Otter LRC CM4647296 comes home

[David Dunlop]

Jordan.

If I understand the turret of the Otter correctly, it was manually operated by the gunner, using the Foot Ring mounted on the floor below the basket seat to leverage the basket left or right. If so, how much clearance is there below the top of the Foot Rest and the pan under the seat? Later Otter production may have taken advantage of this space for storage by adding another metal 4-sided shelf. This could even have been designed as a bolt on retro kit.

For the five holes you found along the lower rear edge, take a close look at the spacing in relation to the two wooden blocks. Is it symmetrical, or is it possible a sixth hole existed at one end once upon a time. That might be the hole line for attaching the upper rear tab of the new shelf.

If an item like Bruce suggested was stowed there, you would not want a standard padlock fastener getting in the way of sliding something in and out of that shelf. Perhaps the slot in the hasp was used to engage a spring tab retainer that was fitted underneath the floor of the new shelf assembly?

Just odd thoughts but thought I would put them out there.

I wonder if the set of Design Branch Reference Books list any Otter upgrades.

David