Post by rangefinder on Mar 7, 2008 20:52:55 GMT 1
I thought some photographs of a few accessories that I have made might be of interest. These are for my use only and I have not made any to sell or pass of as the "real thing." This view shows the Night Firing box as described in several early manuals from at least 1915 onward, although someone may have earlier evidence. The manuals appear to suggest that the 9" square screens are made at the front with whatever materials are available.
A while ago, amongst some Bee keeping equipment that Sara was given was an old Fray Bentos wooden box that with a little aleration would make a suitable Night Firing box. I made an open frame and covered it with flannen having first put on the searching and traversing lines. It is suggested that any form of lighting can be used such as a small oil lamp, an electric torch or in my case I managed to get hold of a pair of siege lamps, and because the box is set up ten yards in front of the gun I cut a piece of twine to that length and stowed it in the box. By 1918 it was considered inpractical to use candles and oil burners and an electrical Night Firing box was designed for use with the luminous bar foresight. Drawings of this box show it mounted on an aiming post not disimiler to the MK I, though by September 1918 they had given up on this idea and returned to the bullseye lantern and luminous sights with shields.
This view shows my Stove Pipe Flash Hider, I think that the dimensions for this are pretty well known, but I made mine with about a 4" diameter and 20" long with 9" slotting over the water jacket with a dog collar. Quite a few slots have to be cut in it to allow it to pass the front sights, steam escape fitting etc. I have a note saying that complaints were made that the Stove Pipes burst and would then need riveting by the armourer and that is how I constructed mine. C section 142 MG Company still had them in stores at Ypres during 1917. Some times the pipe was used on its own but was also used with a sand bag curtain suspended about three feet in front, through which the gun fired. The thing that I have found is that the Stove Pipe obscures the view forward of the front sight so must have either been used with a deflection bar fore sight or removed quite often to check the sights, laid on an auxiliary aiming mark.
The Night Firing Box is now ten yards in front of the gun. Also shown is the Nose Bag that I use as a condenser on this 1915 Vickers.
The box is positioned using a couple of aiming stakes with two more nearby with either white or luminous background aiming marks with letters, these were in use by the Canadians and also British working parties found German luminous painted aiming posts for MG's during March 1916.
This MK I Hyposcope for Vickers or Maxim was made to exact drawings and has a top cover and spare mirror stored in its base. Although the gun still has to be cranked by hand it can be fired by using the long metal lever just seen poking out below the wooden casing. This bar curves around the safety catch with a bolt pressing on the trigger bar. I described this in fair detail in an old Emma Gee magazine, suffice it to say that their use was discontinued fairly quickly.
