Does anyone have any accurate drawings of the L14A1 including the measurements please?
Just a hope!
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Does anyone have any accurate drawings of the L14A1 including the measurements please?
Just a hope!
Let me guess...you miss humping it and need to build one for morning PT?
:lol::lol::lol: Jim how right you are. Its for use in a distance museum diaramma if that makes sense. The L14A1 is not one that MOD have deactivated on their lists for provision to museums so we are on this road. I hope its easily achievable with the correct dimensions from drawings.
What you can't buy one from the shady sales blokes Mersey-side?
Takes me back to my Super Grunt days, on exercise, no sleep for a few days and heading for a new OP in extremley wet and dark weather.
Well we finally got to our spot, started to point out firing and observation positions for the section........all dead on their feet, when I realised we were one short.
Got the lads sorted and headed back down the mountain looking for the lost sheep, up to a small ridgeline and there, silhouetted against the sky, was this Charlie Gutsake, barrel in the mud and marking the spot where the missing lamb had fallen.
I must admit, that I was nearly dead myself, but by the time I herded the lost one back to our possie, lugging that bloody gun on my shoulder, was the deciding factor in my switching corps back to RAEME.
Well thats interesting, just went to edit out the double 'new' in the first sentence.......not there to edit, so this system likes to add random words.....yeah.
PaulS,
Do tell who are they? If they have one at the right price and with a DEAC certificate that will do me and save me countless hours trying to flute a venturi from a piece of plastic pipe, and thats just one hurdle to overcome.
I have the proper forward hand grip from that site, as it would appear someone bought bucket loads of spares from some MOD bin sale, and thats the starter kit nothing else currently.
Looking forward to building a realistic model actually if we can't find one at a reasonable price
Muffet,
Yes not very forgiving in weight or design especially on the ransom 10 miler or parachuting with the bitch. Did it once never again
Here you go, cuddling the tube!!:sos:
I gather the weight of that piece of equipment would have put extra strain on your body when the chute deployed.
The old one put extra strain on everything. We took a new one into service that was slightly shorter and fiber construction, had a carry handle so it was a bit better... Still, too late for me. I carried the old one my share.
Cinders,
Yes, it was deemed that the weight was slightly heavier than other traditional containers worn by paratroopers, and therefore on Op jumps you never got the added 200 x 7.62 rounds to carry for the Platoon GPMG or the odd 2" mortar rounds.
I can reflect on the one and only time I got stuffed to jump with the Charlie G on a major BAOR exercise to impress the Russians who watched closedly what 16 PARA Brigade could bring to any future war, and clearly remember the "severe" tug on the lower part of the harness as I dropped it on the 15 ' rope, and can vaguely remember as the rope went taught, it flicked a fairly sensitve part of my anatomy through my lightweights and brought tears to my eyes for several minutes:madsmile::madsmile::madsmile:
Just an added bit of news off the press.......................PEGASUS is returning on the 30th November this year as the old original wartime insignia for the Parachute Regiment & Airborne Forces, replacing insignia worn on the arm currently, which is the screaming budgie which thankfully dissapears into history where it should have gone years ago, when Gen Mike Jackson had a brain fart and used it from an SF unit based in Scotland!!
NEW 16 AIR ASSAULT BRIGADE FLASH | The Parachute Regiment
Well done that. The proper thing too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
Pegasus used to be here in Australia the symbol used on the Mobil service station Red on a white background.
Quite right too. There's only one airborne Forces logo.
I am some way now into completing two models of the Carl Gustav 84mm Anti Tank Gun in view of the lack of deactivated UK MOD versions and parts available.
I share this image with you to show a wartime U.S. Paratrooper emplaning with a bazooka and the trauma he no doubt had trying to hold onto that and steer his chute!!!
Maybe that's why the later 3.5" rocket launcher were in two parts.
