Landships II

Well ... maybe the answer is much more simple. And it is not just "to protect the sight and tip from rubbing on the flap". Imagine you are the gunner. How do you aim your targets? By using the "backsight" (hopefully this is the correct word). But .... how could you use it when the flap rubbs on the barrel? You can't, because your sight at possible targets would be zero.

Just my point of view.

-- Edited by elbavaro on Tuesday 30th of July 2013 08:39:13 PM

My word. How very observant of Helen. Never noticed that before. Have scrutinized several bits of film of the Mk I and not been able to spot another example. Of course, elbavaro's theory is spot on and so obvious, assuming that there was no method of locking the flap so it remained clear of the barrel. The next question is one I've been meaning to ask for ages: was there a mount of some kind on the Mk I for the Hotchkiss to sit on, or did the gunner just stick his weapon through the aperture? (I chose my words quite carefully there.)

Somewhere, a long time ago, I think Ironsides found the manual for the tank version of the Hotchkiss (which went under a variety of names - M1909, Short Hotchkiss, Hotchkiss Portative, and Benet-Mercier)

Later . . .  Oops, no. It turns out it was me. http://www.scribd.com/doc/11491634/hotchkiss-manual-1918

Scroll down over 3/4 and there are 2 pics of Tank version "adapted for use outside tank". Still not clear to me if swivel was omnidirectional.

-- Edited by James H on Tuesday 30th of July 2013 10:28:03 PM

Perhaps it's some sort of rudimentary sighting apparatus? BTW I doubt this weapon is the often seen Lewis gun. Even stripped of its cooling jacket (which might be unusual for ground use, only "aircraft" gun were stripped to make them lighter, refrigeration achieved by airsteam) this gun seems to have a lower "spring" barrel much more robust than the usual Lewis gun (see diagram).

In any case, could this in the tank be a French Hotchkiss?

Diego: this is it: http://www.landships.info/landships/weapon_articles.html?load=weapon_articles/Hotchkiss_Mle_1909.html

elbavaro: that makes a lot of sense.

I think that is just a "display" mount on that website - the rest of the configuration is probably okay. I posted (and edited) before seeing your specific queries you see. What do you think of the picture of the page on that other (fauerzaesp) forum? The cartridge deflector I hadn't seen before but (trust me) would have been a fairly essential piece of kit. Well, not compared to having your head shot off perhaps but a .303 cartridge case down the shirt front, hot from any sort of automatic weapon, goes way beyond merely "uncomfortable" - and those things are ejected with real force besides.

Here are a few photos...

The first two are mine and show the bracket on the MK1 sponson at Bovi. The gun it seems hooks into the centre part, which allows vertical movement, and because it is pivoted top and bottom, horizontally.

The black n white scanned photo I purchased from Bovi, as such I may be wrong showing it here, but it it gives a clear view of a gunner in position with his harness on and the gun locked in place.

Lots of info everybody, Thank you x

 

 

Very interesting. Any known purpose for the "mailbox" below the machine gun mounting? Note also on the B&W photo that there's some type of tool and leather pouch hanging from the upper slit fixture. Perhaps these things are related to the gun and are tools for fixing an ammo jam?

Hi,

The mailbox looking thingies are the vision ports. Below the gun in the colour photo and above in the black n white one. The bolts are on the centre line, with the vision slot below and the shield pushed above (Not worked out how). On later tanks the bolts are offset to line up with the shield part, maybe to give it more strength.