Luke131 Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Hello all, Can any one help me out? A lot of WW2 British tanks carried bomb throwers on the turret sides. They looked like cut down Lee Enfields with a baked bean tin on the end. What I want to know is how the turret crew operated them? Plus any one know of two Post War A34 Comet conversions. One was a test bed for a Malkara Anti tank Launcher in th 60s, the other was called "Comres -75" It was basically a rasied 105mm L7 tank gun on a raised gun platform. It was an experiment that did not get far in the late 60s. Any one got any knowledge of this stuff?:-D Thanks Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shane.c Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Hello and welcome, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bovington1 Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Hi and welcome,,your " bake bean tins" are smoke dischargers,crew would reach down and pull the trigger... Take it you will be at Tank Fest ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenivers Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Welcome aboard mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Plus any one know of two Post War A34 Comet conversions. One was a test bed for a Malkara Anti tank Launcher in th 60s, the other was called "Comres -75" It was basically a rasied 105mm L7 tank gun on a raised gun platform. It was an experiment that did not get far in the late 60s. Any one got any knowledge of this stuff?:-D First of welcome, Luke. I have been meaning to respond to your query about Comets as a test bed for Malkara & was further prompted by your letter in Tank about this & your reference to a "Project Orange" & "a Humber Pig Armoured Car was actually used operationally". I've not seen any firm evidence that Comet was actually used as a test bed for Malkara. Although a Comet, with turret markings 84718/63, was shipped to Libya for hot weather Malkara trials as a target. As you may know Malkara derived from Project J & development largely took place in Australia. Meanwhile Project 6 was the development of Orange William in the UK by Fairey. The development of the two rival missile systems progressed in parallel with some interchange of technology. Some of the various launch platforms that were considered might be adapted for use either by Malkara or Orange William. In a report dated 27 February 1957 FVRDE were keen to promote the Centurion Heavy Tank Destroyer. Already in 1956 there were two trailers, one in Australia & one it the UK, which were mock ups of the proposed Centurion launch control system for Malkara. However the War Office favoured a requirement for converting six Comets as launch vehicles for Orange William. At the time of the meeting these had not materialised as the Ministry of Supply were not prepared to fund the conversion. Although it was thought perhaps one conversion might be MoS funded & perhaps the other five by the WO. However “The proposed Comet conversion does not, of course, meet a requirement for the interim term vehicle. The War Office have not issued the military characteristics for the long term vehicle.” “A firm decision on this programme is now required before serious work is started.” A series of other matters were discussed which was all tempered by “The Chairman said there was little purpose in discussing this matter at this stage. The contractor is working to a financial limit which, perhaps not adequate, could not be discussed until the Defence Review was completed.” By September 1957 the airportability concept was very much to the fore with consideration of vehicles such as the proposed FV426, Land Rover & even Ferret. Although a brief mention was made that “Major Pierson replied that at this moment four launcher, controller teams were carrying out exercises on this matter in the Bovington area.” But there was no indication what vehicles were involved. Some of the inter-relationships between the two missiles systems & their various launch vehicles are touched on here: http://www.hmvf.co.uk/pdf/WWW%20FV1620.pdf and for more on the Orange William content to the first part of this: http://www.shorlandsite.com/images/LandRoversMissilesElliott.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke131 Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Clive Thanks for you interesting reply, food for thought Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke131 Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Hi and welcome,,your " bake bean tins" are smoke dischargers,crew would reach down and pull the trigger...Take it you will be at Tank Fest ? Thanks for your reply, Would it be correct to say this is pretty much a cable operated system? And yes Tank Fest is a must! Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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