The 84mm Charlie G is one of the few things we still retain as mobilisation stores. Maybe that's the reason why the MoD won't release one to you. Seems a shame really. Versatile bit of kit but later/more modern ones are much lighter
Peter,
I bought two front handles off the website for £40 and also the telescopic sight for £40 the rest is 89mm stainless tubing a rubber mat and lots of jiggery pokery.
My aim at the end is you will not be able to tell the difference up close.
Pictures to eventually follow. I am doing two one obviously with the telescope and the other open sights.
Talking of which........... Just after the Charlie G had come into service, not long after I'd finished my apprenticeship, (we were trained on the 3.5" rocket launcher.....) my old boss, S/Sgt Horne had just collected 3x Charlie G's from 27 Command Workshops where they'd been taken for them to look over and familiarise themselves with them during a quiet period. He brought them back in the boot of his newly imported Opel Kapitan (the posh German equivalent of the De-Luxe Vauxhall Victor no less) and stood them up on their venturi's on the raised loading ramp outside the Armourers shop while I ambled round, up the ramp, to pick them up and take them into the shop. As I was walking the few yards up the ramp to the 3x Charlie G's, one of our old winch and jib mounted recovery Half Tracks came around the MT hangar opposite. As it did so, the wind and the rumbling vibrating road shook one of the Charlie G's which rocked onto another of the charlie G's........... And I could see it all happening in slow motion............. Try as he might, he couldn't control 3 rocking Charlie G's at eye level above him - and I was powerless to help! One after another two of the heavy Charlie G's fell crashing down onto the roof, rear screen, real wing and boot (the fender and trunk for you Colonials out there), totally smashing them and the rear of the car to bits............
I know I shouldn't, but I was only 19 and couldn't help it. I literally fell about laughing as did a few of the MT drivers stood drinking tea outside the large hangar followed shortly by Cpl. Alex Findlay and L/Cpl Peter McDonald who dashed out of the Armourers shop to see what all the racket was about. The Army wouldn't compensate him for reasons best known to themselves and his insurers were not happy rabbits either because rather stupidly, he'd told them that he was using it at the time to carry military hardware!!!!!! The car was repaired but he had to make a SUBSTANTIAL contribution to the costs. But while the car was SIMILAR to the UK built Vauxhall, it wasn't the same and the parts had to come from GM in Germany which took a couple of months.
A couple of years later Alex sustained severe injuries in a train/rail crash at Paddington while the very bright Pete McDonald went on to become another of the REME Apprentice Uni Graduates.
My punishment was being posted to Australia
Gil, that photo and your comment reminded me that the Americans used a troop parachute (T-5?) during WWII that opened top to bottom unlike the X-type parachute British Commonwealth forces used. The crux of it is that the Yanks did what amounted to a 'gallows drop' as the canopy opened first and they risers, etc. were still spilling out to full length. The opening jolt with the American parachutes was severe to put it mildly and that bazooka might have 'landed' well before - and in a very different place than he did.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
Paul,
Yes absolutely correct, and my view on the way 82nd and 101st jumped with "vital" equipment in their hands. We Brits tried the sten under the straps initially in 1942, but found it did more damage to the jumper and to the weapon if it wasn't lost in the first place on the descent.
An interesting area of who applied the logic or the mindset of Military Parachuting in those early days.
The image shows the guy emplaning, and one would expect him to be carrying at least two rockets in his kit to make the whole point of taking the bazooka in the first place, so if he dropped it on the descent his Platoon would have been in serious trouble, because it is the function of all Paratroopers to stem the flow of armour initially, whether it was WW2 or BAOR.
All I can say is, thank God we never had it come to that. There were simply not enough rounds made for the Charlie G to stem the Soviet flow had it occurred!!!!!!!!!!
Firing HEAT rounds in a dusty environment was "interesting". Think: standing in your own personal sand-storm being "cuddled" by your No2 / loader. Even with decent ear-protection they were LOUD.
And as for firing illumination rounds....
