Bren Mount

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #1 24-11-06, 22:24

I am looking for any information regarding this 'Lakeman' mount for fixing Bren guns to the top some British AFV's. So far, no original has surfaced and if anybody knew where to locate one that would be great.

What I'd like find until that happens, is any information that may have been printed in WW2 operating/mainteneacen manuals (British AFV manuals usually have sections on weapons and mounts). Likely candidates are Humber Mk.1/Mk.II/Mk.III armoured cars, Valentines and Covenanter tanks.

Any help (especially from Alex Blair and his treasure trove) most appreciated.

Bruce

(Photo is ccopyright Bovington Tank Museum)

Alex Blair (RIP) · #2 24-11-06, 22:37

Quote:

Originally posted by Bruce Parker
Any help (especially from Alex Blair and his treasure trove) most appreciated.

Bruce

Ill have a peek on the week end but can't remember seeing any thing like that but a Twin Vickers on the Coventry A/C is interesting..

alleramilitaria · #3 24-11-06, 22:40

bruce
that looks like the one that i am trying to make for my jeep. it seems that it was a comon mount used on early airborne jeeps (BRC40s) and some MB/GPWs.
dave

Hanno Spoelstra · #4 24-11-06, 23:11

Cross ref.: Lakemann Bren Mount Help

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #5 25-11-06, 15:59

Hanno, I was 'gently' trying to see if there has been any discoveries since that last thread!!

Dave, yes, these mounts were apparently used early in the war on a number of vehicles. The few comments I've heard regarding their use is that they weren't very popular. Imagine an ME109 comming for you...and you're arguing with a spring loaded, scissor-like contraption for the Bren. The other comment is that there are no two alike. I think this isn't quite true as the differences may be due to how the mount is configured. It looks like you can use two springs or three (due to the difference in weight between a full and empty Bren perhaps?). On the attached picture, you can see the third spring not in use wired to the top tube. Also, the mount is made from three tube sections. It looks like you can mount the Lakeman either using the first, short, section (like in the photo) or using the second, longer section (like in the grainy photo of the Covenanter in the previous thread)

Alex, you may be my last hope for details. With the pictures from Bovington I am OK for dimensions but would like an exploded view or such to get as many details right before I start a 'limited run' of reproductions. Interested in a pre-order Dave?

alleramilitaria · #6 25-11-06, 16:07

hi bruce. the problem i think is maybe that the REME guys were given a guideline and told to go with it. the one on the jeep seems to not have a spring at all!!!! while the one on your vehicle is set at a certin height and the one used on open toped vehicles can slide up and down!!!

as far as getting one i may make a generic run of them that would be good for most vehicles and as you know we can always work out a deal

i may be up there in spring sometime, any luck with the steering shaft?

dave

Alex Blair (RIP) · #7 25-11-06, 18:50

Bruce..

Quote:

Originally posted by Bruce Parker
Alex, you may be my last hope for details. With the pictures from Bovington I am OK for dimensions but would like an exploded view or such to get as many details right before I start a 'limited run' of reproductions. Interested in a pre-order Dave?

I went through all my Brit stuff including the Coventry,Daimler,and Humber Armoured cars..the Churchill and Infantry tanks and can only see mounts for the Besa and the Twin Vickers mounts..
I even looked in the Ram manuials to see what was there and there was Zero on that elusive mount..
Next time you are in Ottawa,call me.

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #8 25-11-06, 19:34

As is typical, I shall make one, THEN have an original pop up (a properly dressed Fox should not be seen in public without a Bren out the top, right?). Thanks for looking Alex.

Russell_Sprout · #9 25-11-06, 20:43

I'd be interested in one for the dingo, I'm hopefully going to visit the Bovy tank museum next week so will see if i can find anything in the archive.

Dave, Do you have anymore bren POL carriers type 2? You were out of stock last time i checked.

Cheers,

Tim.

alleramilitaria · #10 16-12-06, 03:16

i will try and get some POL carriers made early this year.....

bruce i made a bren holder...... they SUCK!!!! i still have a hard time trying to figure out why they made these things

dave

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #11 14-01-07, 21:36

My attempt at re-making one of these using the "best evidence available"

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #12 14-01-07, 21:40

These seem to have been made to accomodate three springs, but often only two are shown being used, the third is wired on to the forward tube. This might be a 'spare' or possibly to be used when the Bren has a full (an thus heavier) drum.

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #13 14-01-07, 21:46

This is one possible way the Bren was kept from bouncing around. The clip (that takes the forward end of the Lakeman mount) fits the rear wooden handle of the Bren perfectly, though I'm not very happy about squeezing a wooden Bren handle into a non-padded spring clip.

What I know is that there were a variety of additions to the mount that bolted to the lower, short tube and held the Bren butt in a rifle clip. It makes sense that there would be a clamp to fix the mount to the rod on the turret roof (so it can lock) but I can't find any picture that shows this.

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #14 14-01-07, 21:50

Last picture of the mount stowed on the rear of the turret. If there was any interest, I'd consider making a small batch of these for anyone interested.

alleramilitaria · #15 14-01-07, 22:35

looks good, how well does it work?
the jeep version is a bit larger and is a dog. it would have been so much easier just go with a regular mount than one of these over the head jobs. yuck.
dave

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #16 15-01-07, 00:39

If my version resmbles the original at all, trying to mount the Bren is as likely to get you a whack in the chin if you loose your grip on the thing. Once set up, the Bren flops around like a trout.

alleramilitaria · #17 15-01-07, 00:45

more like a LG mouth bass

Jordan Baker · #18 15-01-07, 01:33

That looks really good Bruce. Do the springs help take any of the weight off when the gun is pointed in the up direction.

Also did the army censor get a hold of your pictures and blank out the backgrounds.

James Gosling · #19 12-02-07, 18:42

Here's a close up picture I found the other day.

Neil Ashley · #20 13-02-07, 09:10

Only the very earliest Dingo's had these mounts and the crews probably dumped them at the first oportunity.

By the time of NW Europe campaign the PLM had replaced all the Lakeman mounts in service.