Id. US equipment

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Probably, a M1918 (or M1918A2) azimuth instrument

Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Any idea about this ?
According to photo caption, Ford Target Computor. Oct.1922

Sturm78

[LineDoggie]

Hi all,

Probably, a M1918 (or M1918A2) azimuth instrument

Sturm78

M1910A1 Azimuth Instrument

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

US equipment or a captured German Flak Kinotheodolit (cinetheodolite) ??

Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Any idea about the purpose of these US hand carts ?

Image from Ebay
Sturm78

[wwilson]

Any idea about the purpose of these US hand carts ?

From a 1936 issue of the Infantry Journal:

Hand Carts for Infantry

Experiments conducted for the past year have led to the development of a fabricated aluminum-alloy hand cart for infantry. The basic design consists of a chassis, on which is mounted a body. The chassis is simple and rugged; nothing more than an axle, motorcycle wheels, and a tubular tongue. The body is a shallow slatted box, 32” x 24” x 5”.

By mounting a certain set of clamps on the body we have an excellent cart for transporting the .30 caliber machine gun, with another set of clamps, the mortar company has hand transportation for the 81-mm. mortar; with a third set of clamps, the .50 caliber machine gun can be moved forward by cart; using no clamps, we have a general utility cart for communications equipment, mess supplies and the like.

These carts were originally designed for motorized units. They are to be carried (loaded) in the trucks until the trucks can no longer proceed. The carts are then detrucked and the movement completed by hand.

This cart is able to carry a much greater load than any other developed and yet its total weight is less. It is strong enough to carry an emergency pay load of 400 pounds, which means that the ammunition crew arrives at the gun with 400 pounds of ammunition and 80 pounds of cart, and not 300 pounds of cart and 200 pounds of ammunition.

See http://www.theliberator.be/handcart.htm

Cheers

[Sturm78]

wwilson wrote
See http://www.theliberator.be/handcart.htm

The cart shown in this link is a different model with smaller wheels

Sturm78

[von thoma]

7546.png

[ROLAND1369]

The object in the soldiers hand is a 60 MM Mortar M 49a1 HE round. He is most likely removing the tail fins which screws off and will attach it to the M 1 a2 rifle grenade adapters next to him. The combination was considered by the combat soldiers more effective than the standard rifle grenade.The us Ordnance Department exploded with disapproval of this as it had not been invented or approved by them.

[LineDoggie]

The object in the soldiers hand is a 60 MM Mortar M 49a1 HE round. He is most likely removing the tail fins which screws off and will attach it to the M 1 a2 rifle grenade adapters next to him. The combination was considered by the combat soldiers more effective than the standard rifle grenade.The us Ordnance Department exploded with disapproval of this as it had not been invented or approved by them.

Also the recoil was substantive and could damage a Rifle or Carbine, and not just cracking a stock.

Add less range and concerns about the shooter being within blast radius

[ROLAND1369]

Agreed that the range would be shortened, but would not be within the danger radius of a 60 MM. I do not agree that the recoil would be greater when using the same grenade launcher cartridge and adapter. The standard rifle grenade has quite a substantial recoil and I wouldn't say this combination would be worse.

[LineDoggie]

An M9A1 weighs 1.25 lbs
A M46 weighs 3.5 lbs

Over twice the weight to be launched for the same launch cartridge M3

[T. A. Gardner]

This mod was mostly used by soldiers in urban areas in house-to-house fighting. Range wasn't a serious issue. It was sufficient to be able to fire it across a street through a window of an enemy occupied building with the resulting satisfying earth-shattering KABOOM! so-to-speak.

[T. A. Gardner]

Hi all,

US equipment or a captured German Flak Kinotheodolit (cinetheodolite) ??

Sturm78

This is one of about two dozen Askania cinetheodolites the US Army and USAAF / USAF brought to the US after WW 2. These were set up at both White Sands Missile Test Range and Holloman AFB Missile Development Center in the late 1940's.



The Askania's were selected by both services as their optics were better than comparable US sets, and of course, because they were 'free.'

The one in your picture is likely at Holloman, and although I can't be certain on which location, my guess is it's an early photo of the Bern site. (106.0757 W 32.948 N on Google Earth or Maps) The background looks rugged enough to be that site.

[Sturm78]

Thank you for your answer, T. A. Gardner.

Sturm78