Barrel almost vertical, you find yourself suddenly engulfed in a world of fire (and the usual noise) on ignition. And then, as the blast field collapses, there is a sudden inrush of dust and litter from the surrounding area.
The Illum. rounds were, however, brighter and lasted a bit longer than those from the 81mm mortar, just much nastier to launch. and the gun team made very fine aiming marks of themselves.
Delete infantry badge, insert the electric horse badge!
"Illumination only to be fired in mountainous terrain" for obvious reasons, from valley to valley so to speak, otherwise the 40 metre backblast would kill you aimed at the ground immediately behind you as you grasped the sky for elevation, well it would certainly spoil your day and uniform :lol::lol:
Didn't the lads bring down a chopper in the early invasion of the Falklands using Illum.?
Brings back memories, firing illumination rounds in the sand at Tin Can Bay and firing HEAT rounds at the Centurions at Singleton.
I don't ever remember Charlie G illum in UK service but there might have been. I often used to ponder about how high you'd have to be to get away from the ferocious blast. I know the standing on the top of a 432/113 with the venturi pointing down over the decking wasn't sufficient. Did anyone ever see the double ended breech plug/block used for the sub calibre adaptor? It incorporated a cartridge seating for a special blank that was meant to represent the back-blast noise and flash. The blast from this special blank was accentuated by the venturi shape. The problem was that we wanted it as an indoor trainer and if you fired the back-blast blank, it'd scare the xxxx out of the recruits sat at the back of the range. Mind you....... not as much as the blast and crack from the real thing used to!
I do recall in my memory banks somewhere that when Australia took some to SVN in the late 60's, the Swedes wouldn't replenish the ammo stocks so they were hurriedly resupplied from the UK stockpiles from Hong Kong. I could be wrong here.......memory and all that! Quite what they'd be used for there, heaven knows. The VC and NVA didn't have armour (until much later) or bunkers which the Charlie G was also good at breaking. It could have been for tropical trials under combat conditions which the Poms took advantage of without being seen to be breaking the conditions of the 1946 'peace' accord
This action and others involving an Argentinian submarine conning tower being hit show the use of the 84mm down south
Battle for Grytviken
22 Royal Marine Defenders on South Georgia
Despite news of the British Royal Marine surrender on the Falkland Islands, the far smaller Royal Marine contingent on South Georgia under the command of Lieutenant Keith Mills decided to resist Argentine attempts to take the island.
This was despite the fact that Lt Mills had far from clear orders from Britain about the level of resistance that he should offer. On the 3rd April 1982, the Argentine commander called for them to surrender by radio.
The Argentines had requested that the British assemble on the beach to surrender and set down a section of men by helicopter 40 yards from the Marines with more being set up across the bay. One of the Argentine soldiers aimed their guns at the British who immediately took up defensive positions.
The Argentines opened up and a firefight ensued. When the Argentine helicopters tried to reinforce their foothold they became the target of concentrated fire from the Royal Marines. It was severely damaged, barely making it back across the bay to do a forced landing. Another helicopter was also damaged and pulled out of the combat but a third continued to ferry troops across from the ships to the point but being a far smaller machine it could only carry a few at a time.
At this point the ARA Guerrico decided to approach to try and land more troops to reinforce their toehold. The Royal Marines delivered a hail of bullets and anti-tank weapons at the approaching ship causing severe damage to the ship and forcing it to pull back across the bay.
The troops landed on the opposite side of the bay had started working their way around the cove and through the whaling station. The Guerrico also started using her 100mm front gun on the defenders although from a safe distance this time. With all hope of withdrawal to the heights being lost and with ammunition becoming perilously low, Lt Mills decided to surrender.
He had achieved the goal of making it clear that the invasion was resisted and helped provide yet more evidence of Argentine aggression for the diplomats at home and in the United Nations.
