[bubbaandshaff]

Here are some pictures that were taken over the weekend. I'm going to attach them to the post since my luck with link from webshots has been poor.

Mr. Lee Ness has uncovered reports from the Office of the Chief of Ordnance that details the "Test of 37 m/m AT Gun (Netherlands)" at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, between 11 Sep 1943 and 17 Feb 1944. The purpose was to "determine if Shot, APC, M51 and Shot, AP, M74 made for 37 m/m Gun M3, M5, and M6, loaded to give a muzzle velocity of 2600 ft/sec may be safely fired in the subject weapon." The report mentions a Lt. Col. E. Baretta, and a Col. de Jaeger, of the Netherlands Purchasing Commission.

It appears that the NF&O Co. made the ammunition to be used in their guns. The test was conducted using gun Ser # 433. The chamber of the NF&O guns were the same as US M3 AT guns, however, NF&O ammunition had a 1.488in dia. rotating band while M51A1/M74 ammunition had a 1.507in dia. rotating band. Also the NF&O guns were rated at 32,000psi chamber pressure, and US M3 guns at 50,000psi. In an earlier test the NF&O gun it did not function satisfactorily. However, for this test, the NF&O Co. rerifled a tube to 1.497in, and this appears to have allowed the satisfactory use of standard US ammunition.

The manual from the Wilder Museum has been very helpful. It appears that all the "weird" brackets and the crazy design are merely to allow for quick disassembly and storage. Now on to the Pictures.

Here is my daughter and I shooting some Cal..50 ammo for my birthday.