Johan Willaert Posted June 21, 2012 Share #1 Posted June 21, 2012 As I walked into the office this morning, I found this in the hallway... I've never seen one of these before so took some pictures... Don't know what it's for, but I guess it is used to direct fire of some sort (artillery??)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share #2 Posted June 21, 2012 Dataplate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spathologist Posted June 21, 2012 Share #3 Posted June 21, 2012 Anti-aircraft systems, I think I remember seeing one on an old 40mm Bofors system... [ETA: Yeah, AAA fire director, found the manual here.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_pickrall Posted June 21, 2012 Share #4 Posted June 21, 2012 The M5 Director is used with 40 MM AA guns on the M2 Carriage and also with the 37 MM AA guns on the M3A1 Carriage. The M6 Director is the same thing except designed to work with British AA guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted June 21, 2012 Share #5 Posted June 21, 2012 Very nice Johan! Yep, it's a 40mm gun director. Let me know if you need any info on it. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share #6 Posted June 22, 2012 Thanks! I don't know what will happen to it... Will try to find out before it ends up in the trash... :think: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThompsonSavage Posted June 22, 2012 Share #7 Posted June 22, 2012 The only question you should be asking yourselve is whether it fits in the boot of your car, or if you have to bring the GPW with the Bantam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share #8 Posted June 22, 2012 The only question you should be asking yourselve is whether it fits in the boot of your car, or if you have to bring the GPW with the Bantam I commute by train, so I could take it with me... :w00t: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_pickrall Posted June 22, 2012 Share #9 Posted June 22, 2012 It looks like you might need a fork lift or maybe jack it up and put some casters on the pallet. With casters it will follow you anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_pickrall Posted June 22, 2012 Share #10 Posted June 22, 2012 On second thought, you do realize, that if it follows you home, then you will probably spend the rest of your life looking for a nice 40 MM Bofors to go with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted May 26, 2013 Author Share #11 Posted May 26, 2013 Bringing this back to the top with a WW2 picture someone posted over on the WAF... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted May 30, 2013 Share #12 Posted May 30, 2013 Very nice Johan! I'll dig up some more and post em. I don't have an M5 in the collection, but I've got an M7 and M9. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted June 12, 2016 Share #13 Posted June 12, 2016 Turns out I do have an M5 in the collection. Trying to find a tripod for it now. Anyone know of any? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDO Posted June 12, 2016 Share #14 Posted June 12, 2016 Very sophisticated effective equipment, but required highly trained and practiced personnel. After all the time consuming training and backaches associated with 40mm crews lugging the heavy M5 and generator equipment around stateside and into ETO battle zones the M5's were usually discarded at equipment dumps near the cigarette camps of France as it was determined as ineffective against fast low flying targets in the fluid arena of ETO AAA missions. An amazing piece of technology for that era. Good to know this M5 survived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa Posted November 1, 2018 Share #15 Posted November 1, 2018 I found this photo on a search to find out what a M5A1 director was. My Father received a bronze star for an improvement to this machine in 1945. never knew what it was, how it worked and what he did to make it better. Like a lot of WW2 vets, he talked little about his time in the Pacific, wish now I would have asked more questions. The records for his service burned in the early 70's in St. Louis. All I know is that he was in the invasions on the Philippine Islands and on the Invasion on Okinawa 1945. Any info I can get here would be greatly appreciated. His name was Elmer Ernst Reinke Thanks for any input Burdon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted November 1, 2018 Share #16 Posted November 1, 2018 Thanks! I don't know what will happen to it... Will try to find out before it ends up in the trash... :think: So what was the fate of this thing? Hope it escaped the trash! Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted November 2, 2018 Author Share #17 Posted November 2, 2018 So what was the fate of this thing? Hope it escaped the trash! Absolutely no idea... I transferred out of those barracks several years ago.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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