Scout T5329

[RichardT10829]

Trunion ring on the rifle appears to sit level with the armour... Ben how far back is the bracket mounts from the front armour ?

Once that data is known just measure back from the Trunion on the rifle

[Ben]

The Scout is the only carrier specifically designed to have the Boys fired whilst in the vehicle. The picture you posted of a universal carrier does show a Boys rifle sitting in the front slot but the only brackets to fit the Boys in a Universal are for stowage or transport, they're saddle type brackets or rests rather than a gun mount.
I think the gunner probably has the rifle sitting on the rubber gun rest at the bottom of the slot.

Ben

[RichardT10829]

Secondary Trunion ring adapt or fitted to the rifle which allows the mounting of the mono pod with a secondary hole for the mounting pin for the carrier cradle.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Ben

The picture you posted of a universal carrier does show a Boys rifle sitting in the front slot but the only brackets to fit the Boys in a Universal are for stowage or transport, they're saddle type brackets or rests rather than a gun mount.

Ben, it has the same bolt pattern as yours so I assumed it was the same mount.

I found a video which contains brief footage of Boys rifle mount in operation over rough terrain. It almost looks like it's on springs but I guess we've ruled that out...?

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F01045/

[Rich Payne]

Keith who posts on here and owns an original of the photo has posted a close-up of the gunner's position on ww2talk. Unfortunately there were a number of fatal casualties from this incident and the bodies had not yet been removed.

http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/3631...e-mille/page-2



Perhaps those with a knowledge of the rifle might be able to pick something out from this.

[Ben]

Hi Richard

One of the photos from the WW2 talk thread shows a partial answer.

One of the problems with photos of Scout carriers is that the Boys rifle is nearly always in the front "Boys" mount, as we've seen this makes looking at the details difficult. The rear angle shows another Boys rifle lying on its side in the LH rear compartment, you can make out a cylindrical section pointing upwards. This isn't a normal fitting on a Boys so I think we can assume it's part of the gun mount fitting. This answers the fact that it's a simple drop in type fitting IMHO. Sadly a strap is obscuring other clues. Perhaps part of a Y shaped fitting going under the gun frame? The gun in the mount doesn't seem to have anything over the top?, Hard to say. The original on WW2 talk is clearer.

Abandonded Bren carriers with Boys rifles don't have this fitting as they don't have a Boys mount.

Perhaps there's another photo out there that will make it a little clearer.

Ben

[Lynn Eades]

Tony, those carriers are firstly Universal carriers and the later ones are Australian LP1s. No Scouts in it.

[kevin powles]

Ben, That Boys laying on its side is pretty conclusive regarding your mount being for that gun, what's the distance between the inner faces of clamping arangement for the gun?. I'm sure there's another picture out there that explains it all.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

Tony, those carriers are firstly Universal carriers and the later ones are Australian LP1s.

Yes I was jumping to conclusions about the gun mount. Close inspection shows they're not drilled for the Scout type mount. This would seem to contradict Ben's earlier suggestion that "the only brackets to fit the Boys in a Universal are for stowage or transport, they're saddle type brackets or rests rather than a gun mount." These Australian carrier gun mounts look fully operational to me.

Also of interest is the curved metal strap attached to the hull on some of these Boys equipped carriers, including the experimental roofed version. Presumably it's designed to limit downward travel so the barrel doesn't strike the hull over rough terrain. Instead the monopod would strike the metal strap, even when traversed.

All very interesting but still doesn't shed light on the Scout mount!

Snapshot 3 (14-05-2016 6-03 PM).jpg Snapshot 4 (14-05-2016 6-05 PM).jpg Snapshot 5 (14-05-2016 6-12 PM).jpg Universal Carrier Mk I with experimental armoured hood and Boys anti-tank rifle, Albury Heath, S.jpg