I don't believe that any 84mm were used in PARA ILLUM roll down south, HE was the preferred option as carrying extra stuff was just not an option, and the illum was left to the 2" and 81mm mortars
I remember the "L1A2, adapter, sub-cal" in 6.5 x 55 that was supposed to be used with a "reduced-load", indoors / short range or a "full-strength" ball / tracer round on a "proper" range. The cute part of that system, for those who have never seen one, is that the "adaptor" looked just like a HEAT round, but the "standoff" spigot at the front was actually the forward part of the sub-cal "rifle barrel" and the main body of the adapter closely resembled the rest of a round in shape and weight, with the rear containing the firing mechanism that was triggered by the fall of the main weapon's striker; pretty clever.
Never saw any other system fired. Come to think of it, I never got to fire the 6.5 subcals either; I think I had more 6.5 x 55 ammo in my meagre cartridge collection than the "official sources" seemed to admit to owning. Then again, our Swedish cousins, having adopted the 7.62 NATO round in the mid 1960s, also produced a suitable sub-cal adapter for that cartridge, but I never saw one of those, either.
I did, however spend several other very noisy days on the range, starting with the 21mm sub-cal trainers for the 66mm M-72 launcher, and, after the instructors were happy, firing the "real thing".
Because you can only "re-use" the M-72 "shell" so many times before bits start falling off or breaking, (notably the pop-up sights or the trigger mech), the fired shells of the "real" ones were officially "recycled" at Ordnance workshops to become "trainers", as opposed to being "discarded" with extreme prejudice. As I recall, we were allowed a MAX of 35 subcal rounds to be fired in a "real" M-72 shell with an adapter fitted. The "shells" fell to bits / failed to fire at around those figures, but the actual 21mm "adapter" had a much longer service life; no moving parts for starters.
The sub-cals for the M-72 are still very noisy for such a small device; the "rocket" motor consumes its fuel in such a short burn inside the tube, that it is effectively a "slow-ish" explosion. If set up correctly, they can be surprisingly accurate, the solid metal 21mm "warhead" producing a satisfying "whack" on hitting a solid target.
One nearly rejuvenated and the other about to be started. Traffic cone cut down and sprayed first coat to match and simulate the size of the venturi. Only missing part with no drawings is the other half of the bracket for the telescopic sight to hold the unit to the tube.
I remember there being a bar configuration of sorts that unclicked for cleaning and stowing in the telescope case, but sadly it is not defined enough in the manual to make it. Anybody got any close up pictures on that connection please?
No the nail varnish isn't for my nails either, I stole it from a Royal Marine...............its for the telescope anti tamper red on the screw head:lol::lol:
Rubber mat as rifling stuck in an first coat applied and foresight done.now the bracket for the telescope I got off that website with a partial part of the bracket for the earlier 84mm other half missing.
Hey....., that#'s a jolly good copy Gil. Would pass muster I'm sure.
Peter,
Its trying to do it again is the challenge. I have got two handles, one for each of them off that site, but its the difficult bits that need careful carving to look realistic close up, that takes the time, especially the sights, whether telescopic or fixed. I bought an airsoft circular sight the other day front iron sight, and that was £9.99, so you can see the costs soon escalate.
My aim through out is that they pass the close up test in a museum. Lets see how it goes from here;)
I've got a set of Luminous sights around somewhere, but I reckon I'd have trouble getting them to you:)
Appreciate the thought, no worries though. I am keeping it basic. If you had a telescope that would be a result but no worries thanks for the offer.
I think the luminosity is tritium and within in sealed vials stuck to the sight blade - as in the Compass dials and the L1A1 half-turn forsight blades if anyone remembers them. Will pose no hazard. Even if you break one the drill was to open the classroom window until the end of the lesson!
Peter,
Interesting, perhaps Muffet could put up an image as a reminder
Only just seen this post and thought you might like to see my Charlie G.
Could you take a close up image of both parts of your telescopic sight connections please on and off the bodywork of the tube, as this is what I have missing at the moment, a way of building a mount.
I have the tube half of the telescope mount but not the front piece with the large locking knob and the two telescope clamps to fit it.
