Bren Transit Chest Blue Prints?

[Peter Laidler]

The two chests are different dimensionally. The very first No4T chests were made from blank or converted Bren chests simply because none had seen the need for a chest originally. When the CES was factored in, a chest was quickly designed and brought into service AFTER the first rifles had already been sent out.

They used standard commercially available (at the time) fittings though, adapted to suit the purpose. In reality there are enough Bren chests out there, going spare to ensure that none EVER needs to make one, surely…...

[tombear]

If anyone knows of big piles of minty chests over here in the UK I could surely do with one for my L4A4 .

Was there any mods to the chest for the barrels of the Mk 3? Naturally mines welded on or I'd try it in the ratty chest I have.

ATB

Tom

[Peter Laidler]

We did put a spacer in the chest to cater for the shorter second barrel of the Mk3 gun and the L4 series. Being shorter AND narrower, they'd slip from under the chock and flop about like a spare xxxx at a tarts wedding and damage the gun. I seem to recall that while the Mk3's and L4's were shorter, they were secured in the cradles anyway. I don't ever recall see in any decent Bren chests. They were all patched up to buggery*

*REME technical phrase used to signify a thing patched/repaired to within an inch of it's life!

[tankhunter]

Tanky,
Whats the difference other than internally on the two comparison chests.....Bren/SniperNo 4 I always believed the hinges and leather straps were they same except for the Caanadian made ones?

Hi Gill, Well TBH. I have never had my hands on a CONVERTED Bren Chest for the No.4(T) Buddy. I HAVE owned/Repaired a few of the PURPOSE Made Chests for these Rifles though. The Purpose made version is TOTALY different to a Converted Bren variant. The Purpose made one is MUCH lighter, & indeed thinner.
Peter's is far Better placed to quote on the Converted chest's, Than I. He having handle & worked on them Himself.

[tombear]

The drawings for the No.15 Chest I copied came on three half plate negatives for each of the 2 sheets. The three for the first sheet are lovely and crisp but for the 2nd sheet, the internal components, the middle section, well you just can't make out most of the dimensions. I've no idea why, the other two are fine and I used the same settings. In general some of the plates were damaged/ degraded or I could have goofed up I suppose.

Does anyone have a clear copy of the middle part of the second sheet, or has worked out the numbers from comparisons with the other two sections which were all originally on one 1/1 scale drawing?

Also does any one have the first sheet for the 2" Mortar chest? By the time I'd got to the ones I had access to ( thanks to the lovely MoD staff where ever they are now ) only the 2nd and third sheets were in the envelope. The 3rd sheet is of particular interest as it has the best set of drawings for the metal fittings I've seen, although there are some drawings of individual hinges.

Ill have to look at the small print to see if the original makers of the fittings are mentioned, you never know the company may still be going and be making the same parts for folks back gates!

ATB

Tom

[Gil Boyd]

Well the two I had must have been those that slipped through the net. They were identical dimensions externally, one held the bren with different inserts and the other the 4T.
Crazy times those 40's

[Warren]

While we are on the subject of chests...does anyone have the plans for the British Thompson chest????
This is the chest that takes the 1928 - 28/A1 T gun with the butt removed, two and/or 3 drum mags and 4 or 6 stick mags.
I really don't want to reverse engineer it (NO big deal) but would like to check out the original prints.

[Cectech3140]

I too would like a set of prints for a Bren storage box.
Please?

[tankhunter]

While we are on the subject of chests...does anyone have the plans for the British Thompson chest????
This is the chest that takes the 1928 - 28/A1 T gun with the butt removed, two and/or 3 drum mags and 4 or 6 stick mags.
I really don't want to reverse engineer it (NO big deal) but would like to check out the original prints.

Yes, I for another. Would very much like to see plans for the Thompson M1928 SMG Chest. If any member on here can generously upload any, should they have them?

[Warren]

Well, just hit the wrong key and lost half a page. :-(##
Anyhow, back to the chase...
I owned several of the British T gun chests some time ago however I sold them. However I have contacted one of the purchasers and he has graciously said I can borrow one to reverse engineer for a print.
The one I will be getting has original paint and markings on it.
I have tried to find any reference to the chest in the DD(E) listings that I have but nothing so far. If Tombear also does not have it, it is going to be a bi**h to find anywhere. We even looked under Tombear's red Fez!!!! :-)##
If all goes well I should have the print done by the early fall as the projects are just piling up and I'm still working on the Israeli 32 scope story. My contact was not available when I was there last and we are having a bit of a communication problem. Plus, I still have 8 to 10,000 plates of records regarding the Bren, Sten, No.4(T) and REL do go through and hopefully not scan them again and being unable to open them again. Some great stuff in there and already getting resistance to some of the revelations but I will print the actual letters once the files are opened. Lots of correspondence with the REL and the boys at Garland Road in Herts.
More later......