40mm Bofors Clip

[Mark Sarsfield]

This would be a nice addition to any boat display...

http://cgi.ebay.com/NICE-WWII-U-S-NAVY-40MM-BOFORS-CLIP_W0QQitemZ220214960836

[Mark Sarsfield]

Speaking of Bofors, have any of the museum boats considered converting their AA gun displays into "working" gas guns?

[Tom Bowser]

I am wanting to get ours working so I can help paint the target with paint balls.
Tom

[Mark Sarsfield]

Paintball works, too.    Iwas thinking more of propane/oxygen or some sort of gas mixture that explodes in the barrel to make a loud popping noise and a flame at the end.  I've seen it done with 20mm guns before, as well as smaller MGs.

[Lance Dean]

Do you mean like how hotrods use a sparkplug at the end of their tailpipe to throw flames?

[Mark Sarsfield]

No sparks are involved.  They mix two gasses that automatically combust upon mixture.  One of the SS reenactment units in KS has an MG-42 version.  Once the temperamental little thing behaves, it's a pretty convincing item.

[Jim M.]

They've rigged the forward 3 inch and 20 mm guns on the SS JOHN W BROWN to fire propane/oxygen mix. All are activated by a spark plug...

[Mark Sarsfield]

So, there are different ways of pulling it off.  That's good to know.  I visited the Brown when it came to MD in 2000, I think.  They did a simulated beach landing with reenactor soldiers.  A lot of people don't realize that the Navy (and Army) practiced beach landings in southern MD near the recreation center at Solomon's Island.  The musuem on Solomon's Island has some pictures of this.  Every so often someone will find some relics from that era on the beach.