Rodders Posted June 25, 2012 Posted June 25, 2012 Hi me again, Can anyone help. As i've said previously i'm doing the Italeri Panther A in 1/35, and i wanted to know if anyone knew of a good source for replacing the MG34 defence weapon on the commanders cupola. I wanted to have it with a belt of bullets and ammo box. But as i've said before i'm really bad at scratch building. Anyone help, Thanks.
JackG Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 (edited) A few manufacturers make brass replacement barrels: http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/revi...s/mg34/mg34.htm If you want the whole piece replaced, including the stock, I've only found the Russian company TANK makes it in resin. For ammo boxes, GriffonModel. All compliments of google. regards, Jack Edited June 26, 2012 by JackG
pigsty Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 Both the MG34 and the MG42 could take small round magazines (the top right in JackG's photo) or be fed from a larger box, but on a tank cupola they would only have taken the round magazines. They were unlike, say, American machine-guns - it wasn't possible to hang a big box of ammunition off the side. You can tell them apart easily: the MG34 had lots of round cooling holes in a round jacket, whereas the MG42 had a rectangular jacket with long rectangular holes.
alanmac Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 (edited) Hi Apart from the difference in the MG34 to the MG42 you should be aware that the MG34 used within tanks such as the front ball mounting had a different barrel to the multi perforated sleeve "infantry"version. As I understand it, there wasn't a dedicated MG34 machine gun carried for anti aircraft use within tanks, and when needed for such a role the co axial fitted next to the main gun was removed and used in this role. You can see the barrel type and it being used in this way here. Here is Wiki's entry on it Quote "MG 34 Panzerlauf Most German tanks used during World War II used the MG 34 Panzerlauf for secondary armament. The MG 42 was ill-suited for internal/coaxial mounting due to the method of barrel change. The main difference of the MG 34 Panzerlauf and the regular MG 34 was the heavier almost solid armored barrel shroud, almost completely lacking the ventilation holes of the basic MG 34. When mounted inside a tank, the MG 34 also lacked a butt-stock. A kit for quick conversion to ground use was carried inside the tank containing a butt-stock and a combined bi-pod and front sight assembly." They are available. Here is an example Barrel Alan Edited June 26, 2012 by alanmac
alanmac Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 (edited) Hi Andrew At the end of the day it's your model and you are free to do what you like with it. I merely put out the information without pre conditions, and you either go with it or not, without any offence taken by me. Take a look at this extract from a famous German newsreel of the Ardennes offence. Pause it at the three second mark. With respect my images date from the period and are not based on some museum maybe, maybe not display. I'm sure the cupola rail fitting would allow for using both types of MG34 and may well have had the other type used, but as you can see from the fitting it isn't a overall sturdy piece of kit and a machine gun mounted on it exposed to weather, shell fire, travelling over rough terrain etc. would soon become damaged, so it wouldn't be fixed there permanently, so would need stowing in the vehicle. As there was no place to stow it I guess the obvious answer was that, as I said before, the co axial machine gun next to the main gun was the one taken and used for this role. Hope its of help. Alan Edited June 26, 2012 by alanmac
JackG Posted June 27, 2012 Posted June 27, 2012 GRIFFON does make the MG 34 Panzerlauf barrel: regards, Jack
Rodders Posted July 2, 2012 Author Posted July 2, 2012 Thank you guys so much for the help. Appreciate it, Cheers.
Nerazzurri Posted July 2, 2012 Posted July 2, 2012 "MG 34 PanzerlaufMost German tanks used during World War II used the MG 34 Panzerlauf for secondary armament. The MG 42 was ill-suited for internal/coaxial mounting due to the method of barrel change. The main difference of the MG 34 Panzerlauf and the regular MG 34 was the heavier almost solid armored barrel shroud, almost completely lacking the ventilation holes of the basic MG 34. When mounted inside a tank, the MG 34 also lacked a butt-stock. A kit for quick conversion to ground use was carried inside the tank containing a butt-stock and a combined bi-pod and front sight assembly." Everyday's a school day Do you know if that ever led to any overheating effects?
JackG Posted July 2, 2012 Posted July 2, 2012 Do you know if that ever led to any overheating effects? I can only guess by what I have gleaned from reading on the internet. I think the chance to over heat would depend on the operator and if employed in a sustained fire role. The MG 34 had a lower rate of fire (800-900 rounds/min. opposed to the 1200-1500 for the MG 42). It could also be switched to semi-auto fire which the MG 42 could not. There also the fact that in the tank there is no second person helping to feed the gun. I'm not sure of the total amount carried within a tank, but belts were normally of 150 rounds - so sustained fire of one link should not be enough to cause over heating. regards, Jack
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