5.5" gun...many questions

Mel, what sort of resistance should we have through the circuit on the brakes? Not looking too good at the moment :-|

Hi James

Ref:- 5.5 brakes, check the power lead for ristance, continuity, correct polarity/wireing, we had problems with dodgy leads on the gun in the 70's. Also check the servos for same, we had real problems with them at the end of their service life, one ended up in the front room of a house in Devizes.

Regards

Robin

Mel, what sort of resistance should we have through the circuit on the brakes? Not looking too good at the moment :-|

Hi James,

Just sent you an e-mail.

Regards

Mel

Thanks Mel.

Hi James

Ref:- 5.5 brakes, check the power lead for ristance, continuity, correct polarity/wireing, we had problems with dodgy leads on the gun in the 70's. Also check the servos for same, we had real problems with them at the end of their service life, one ended up in the front room of a house in Devizes.

Regards

Robin

Thanks Robin,

Only just spotted your reply. Not sure where the problem is.

We will take great care to avoid Devizes!

Happy New Year to you.

James.

"Shell are issued plugged & unboxed"

In 1967 using Studebaker US6 6x6 trucks, I and my mob had to go to magazines hidden in the hills north of Melbourne and pick up truck loads of 5.5' 100lb shells. The were stored one on top of the other in rows 10 high in tunnels back into the mountains NE. of Seymour. We then took them to Puckapunyal where they were used by the Drop-Shorts for practice. The 5.5's were pulled by Mack NM trucks. By the time you had loaded a truck you were bu&&%d.

In 1994 I was working for the Port of Melbourne Authority at one of their country slipyards when a boat owner with a 36' cruiser came in to say that he had just purchased the boat and to his horror the ballast was 5.5" shells. There were15 of them in the bilge under the floor. I took them off his hands and still have a couple.

And that leads to another story. I loaded the 15 of them onto my AT4 Dodge and took them home. I parked infront of my garage and proceeded to unload them into the shed. I decided to check them to make sure they were all inert and had to unscrew the caps. The ones which had been lower in the bilge were very rusty so I started with the non-rusted ones and carefully unscrewed each cap. As i was unscrewing the rustiest one I could feel that it was warming up. There was a fair wind blowing past me in the direction of the shed and a strong gust blew a precariously balances empty 20lt. oil drum of the bench behind me with a hell of a bang. I wasn't sure if I was looking up or down. Fortunately all was ok but a change of clothes was almost in order.

Regards Rick.

"Shell are issued plugged & unboxed"

In 1967 using Studebaker US6 6x6 trucks, I and my mob had to go to magazines hidden in the hills north of Melbourne and pick up truck loads of 5.5' 100lb shells. The were stored one on top of the other in rows 10 high in tunnels back into the mountains NE. of Seymour. We then took them to Puckapunyal where they were used by the Drop-Shorts for practice. The 5.5's were pulled by Mack NM trucks. By the time you had loaded a truck you were bu&&%d.

In 1994 I was working for the Port of Melbourne Authority at one of their country slipyards when a boat owner with a 36' cruiser came in to say that he had just purchased the boat and to his horror the ballast were 5.5" shells. There were 15 in the bilge under the floor. I took them off his hands and still have a couple.

And that leads to another story. I loaded 15 of them onto my AT4 Dodge and took them home. I parked infront of my garage and proceeded to unload them into the shed. I decided to check them to make sure they were all inert and had to unscrew the caps. The ones which had been lower in the bilge were very rusty so I started with the non-rusted ones and carefully unscrewed each cap. As i was unscrewing the rustiest one I could feel that it was warming up. There was a fair wind blowing past me in the direction of the shed and a strong gust blew a precariously balances empty 20lt. oil drum of the bench behind me with a hell of a bang. I wasn't sure if I was looking up or down. Fortunately all was ok but a change of clothes was almost in order.

Regards Rick.

Hi Howard, Not sure if these are of any help. Firstly some images of the 5.5

 

http://www.42regt.com/guns/55.html

 

And secondly some images of the Leyland Martian tractor that pulled it which I just put up.

 

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?29704-Gallery-Leyland-Martian-Artillery-Tractor-%28FV1103%29-in-service-with-42nd-Regiment-RA&p=303259#post303259

 

Cheers, Duncan

These take me back a bit. I was a member of 42 Regt LAD (94 Bty Fitter) during it's time at Pembroke Dock and recognise lots of faces. The pic of the men manhandling a 5.5 is taken when they were taking it into the LAD workshop.