Besa 15mm

[barrelxchange]

Hello all

I'm new to the forum, but am researching the Besa and her Czech counterparts. I am most interested in the 15mm variation as there is not much available and it was pulled from use very early in the war.

Any help would be grgeat

Thanks

Troy

[Kev]

Hi Troy

Have you got any of Otakar Franek's series of book (in Czech only) that cover ZB armaments ?

They are quite a good source of pics and although the text is in Czech quite a bit can be gleaned from them.

[barrelxchange]

Kev

Don't have that 1 but have several others , Romanian Army, Slovakian armada and a few others on various languages.

Romania had a licence to manufacture the ZB37 and made 20,000+. I don't have any hard numbers on the total number manufactured but can kind of estimate by working backwards with some of the information.

Does anyone have production numbers for the Besa? Both 8mm and 15mm

Troy

[Kev]

Troy
If Tom is going to send you some info on DVD ask him very nicely to include the scan of the BSA war effort book 'The other battle' This also has some interesting background to production and history of the BESA.
It gives production figures (up to the end of the war ?) as -

7.92mm BESA - 59,322
15mm BESA - 3,218

Produced at BSA Redditch.

Tom will probably know if this is the grand total or up to the end of the war total.

My Czech books are on loan to a friend at the momment but I'm sure they detail production figures for output of Czech weapons made under licience at Cugir in Roumania.Will let you know if interested when the books are returned.

[Kev]

Breakdown on figures from Skennertons 'British Small Arms of WW2' It is noted that there is a difference between BSA's production figures and contract records due to ground pattern and experirmental guns etc not included in BSA's tally.



Hope this is of interest.

Kevin

[missingsomething]

Kev, where did you get the CZ books?

[Kev]

Czechoslovakia, I'll PM you the details if you are interested ?
Although its in Czech you can still make out quite allot if like me you only speak/read English.
Also some good pics including a belt fed ZB26.

[barrelxchange]

Please I would encourage any and all reference listings, and where to get them

Thanks

[Kev]

You have mail Troy

[tom]

Got a disc here to post as well.

Tom

[danielsanders]

I am wanting to get the blue prints for the 15mm besa? I have two barrels but parts are hard to find..I head I can get the blue prints?

[tom]

Hi! I'm affraid the Royal Armouries who have the drawings won't supply you with the dimensioned drawings of any of the presure bearing parts as a matter of policy but there is a general assembly drawing of the gun and another of all the parts seperated out in the Instructions for Armourers supplement for the Besa's which I can send down the wire if you like.

ATB

Tom