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Old 14-10-04, 23:48
Richard Notton
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Default Re: Another picture

Quote:
Originally posted by Keith Webb

I have one of the breech covers, that rounded bit with the lever on top of the breech.
Excellent picture.
Now I have looked quite closely at the period film of 17pdrs in action in (probably) Tunesia, although we've seen it several times there is only a second or two.

I have no idea if its a rapid or panic shot they have necessarily taken and so the trails have not been dug-in or otherwise secured as may be required; even perhaps the terrain precludes the trails from getting a good grip.

What is very apparent though is that the gun aimer gets a very wild ride and most certainly wouldn't have his eye to the eyepiece, I've seen the film several times and on firing the gun jumps at least a foot into the air and about 6 feet back, whereupon the rest of the crew rush into view to re-lay and re-load, doubtless knowing a safe distance through experience. Its almost impossible to see plainly but, of course, this may well have been the interim 25pdr carriage mounting, but doesn't look like it.

If anyone has real data it would be interesting, however, it occurs to me, in a bit of mental reverse engineering, the 17pdr may well have been a fierce thing to fire being just over 2 tons and having a performance largely similar to the PAK 43/41, as far as I can deduce from the ballistics charts, however, it is about a third of the weight of these on FLAK 18 carriages.

R.
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