Would really appreciate it;)
Hi Gil
Not sure if you've seen these photos of scopes and mounts on Helston Gunsmith's website? (bottom of page) or indeed if they are any help.
http://www.helstongunsmiths.com/defa...5%3A27%3A20+PM
Roy,
Thanks for that. Yes I have thanks. My brother in law ex boss of 820Sqn Culdrose uses Helston Guns a lot and knows the boss well.
He laid down an offer I gave him for the right hand newer version with its bracket but he declined doing a swap, so I bought a telescope off FleaBay for £40 which was brilliant. Someone was using it on an air rifle!!! He also gave me half of the bracket to hold it onto the tube.
I am currently trying to 3 D Model some bits as one must not forget my intention is to only build two highly reflective models so they can pass close examination.
I can't remember ANY of our Regiments 84mm in gloss green.............they were all IR painted.
Mind you, the failing with that early 70's mix was if you didn't stir the IR paint it came out Gloss, could tht account for why there seem to be those out there like 303 Collectors image that are gloss. Maybe we dulled them down for our BAOR roll in PARA Reg?
Anybody out there know the real answer to that qaundry ?? Also noticed that 303 Collectors bracket is different again to the ones shown on the Helston Guns site so there must have been a few variants to hold the scope onto the tube!!
Gil
The few we had (bearing in mind we were an Engineer Squadron, so most of our weapons spent the exercise in a black bin bag, and the rest were used once a year) were like new and were, from memory, gloss green. They certainly weren't IR painted. I only ever saw them leave the armoury once, which was for a JNCO Cadre training practice session.
They were never fired. Engr Sqns in Germany occasionally got the odd round to fire, but giving Engrs guns was like driving a Ferrari in a car park. Well intentioned, but never really achieved any potential!
Roy,
:lol::lol: that did make me laugh and spill my G&T. Yes can relate to that, I think I only ever fired it 3 times. The rounds were extortionate and clearly why we never got to fire many in training. Mind you that training paid off later. 2 PARA were the only unit to ever fire a Charlie G in Belfast during the troubles at a hijacked car full of explosives near New Lodge flats off the North Antrim road in 1972, the ATO officer who is very well known and holds a GM Mike C.......decided it was the best action to take at the time.
Bet there was a fight over who was going to fire that one! I seem to recall an article recently that the Charlie G was resurrected in afghan to take out buildings as it was cheaper than using Javelins? Also the 66 got a bit of an upgrade and resurgence too. Old technology but effective.
Sorry about the G&T!
The original Charlie G's were a strange paint. It was a baked on finish and to call it gloss was over selling it. To call it satin was under selling it. And it definately wasn't matt. It was almost but not quite gloss. Eventually they were painted in the same paint as the 81mm mortar base plates. Not IRR, not gloss, not matt, not satin ......, a sort of glossy satin or satiny gloss!!!!!
The No32/L1A1 scope boxes were definately gloss deep bronze green as were the 3" and 2" mortars.
I wonder if Carl Gustav werk in Sweden would look kindly on a request for some obsolete parts especially on headed ABFmuseum paperwork.
Pete, I would have said a satin'y' gloss. My ref to gloss was in response to the word used earlier. Ours were certainly original paint, and hadn't been touched by someone with a tin of IRR and a 5" paintbruch.
Roy
I once thought that I had quite a bit of knowledge about firearms, war vehicles, WWI and WWII aircraft and so much other History of modern weaponry, until I read SO MANY firsthand and expert posts such as this thread on our site that humble me to feeling like I'm a complete novice. I was a WWII History nut every since I was a little kid, and took all the classes available from my college. I have no idea why, but it was there then, and still there today at my late OLD age of 57.
I hope you guys will forgive that I'm only a moderator here, but I'm completely astounded with the first-hand knowledge that I learn here over and over as I read through the threads just as to see that nobody is bullied (Hardly EVER Happens on our site!).... And to help in any way I can to help resolve issues... The whole moderator team is passionate here, and they do what seems like the impossible at times.
