What weapon system is it?

[HerbG]

Those are fantastic photos and many thanks for taking the time to share them! It appears that one of the modifications to the T32 guns was to replace the original Nordenfeld breech block assembly with a more modern sliding block. I wonder if they retained the original telescopic sight assembly or used something else? Also can you describe the telescopic sight with details about magnification and reticle?

[ordnance]

Custermen,

 

Thanks for the 37mm photo. While it's hard to see in the small image, the gun is set up with a bolt action subcaliber insert, either an M1903A2 rifle in .30-06 or a .22lr action from the Springfield M2 target rifle. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, training ammunition was still prohibitively expensive and a lot of range training was done with subcaliber weapons. Neat photo.

 

Herb,

 

A minor clarification......the T32 guns were modified from the towed M3 37mm types, not the M1916 1-pdr guns. So there was never a refitting from the rotary breech to a sliding type. I don't have a good image of a T32 gun with sights fitted but they used the same M6 direct sighting telescope used on the standard M3 towed field gun.

 

Regarding the sights for the M1916 gun, here are some additional details from the 1927 Training Regulations....

 

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in the optical sights of this era, you are probably aware that indirect fire was quite the rage in the post-WWI period, at least into the mid-1930s. Rifles and machine guns were supposed to be able to shoot over hilltops like mortars and rain bullets down into the "beaten zone". And little direct fire guns like the M1916 37mm also shared a role in the indirect fire doctrine. A second quadrant sight was issued for the M1916 and it fit the same bracket as the direct fire telescope but was normally used for indirect fire. Here's some data on that one.....

 

[kphfun]

Ordnance has it going on!

[Custermen]

the gun is set up with a bolt action subcaliber insert, either an M1903A2 rifle in .30-06 or a .22lr action from the Springfield M2 target rifle. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, training ammunition was still prohibitively expensive and a lot of range training was done with subcaliber weapons.

 

Thanks Ordnance.... All I knew about the photo was that it has shows them wearing a cool boonie cap and early fatigues.

 

Steve

[jonehorn]

While visiting the Kansas National Guard Museum at Forbes Field, Topeka Kansas this weekend, I took the attached photos of a 37mm gun in the collection. It apparently is on loan from the Eisenhower Museum, and to the best of my understanding is mislabeled as an "M1916 37mm Gun". To me it appears to be identical to the T32 gun you have been discussing with an extra long barrel. Any comments?

[jonehorn]

Sorry about the missing photos; was trying to post the biggest versions possible, but can't figure out how to make them total more than 150k. Here are small versions: