Heavy.....

[Caracal]

... almost 10kg for this Luftwaffe MG-FF 90 rounds trommel magazine... i will open it to remove rust, i will post pics of the internal mecanism then!

 

[pointblank0]

Looking forward to seeing the condition of the inside. Looks great

 

[Caracal]

Pfffff impossible to open it, from one side the screws are too damaged by rust,and on the other side the screws are in good condition but impossible i guess at least 2 of them are fixed by welding... PITY! Of what i can see the intern mecanism seems in good condition.

I made some pics anyway, i got some markings and 2 dates, 1944 and 1945.
Not a surprise i can't find any info on this 90 rounds version, the MG FF documents that I have are maximum of 1942...

Please note the bullet hole.

 

[pointblank0]

Never mind. Still looks great, and still able to be loaded. Nice touch. How many rounds can you get inside before it siezes?

 

[Caracal]

didn't try, i have not enough rounds to verify!!!!!

 

[butterfly]

Very impressive piece Caracal, thanks for showing. Which aircraft would this have been used on?
Could the weapon also be used on the ground (anti-aircraft), I know some of the aircraft Hispano guns were used in this way?

regards Kev

 

[Caracal]

Very impressive piece Caracal, thanks for showing. Which aircraft would this have been used on?
Could the weapon also be used on the ground (anti-aircraft), I know some of the aircraft Hispano guns were used in this way?

regards Kev

For the weapon used as a AA gun yes (but without a drum magazine)
look here: http://www.wk2ammo.com/showthread.php?t=4673&highlight=MG+FF

For which aircraft,there are a lot which used it (Me109 and 110, Focke Wulf 190, even bombers, and even in Schrge Musik system)

for my trommel, on the wiki they say:

"Wing installation on the Me 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters was not easy, as the drum required substantial space, and as a consequence the ammunition storage was initially reduced to 60 shells per drum. An ammunition drum of 90-round nominal capacity was developed for the Fw 190 A-5, and retrofitted to some earlier variants. There were also experiments with belt feedings."

But as it is "only" the wiki, i will try to verify this information.

 

[butterfly]

Many thanks for the additional information Caracal.

The ammo would be used up extremely quickly in a 60rnd drum, no wonder they developed the 90rnd version.

Did you get any history with the Drum? the bullet hole is intresting, can you work out the calibre of bullet that made the hole?

regards Kev

 

[Caracal]

the previous owner said it was found in a farm in Normandy, it would match the 1944 date [EDIT: I have just learned the 45 marking is a mark for 45 rounds seeing by the hole]

I will make some measurements tomorrow, but i'm pretty sure it's a 12,7mm hole, maybe from a P-47 or P-51 :xd:

The hole could explain why it has arrived in a farm, as it has been left behind by german flight engineer? MYSTERY!

 

[Caracal]

the hole is about 1,1cm x 0,6cm , and there is elsewhere like a hollow (don't know the correct word), that means it has not gone through but there is an other impact. We have to think there was the wing and maybe some metal pieces to pass before the bullet arrives to the trommel... Or maybe a 7,7mm from the defensive turrets of british bombers? Or maybe just a rifle hole after the 6 june :stupido2: