20mm Oerlikon AA Gun

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by Rochdalian, Feb 9, 2010.

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  1. Rochdalian

    Rochdalian Junior Member

    Hi

    I am a volunteer crew member on the museum ship HMAS Castlemaine which is located at Williamstown Australia.

    We have a gun as described above which we intend to strip as it is painted up and seized up to the point where it mostly doesn't move.

    Wondering if anyone can help in locating exploded drawings for this gun. It is a 1940's -1950's model.

    Cheers

    Bob
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Hello Bob
    I see the photo is on wiki
    [​IMG]
    An Oerlikon cannon on HMAS Castlemaine

    I cant really add to it this chaps shows on wiki
    Untitled Document he might have more info

    Have you tried the Australian Navy directly for assistance.
    Also im sure you have thought about it but any ref to stripping the gun could also be taken as bringing it back on line as a live weapon.

    Best of luck and hopefully another member here will be able to add .
     
    Dave55 likes this.
  3. handtohand22

    handtohand22 Senior Member

    CL1, von Poop and dbf like this.
  4. slaphead

    slaphead very occasional visitor

    Wow Hand to hand, cracking site. I'm supposed to be working but finding the plans for the USS Saratoga and so on is brilliant..!
     
  5. Rochdalian

    Rochdalian Junior Member

    Thanks CL1 yes that is our gun in the photo. And Handtohand that is a great site and although the model is slightly different we should be able to get enough info to allow us to do what we want thanks.

    Cheers

    Bob
     
  6. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    We'll mark that up as yet another success story.!!!
     
  7. beeza

    beeza Senior Member

    Well Bob, you know the old navy story - If it moves, salute it, if it doesn't move walk
    around it, and if you can't do that paint it. Obviously the latter took place.
    David
     
  8. peterhastie

    peterhastie Senior Member

    As far as I can remember the barrel change was fairly straight forward.
    Im not sure but I seem to recall a tool was required to compress the barrel springs if they where removed and replaced. The manual mentions the barrel spring compression but not how to obtain it. I'd be carefull taking it to bits, if you aint got the tool to put it back together.
     
  9. peterhastie

    peterhastie Senior Member

  10. Rochdalian

    Rochdalian Junior Member

    Yes thanks everybody, it is another success story.

    Spot on David, one can of grey paint and a big brush and very little thought and there you have - protected from rust!!! We have another problem very similar - all the pipes throughout the ship are painted white - a major job for next winter I think!!

    Thanks Peter but we don't intend to strip the barrel at this time, just remove it until we get everything else moving but we will be consulting that post.

    Cheers

    Bob
     
  11. peterhastie

    peterhastie Senior Member

    What are the details for the 4 inch and 2 x 0.5-inch machine guns. Manufacturer and model etc.
     
  12. Rochdalian

    Rochdalian Junior Member

    Peter
    I will not be back aboard til next Tuesday where I will gather that info.

    I've only been involved for about 6 months and I've never seen any machine guns, could you tell me where you got that info?

    Bob
     
  13. peterhastie

    peterhastie Senior Member

  14. Rochdalian

    Rochdalian Junior Member

    Hi Peter
    The 4" gun is designated on a plate thus:

    4" M.A. L.A. MTC
    MARK XX111
    MADE AT ORDNANCE FACTORY, BENDIGO 1944

    That was the Government factory in the central Victorian town of Bendigo.

    Turns out we do have two Browning machine gunsthat look to me to be about half ince or a bit more. They have now plates on them but have a number stamped on the breech. 1870254 & 1870358. They are ex Australian Army.

    We also have a 40mm Bofors on the upper deck aft, it's plate says:

    Made in CANADA by OTIS-FENSOM ELEVATOR CO LTD

    Reconditioned at the Ordnance Factory, Maribyrnong, Victoria. 1945.

    The Oerlikon has no plates that I can see but I believe it was donated by the Oerlikon agent in Melbourne about 25 years ago and did belong to the Singapore Customs/Harbour Patrol service.

    Hope that's of interest

    Cheers

    Bob
     
  15. peterhastie

    peterhastie Senior Member

    4" Main Armament, Low Angle (Surface contacts only) Manual Turret Control

    is my interpretation.

    The numbers on the bolts ? of the .30 brownings could be the weapon serial numbers.

    Some nice manuals here

    Free Acrobat Manuals
     
  16. Rochdalian

    Rochdalian Junior Member

    I'm going to have to find someone who knows about the 4" but just looking at it with my untrained eye I would say you are right.

    The number I quoted off the Brownings is stamped on the top of the square section of the gun, sorry I don't know the correct terminology. However they don't look like any of the pictured ones on the web link you gave me.

    I will see if I can get one assembled and take a photo on it's mount.

    Bob
     
  17. beeza

    beeza Senior Member

    Bob,
    A query apart from your guns. Does the Castlemaine still have all her radio gear etc ?
    Am interested because I had a couple of weeks on the Gladstone in the 50's as the relieving sparker and fondly remember the trip from Melbourne to Sydney and back.
    Was a welcome change to the never ending routine of watchkeeping at Harman.
    David
     
  18. peterhastie

    peterhastie Senior Member

    Some pics of the 4" would be great, inside of the mounting please.
     
  19. Rochdalian

    Rochdalian Junior Member

    Hi

    Beeza, the bloke who knows the details of the radio equipment wasn't on board today so I will ask next week.

    Peter, if you could send me a PM I will send some photos of the 4" to your email.

    The HMAS Castlemaine website is being renewed and should be up in about four weeks with much more info and photos for interested people.

    Cheers

    Bob
     
  20. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

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