Machine Guns

[Jim]

Do any of the other still WWII-rigged boats display their mg small arms?  BATFISH has a replica of ?  It looks like they were going for a .50 but it has a handle like a .30.  It looks so bad I think it should be removed and/or replaced.  If I replace this with a set would any other boat be interested?  These are COMPLETELY BATFE approved and safe as there are NO mg parts in it at all so they are 50 states friendly.  I have attached a photo of the BATgun.

[Jim]

I noticed a few boats had these on their "wish list".  Do they have funds to purchase for a reasonable price or are they looking for strictly donations?  It would be hard to have 2-5 donated per boat.

[Jim]

I just noticed some Pics (old) that Cobia has a HB M2 mounted on the conny port side (when they are open I am betting).  Any one else?

[Karen D.]

We usually have a .50 mounted on the port side, but we took it off to clean it up a bit and, well, never actually got around to it and it's still sitting in the workshop two years later! Someday we'll put it back!

[Jim]

Karen, would you be willing to do a little bartering?  I see that the 50 that you have is the infantry style heavy barrel M2 or possibly M3.  Correct for the navy sub force was an ANM2.  This is the aircraft version with the air ventilated shroud barrel assembly.  I have included a couple pictures.  I would be willing to change out the barrel assembly to a correct ANM2 front end if you will ship it to the Batfish and let me copy the rest of the "non-gun" receiver assembly that you have.  This way I can produce copies for us and any other boat that may want to put some fun guns on the deck (or in the museum proper).

[Darrin]

I love picture number 2 showing the M2 .50 Cal HB Machine gun and in the background you can see where the mount is for the deck gun that had just been removed, they didn't take the time to plate over the mount or remove the barrel lock that was laying flat on the deck.. Funny thing about the M2 is that the reciever housing, slides and barrel haven't changed in almost a hundred years.. Recently the Military had the barrel and slides replaced with an easier removal barrel which is like the M249 SAW and the M60 MG (which was roughly based on the German WWII MG 42) The back plate was interchangeable from having the double handle with the butterfly in the center with the locking ring to make it fully automatic, to the single handle back plate.

Worked on the M2 in Korea, USofA and Kuwait/Iraq, was the Battalion Armorer for 1-3 Avn Atk during OIF1 and by that time had been working on them and teaching them on and off for roughly 5 years

Darrin

[Karen D.]

Let me talk to a few people and I'll also take a good photo of ours so you can get a better look at it.

[Jim]

Excellent!  Let's play ball! In the WW II aircraft world I used to play in, barter and borrow were the order of the day.  These were flying, functional aircraft.  I have always wondered why museums hold everything so close.  It seems it has always been "we've got ours - you get your own."  It is good to learn the sub crews are a little more open to furthering the goals and aspirations of ALL the sub museums.  We're all in this together and it shouldn't be a competition.  (Well maybe on who's boat looks the best, not on who can hoard the most correct parts at the expense of another boat that could use them.)

[Karen D.]

Here is a photo of our gun. I tried attaching more, but it won't let me. If you want close-ups, I can always email them. The bad news is this is a loan item, so we can't alter it. The last time I asked them if I could alter a loan item they got snippy with me. 

Is there any other way we can help you out?

Karen

Ok, well it's not letting me post any photos 

[Jim]

Karen the photo size may be too big.  They can't be bigger than 3072 KB.  If it is a non-gun replica, I would still like to borrow it.  The receivers on Ma Duece are almost all the same.  I can still get measurements from it to copy and make the ANM2 version.  Also, for the loan, I can work you a REALLY cheap price (Cobia only since they are lending the copy-model) on a correct one for the boat and you can put the HB infantry model inside your museum proper. 

Let's face it.  People like the subs, but they love playing wth the guns.  Almost all the pictures of visitors are with the subs guns.  Batfish is at a dis-advantage right now, we don't have any guns that tourists can get to.  I am working on that.  If I can get our bridge re-decked and the rear deck /ladder completed, there will be plenty to play with.  Since I have my own machine shop, I think I'll make 6 - .50's for the boat.     Two in the conning mounts and two each port and starboard in the railing mounts.

[BrokenArrowtiger]

6 guns on the batfish? talk about about a safe submarine. xD

[Jim]

Ha.  It helps make up for the fact that we have no deck gun.    We're working on that though.  

[Karen D.]

Jim,

I will see what I can do. I'm not sure how the boss will feel about the loan...

Karen

[Jim]

Thanks, Karen.  This is going to be shipped to the museum address and not a personal address.  I will only need it for 1 week max.

[Jim]

Karen, any word?