Please keep it up guys! I have researched and also read SO, SO much from books over years, became close friends with MANY WWI and WWII small-arms experts, pilots, and collectors, and I have even been able to either fly as a passenger, or even fly several WWII vintage aircraft aircraft over the years.
I sincerely hope that Milsurps.com ('Badger's' Site') will continue to bring in SO MANY TRUE gentleman Experts Day in and Day Out! What an outstanding group of experts from almost EVERY aspect of the era!
~ Harlan
Peter,
Tried that one already and absolutely no response. They are now BOFORS which is part of BAE, and that says it all. Too big to talk to anyone, and if you phone their main switchboard which I have on a number of times in this enquiry, they have not got a clue as to where or who is in charge of anything. There is not even a HELP desk to point you to which one of the masses of companies they own so they can respond.
Roy W,
In answer to that question, some units initially in Iraq had the 84mm but a completely diferent beast to what I have built. For instance the newer version can be identified by a nice clean look with a built in carry handle on top. The second picture shows a fluted barrel tip which I have never seen so, in short, like the telescope bracket, there seems to be a lot of changes to many variants over the years, hopefully for the better;)
The 'fluted' muzzle thinggy is a sort of blast deflector that slip[s over the front and clamped by a ring. Copied from the Blindicide. It was meant to deflect the blast from the emerging missile backwards into the barrel. But you still 'felt the heat and got a bit of the blast.
Gil......, are CG now SAAB-BOFORS? I was on a laser target indicator trial with them. My link man could be useful
Peter,
Yes so I am led to believe, but trust me they are in a mess, hopeless customer services at Farnborough:madsmile:
Getting there. Second machined part for the knurling done covering the firing pin and spring assembly in stainless steel. Next challenge telescope brackets.
I buy two scopes after scouring the international web and guess what comes up at Withams in the auction??
http://whitelabel.globalauctionplatf...?clienturl=wca
The Carl Gustav was still a standard piece of kit during my deployment to Afghanistan in 2006, (snapshot in time) they were either racked in the holder of the Platoon Commander's LAV, (right hand side next to the turret) or humped by the PL Weapons Det. whenever we were on chopper ops and dumped in the backside of nowhere. They made a decent sized hole in a mud wall or grape hut when needed. These would have been the original all steel versions without carry handle, the marginally lighter composite ones with the nice carry handle being phased in over the next few years. While we didn't have the Javelin in Cdn. inventory, we did have the ERYX, which was to the best of my knowledge, was not deployed to Afghanistan. It (ERYX) was a pretty piece of kit to look at, and the thermal sighting system was useful for exercise OP duty, but in reality the missiles were prohibitively expensive and despite being "qualified" on the system I had only fired on the sim range and had never seen a live missile during the whole of my career.Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy W
As an aside we still had Short Range Anti Armour Weapons (Light) SRAAW(L) which we commonly called an M72 deployed at a scale of 2 per section, and back at the PL level the 60mm mortar enjoyed a good bit of use during '06 usually deployed without bipod or C2 sight, just the small baseplate. Part of my loadout was to carry 2 HE bombs for the 60mm in my patrol pack.
Even in modern times the Carl Gustav (Carl-Gee in our slang) seen success on the modern (tankless) battlefield and helped provide a local force multiplier along with the C6 MG, M72's, the M203, and of course the 60mm mortar when arty or fast air may not have been available.
Second one now on the home straight. Just the fiddly venturi opening brackets to make now which is the second wrap round part, and try and justify to my wife why I have used two of the feet from her turtle back massager for the opening knobs on these:lol::lol:
Also amazing what you can do with the top half of a traffic cone for the venturi mould. Solidifying it was an issue but not one that hidden in the glass weapon case in the museum with hundreds of other weapons will cause any dramas. Making the pistol grip and spring assembly was cetainly a challenge. Easiest thing so far was going to B&Q and buying to 90mm hose clips to hold the cushion in place, and remarkable that Bofors would have used such a simple solution to this piece!!
