon]

Next time I'm up at Yorke Island I'll take some specific pictures and measurements of the two .50 anti aircraft positions and mounts.

[rob love]

The guns are now mounted with their pins, and I was able to pick up the missing 6" long 1/2 NF bolt at home depot. Ground off the head markings of course before sandblasting the bolt and painting it.

The tombstones are in place, but I'll likely pull them in the next couple days and give them a repaint. I will give them a slightly different color from the mount to give a bit of contrast, otherwise it is too clean.

I picked up a couple boxes of dummy 50 on the weekend, so I'll assemble some belts (I got a belt loading machine at Dennis' auction last December) and add them to the tombstones leading up to the guns. Even the cans that I got with the 50s are kind of neat...I have not seen those markings before as they are before my time, although I am sure a few on this forum will have.
The seat is in place, but I'll keep my eyes open for some suitable wide cargo strap to freshen it up a bit. Seems like the truckers leave pieces of the stuff at the side of the transcanada once in a while.

[James P]

Rob. Honestly, those tombstones look just fine as they are. Everything does not have to be show room/factory fresh, aged paint, patina, and service look give it a earned look.

[rob love]

You are, of course, right James, but trust me, they will aquire patina soon enough. This mount is going to be in the dusty side of the quonset and will aquire tons of "museum dust".

The drums do have some surface rusting on them. In the army or the Navy they would have at a minimum got the paintbrush out. The Airforce, on the other hand, would have either sent them to the refinishing techs, or else tossed them and ordered new ones.

[David Dunlop]

What capacity are the tombstones, Rob?

David