Quote:
Originally Posted by David Dunlop
OK, maybe it's late and my brain is getting a bit dotty, but it seems to be wanting to convince me that the early, square metal hatches had a small tubular rail, like a towel rack, mounted on the roof of the cab, at the front of the opening. Looking somewhat like a grab rail. Is this correct? Was it a grab rail, or was it rail to take a sliding gun mount of some sort? Or am I just experiencing another brain fart?
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David, as you said: these roof hatches are primarily a means of getting a better view of ones surroundings. Often people speculate about gun mountings fitted on the hatch/roof, as if the sheet metal CMP roof could withstand the recoil of sustained MG fire recoil. Maybe it is just that some collectors or modelers want to pack their CMP with a some punch, akin to the poor overloaded LRDG / SAS jeeps.
Apart from the Australian efforts - see below - I have not seen any documented proof these hatches were to be used for anything else than observation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith Webb
Many Australian CMPs were fitted with a counterbalanced mount for a Bren gun for anti aircraft defence.
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The photo below shows the gallows in the proximity to the cab roof hatch from where the gun would be fired suspended. My question is: how often was this used in practice?!?
Source