I would have to go back an check my Warrior PAM but I believe it appears the foresight is on upside down on the finished green version in the last photo. I am reasonably certain that the foresight should have the aiming pin at the 6 o'clock position with the two short pins a 9 and 3 o'clock.
If any one is interested I could scan copies of the Canadian Warrior PAM pages applicable to the Carl G. From memory there should be some data on general characteristics as well as the drills and aiming principles.
Cock before you talk, still rings in my mind - always cock the weapon before giving commands to the number 2, otherwise the venturi is locked up tight and the levers get beat on fruitlessly.
I have to say that they are a xxxxxxg good likeness Gil........... Well done
Looks pretty good Gil...
Darren,
The unpainted version has a spare plastic foresight blade on it which I placed to see if I was going to use the bowl part on the finished version. The finished "G" is absolutely as the PAM stipulates, foldable and blade as spec.
I am currently machining the large knurled knobs to place beneath the telescopes because the normal brackets that hold the telescope to the side of the weapon are a horrendous piece to carve or make, unless I was incarcerated on Devils Island for years of course.
I sat scratching my head at the task ahead of me on the venturi opening lever, and then saw my spade hanging on the pound shop double hook in the workshop, which when cut in half and bent to shape did the job and even had the rib running down the centre.
Just got a friendly tailor to make me a canvas laced boot for tyhe venturis as per PAM and now laced up and fitted.
More pics tomorrow as I get closer to DDAY!
Very good, I can't say I was 100% on that without looking it up first, we generally fired them with the telescopes fitted, so my memory on the iron's could very well have been incorrect. The Ventri lock work came out quite well I think, and the knobs are a dead ringer for actual, the whole project is outside my skill level that much is for certain.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
Late Edit: While not a Canadian weapon, this is the sight I was accustomed to looking through:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...PICT1664-1.jpg
For general rambling:
The Canadian ones had a 1/2" wide rubber band that encircled the rear of the ventri as a "harmonic damper" rumour in the ranks was that if you fired the gun without the band it would shatter, however I am certain it was just to keep it from ringing like a bell upon firing. I think this band was not included in the updated polymer models. I remember the monopod was this odd inverted T with a coil spring in the stem that made the gun flop around like some green jack in the box when placed on the ground. Good weapon, just a little lacking in the ergonomics department, however the dual purpose, instant/delayed detonation rounds were a clever idea, on the range they would knock holes in the old Sherman tanks hulls with ease.
That would be the correct reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sentryduty
Darren,
Sorry see what you mean now I have put the foresight upside down, simply changed by taking the pin out and correcting that, too much haste not enough speed:lol:
I'm afraid my rifling won't look anything like that, its just plain painted worktop rubber matting sprayed silver, rather than a smooth bore replica
The one in your picture has the flimsy looking monopod fitted. It looked flimsy but it worked OK. Talking to a Lithuanian bloke here who was a Nasho in their post communist Army and they still use them....., the earlier heavy steel variant. Probably gifted to them.
No problem! I was starting to wonder if perhaps the L14 had an inverted front post by design and perhaps I had mis-spoken based on only handling Canadian issued models, it would not be the first time. Was it not the earlier generation SUSAT optical sight that had a 12'o clock mounted picket aiming post?Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
I was kind of curious about how you managed the rifling, but a run of rubber matting is a simple solution and easy material to work with.
Looking back at Peter's post #24 in this thread, gave me a bit of a laugh, it was a common fool's errand to send a new guy off to CQ looking for a BFA (Blank Firing Attachment) for the 84mm, seems the joke was on us all of these years, there is such an item.
