Post by tom on Dec 7, 2005 0:35:51 GMT 1
Belts 7.92 mm
The Mk. I Belt (BG 4006)(announced along with the rest of the Guns kit in List of Changes entry B 3713 of 1940) consists of 225 metallic links connected by pins, with a steel tag and a twisted wire eyelet. The Cartridges are retained by the small bulge at the rear seating into the Extractor Groove. Part of the link is serrated to assist the Feed Pawl to grip.
The Mk I belt was a pretty direct copy of the one for the ZB37, apart from the markings the obvious differance is the lenght of the metal tab.
The Mk. I* Belt (BG 4012)(announced in LoC B 6064 of 1942 which also made the Mk. I obsolescent) is similar to the Mk. I but has a flexible webbing extension with a wire loop to replace the metal tag and eyelet.
These are termed "metal" belts and are factory packed, but can be used for demonstration and instruction, the recomendation being that they were shortened to 50 links for drill purposes. The Besa was notorious for chewing up drill rounds, even when fitted with the half power copper plated drill return spring.
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The Mk. II consists of 226 clips, each of two portions, top and bottom, locked together to clamp a canvas webbing strip. The last clip has a wooden plug in it to prevent the Belt from jamming when leaving the Gun. The entry end is rivetted to a steel tab and linked to a rectangular mild steel or brass wire handle. The tab is marked with the manufacturer's initials or trade mark, month and last two figures of the year of manufacture, number of rounds, calibre 7.92 and Mk. II. This mark was also made obsolescent in LoC B 8119.
The Mk. 2c (Cat. No. Q 2/QB 5054) is similar to the Mk. 2 comprising the round top clip of the Mk. 2 Belt but with the bottom clip of the Mk. 3 Belt. It was announced as a modification in LoC C 3092 of 1947.
The Mk. 3 Belt (Cat. No. Q 2/QB 4872) differs from the Mk. 2 only in that the top clip is flat instead of being round. This type was causing stoppages in Mk. 3* Guns and was withdrawn, replaced by Mk. 2s and Mk. 2cs. LoC C 2814 of 1946 announced its obsolescence.
The Mk. 4 Belt (Cat. No. Q 2/QB 5068) was made obsolescent in the same LoC C2814. It had been provisionally approved but not announced in a LoC. The Mk. 4 differed from the Mk. 3, in being of a specially stiffened fabric and having a special method of forming the link. The extremities of the top clip remain as in the other belts, but with a slight depression and rounding of the flat of the link in the path of the top pawl of the feed mechanism of the weapon.
The Mk. 5 Belt (Part No. Q 2/QV 1A), announced in the same LoC 3092 of 1947 was similar in design to the Mk. 2c, but was fitted with a hook and eye at either end of the belt so two or more belts could be strung together for continuous firing from vehicles with Hopper feeds. A detachable end tag is fitted to each belt to enable belts to be used singly, if it was required. This type was also manufactured in 200 round length.
The D5E drawing of the Mk. 5 Belt says in the amendments that the zinc plating was changed to cadmium in 1946 and that the top clip of the last 50 rounds was to be painted red or alternatively to be coppered.
Does anyone have a copy of LoC B 8119? Or the introduction LoC and Part Number for the Mk. II Belt please?
# Anybody know where there are 35 7.92mm drill rounds going spare?!
The Mk. I Belt (BG 4006)(announced along with the rest of the Guns kit in List of Changes entry B 3713 of 1940) consists of 225 metallic links connected by pins, with a steel tag and a twisted wire eyelet. The Cartridges are retained by the small bulge at the rear seating into the Extractor Groove. Part of the link is serrated to assist the Feed Pawl to grip.
The Mk I belt was a pretty direct copy of the one for the ZB37, apart from the markings the obvious differance is the lenght of the metal tab.
The Mk. I* Belt (BG 4012)(announced in LoC B 6064 of 1942 which also made the Mk. I obsolescent) is similar to the Mk. I but has a flexible webbing extension with a wire loop to replace the metal tag and eyelet.
These are termed "metal" belts and are factory packed, but can be used for demonstration and instruction, the recomendation being that they were shortened to 50 links for drill purposes. The Besa was notorious for chewing up drill rounds, even when fitted with the half power copper plated drill return spring.
The Mk. II consists of 226 clips, each of two portions, top and bottom, locked together to clamp a canvas webbing strip. The last clip has a wooden plug in it to prevent the Belt from jamming when leaving the Gun. The entry end is rivetted to a steel tab and linked to a rectangular mild steel or brass wire handle. The tab is marked with the manufacturer's initials or trade mark, month and last two figures of the year of manufacture, number of rounds, calibre 7.92 and Mk. II. This mark was also made obsolescent in LoC B 8119.
The Mk. 2c (Cat. No. Q 2/QB 5054) is similar to the Mk. 2 comprising the round top clip of the Mk. 2 Belt but with the bottom clip of the Mk. 3 Belt. It was announced as a modification in LoC C 3092 of 1947.
The Mk. 3 Belt (Cat. No. Q 2/QB 4872) differs from the Mk. 2 only in that the top clip is flat instead of being round. This type was causing stoppages in Mk. 3* Guns and was withdrawn, replaced by Mk. 2s and Mk. 2cs. LoC C 2814 of 1946 announced its obsolescence.
The Mk. 4 Belt (Cat. No. Q 2/QB 5068) was made obsolescent in the same LoC C2814. It had been provisionally approved but not announced in a LoC. The Mk. 4 differed from the Mk. 3, in being of a specially stiffened fabric and having a special method of forming the link. The extremities of the top clip remain as in the other belts, but with a slight depression and rounding of the flat of the link in the path of the top pawl of the feed mechanism of the weapon.
The Mk. 5 Belt (Part No. Q 2/QV 1A), announced in the same LoC 3092 of 1947 was similar in design to the Mk. 2c, but was fitted with a hook and eye at either end of the belt so two or more belts could be strung together for continuous firing from vehicles with Hopper feeds. A detachable end tag is fitted to each belt to enable belts to be used singly, if it was required. This type was also manufactured in 200 round length.
The D5E drawing of the Mk. 5 Belt says in the amendments that the zinc plating was changed to cadmium in 1946 and that the top clip of the last 50 rounds was to be painted red or alternatively to be coppered.
Does anyone have a copy of LoC B 8119? Or the introduction LoC and Part Number for the Mk. II Belt please?
# Anybody know where there are 35 7.92mm drill rounds going spare?!
