Desperately Seeking IWS mount for L42A1 (still looking)

[Peter Laidler]

Don't want to get another thread running...

We had a PVS sight issued for our L1A1 rifles but used an adjustable mount. That's the only US night vision I'm familiar with. Have you got a picture of the PVS 2. I wasn't serious about making repros either!!!!!!!

Our later IIW's had an auto brightness control in the battery cover cap and a dummy inverter cap too. But anyway, if they fit and LOOK the part, then that should be good enough.

I saw an L42/IIW combination at a show in the US and it really attracted a LOT of attention for several hours

[Surpmil]

Surpmil, I think you have done the L42 fraternity a GREAT service. A good example of '.......x-hit or get off the pot'

Maybe I ought to follow your example and remanufacture the old Rank Pullin SS20 IIW night sight!

Peter, that would be quite an investment...

A run of C67 scopes might be a better bet!

I've shipped the first brackets today, buyers in the UK should have them by late late next week, in the US a little sooner.

Canada Post is about three times as expensive as the US Postal Service for the same package and destination!

[jmoore]

I know some pattern makers who could do the housing pattern for casting purposes. Could even do it w/ a hollow core for less machining time. Getting the actual casting done shouldn't be a huge deal either. (I learned a lot during my P40 Tomahawk/Kittyhawk/Warhawk remunufacturing days about getting castings and forgings done. ) Not as expensive as you might fear, especially if several people all gang up on it!

[Peter Laidler]

Casting..., that's the EASY bit. What about the optronics ......, the 'tube' to you and me. The tubes cost almost £1,000 each to the MoD and they were buying in bulk! It cost me over £400 for a 'used but working and we won't guarantee it' tube from EEV the manufacturer when I rebuilt one for a friend of mine several years ago. (Yes, it's still working..)

Oh, yes. And after the optronics, what about the optics at the front of the tube?

Oh, yes...., nearly forgot. What about the ocular optics at the rear of the tube?

Phew...., I'd just look on Ebay if I needed one!

That was interesting reading about restoring old aeroplanes. Did you ever write it all down in book form with pictures? t'd be a nice read.

[jmoore]

Some few pictures. I did take probably a couple of thousand pics of the N1K2 Shiden-Kai (George) fighter during its restoration for Pensacola.

[jmoore]

Sorry, got "runn oft" the 'puter. W/ new castings I was thinking of using US PVS-2 guts for function. PVS-1 scopes are rarer but do have internal adjustments. Using -2 internals would then just require the zeroing bits, so most components can be robbed from roughly $400-800 scopes. Given the lack o' Rank Pullen SS20 IIW's it makes for a bit more than idle speculation.

On a completely different continent, what were the Canadians doing w/ AN/PVS-502 "night vision set, individual served weapon" things? Rifle use?

[nzl1a1collector]

Peter was asking about the the special sling swivel fittings shown on the L1A1 rifle with the IWS sight fitted. The fittings are part of the Arctic sling arrangement used with British Army L1A1 rifles used in Norway or Arctic conditions.

Shown on the rifle is the special Butt, Small Arms (NSN 1005-99-965-1966) this butt is made of the same material as the standard British black plastic furniture but unlike the normal plastic butt which is filled with foam, this one is hollow. The butt had two roles, it provided a shorter butt to allow for the use of flack jackets in Northern Ireland and to help accommodate the extra clothing used by these troops operating in the cold of the arctic. It also provides a side mounting for the 3-point slings that were being brought into service so the rifle could be carried comfortably while skiing.

Originally the wooden butts had to be modified with the sling swivel being repositioned to the left side of the butt, this involved a fair bit of work and required some special fittings to be installed (if anyone has any could they let me know) It also required the laminated handguards to be modified so the Handguard band could be fitted. The one shown is specifically designed for use with the plastic handguards which don't have to be modified. This handguard band provides the second connection point for bracket of the sling and then the hook of the sling passes through the bracket and connects onto a special eyelet that replaces the normal front sling swivel providing the third point (if anyone has one could they let me know), this stops the sling sliding back through the bracket (second point).

With these three points and the use of a modified version of the HK MP5 type sling the rifle can be carried with one half of the sling over one shoulder and the other half over the other shoulder allowing the rifle to lay flat against the users back with the muzzle pointing downwards.

With the fittings and sling attached to the rifle there was also a couple of other items used. One was the LANYARD, Small Arms, L1A1 (1005-99-962-3099) and COVER, Muzzle (1005-99-962-3091). The lanyard was attached to the rubber muzzle cover and the hole in the hook of sling that was attached to the eyelet at the front sling swivel position, this was done so when the cover was removed it couldn't be lost in the snow.

[nzl1a1collector]

Army Arctic Sling arrangement

[jmoore]

Just so y'all can see what one looks like, here's an AN/PVS-1:

Aerial view:


Side view:

[Peter Laidler]

Mmmmmmmmmmm........ Can see what you mean! What are the details on the electronic tube if you have one handy and I'll cross match them.