We had the 7.62mm subcal adaptors for firing a Tracer, and the were a bit of a pain because they had to be cleared as their own weapon since they were essentially a simple single shot rifle with an external "button" trigger which was activated by the 84mm firing pin. They got old fast and the real fun was launching inert "cement head" RAP's at old Ferret and Sherman hulls and hearing the comical clang/bang as they struck.
Darren,
No worries, and good to see you getting the workings of the site under your belt.
The L14 for me was a holiday challenge, as business dries up for 2 weeks and even today lots of phone enquiries but no hard input (as yet)!!!
You, or someone that side of the water will tell me soon that their MOD/DOD has loads of DEAC L14's laying around for sale. We are lucky at our Airborne Assault museum where I help out, that we can on occasions indent for DEAC MOD stock if the particular weapon is available, and normally they are very helpful, and therafter we can hang the weapon in our well stocked weapons glazed viewing areas, and in particular a diarama for a particular battle.
Sadly on this occasion, there are absolutely no L14's anywhere in MOD stock, except on the open market, and most, if not all of them are Israeli issue, and not what The Parachute Regiment had issued in 70's right through to the Falklands War with a variation of fittings including scopes etc.
So I am going by Operational photos and paint used, which in our case was gash IR Green not gloss green you see many units using (as issued).
Just done the canvas boots, eyelets and cosha lace to tie them up, should have photos tomorrow near done once I have worked out, an unbreakable trigger mechanism!
Just before the large knurled screw is attached, to simulate the correct telescope bracket, and a bit of general tarting up. Amazing how you can convert an old 58 Pattern haversack into a venturi boot with an eyelet kit and a good sewing machine. The whole project made out of sticky back plastic.....just like the old Blue Peter days.
Dissapointed with the stain result on the wood on the grip but that will be darkened down to match the front grip ASAP
Completed
And lookin' very good and about correct. Better to jump and hump this one though. Much lighter I should think.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
Jim,
Yes absolutely............. about quarter the weight of the original. It is today in the Falklands Diarama in our Airborne Forces museum.
I just read up on the Battle of Grytviken, a few weeks ago, and its an impressive story, successfully attacking a Corvette with an anti-tank launcher really is the embodiment of soldiering on despite the odds.
It appeals to my hooligan side as well, that smug sense of satisfaction that comes after ruining an adversary's day.
Gil
do you need a drill round for the Charlie G ?
Carl Gustav 84mm HEAT drill round anti tank
Hi Roy,
No one thing I have plenty of bloody drill rounds!! :lol:
Brings back memories...Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
Here she is stood upright in part of the Falklands/NI display at the Parachute Regiment Museum. We couldn't get a UK MOD DEAC from MOD as they are out of stock!!!!
"Build your own, and they shall come" and thats what we did!
It shows well in that display, that is a fine bit of work.
I can't believe that the MoD are out of stock of the Charlie Gee Gil. It was one of the strategic category of weapons that were retained due to its multiple use ability. Unlike the smaller non strategic small-arms. I would think that 'out of stock' was another way of saying 'well, we do have some but they're in limited numbers, very versatile, still hard hitting, still current, ammo still available if we need it - and we're keeping them!. We had a similar thing with GPMG, also in short supply. We wanted to give one to some Regt museum (Devon and Dorset?) but the Mod wouldn't let us GIVE or GIFT it so we had to loan it with certain conditions
Peter,
I was as shocked as you are.
We indented for other deactivated weapons including the GPMG and received them no problem at all, but the Charlie G has become an illusive beast I'm afraid. This drove me to build the model.
Of course our weapons cabinet in the Airborne Assault museum is second to none and holds captured weapons seized by the Regiment over the last 70 years from every campaign,and modern weapons as well, including Saddam Husseins Gold AK47, but these "extras" were for diarammas in specific cabinets to cover famous battles such as the Falklands War for next years anniversary as an example.
The Charlie G caused some dramas in the Falklands which is another story for another day, but nevertheless was taken down south as part of the Battalions necessary armament against supposed armoured vehicles used by the Argentinians, so should be part of any display on the war.