NO.15 Chest info / help needed

[peter]

Hi Everyone

I am currently restoring a No.15 Chest for a No.4T. I know that the No.15 chest was originally based on the Bren transit chest and that the basic construction and metal hinges & buckles were the same.
The chest I have is missing two of the wooden supports that stop the rifle from moving around in the chest. Does anyone have a technical diagram or any info about the chest itself? Also I need to know what the label inside the chest lid said. I know it listed the contents and maintenance details but I don`t know Exactly what it said.

If anyone can help or point me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it.

ATB
Peter

[tom]

Hi Peter
guess who has the DD(E)s 3063 for the chest (2 sheet, second is patterns for internal parts) and the mods to take the telescope DDE IP 3462. ;-{D)

Perhaps I should explain for those of you not familiar with DD(E)s, they are the sealed drawings that were sent to the contractors for them to produce the item, fully dimensioned and with construction notes, details of finish, any heat treatment for metal bits etc and with a coloumn of amendments which list what and when any changes where made.

Drop us a line at home (yes I've lost your address, again) and I'll wire the sections down to you if I can shrink them to fit without losing all the details. Otherwise I'll have to stick them on a disc and post em

ATB

Tom

[tom]

Found your e and sent off the sheets (in all 6 images each about 300-400KB big) The original images (3 a sheet) are 4000KB a pop so there is some quality loss.

If you zoom in all the dimensions are readable I think.

Anybody else want them?

ATB

Tom

PS anyone have a digi copy or facsimile of the label for inside?

[horsa (David Gordon)]

Bottom of page 53 in my weapons book (Weapons of the WWII Tommy) has a photo of the label for the chest. You'll need to magnify it to read the details but its a crisp photo. Few pages earlier there are shots showing the rifle and gear from above in the chest and you can see where the label is placed. Also should be able to see the wooden blocks to hold the rifle in one of those shots.

Can't get to my original chest as it is being stored in another city with other bulk items right now.

I can also eMail out the 300dpi photo of the label as I still have it on my computer. Too big to post of the forum due to resolution.

[tom]

Hi David
if you could send us the big version that would be handy. I'll have a go at making a facsimile in Word or somesuch, getting the exact font shouldn't be hard with all thats available, but the precise spacing will be fiddlly.

[e-mail]

ATB

Tom

Also got the drawings for the chests for the VGO, 7.92 and 15mm Besas, Vickers-Berthier LMG, a couple of Bren ones and the internals for the 2" Mortar chest (I forget which Mk) oh and the Battalion Spares Box although that one's so faint it realy needs some clever booger of a drafts man to print it off and trace it. Its all there but you really have to zoom in to read all the dimensions.

[horsa (David Gordon)]

Hey Tom,

The label is about 1MB. Just posted it to your account along with three shots from the book with the rifle in the chest. Let me know if they don't come through for some reason. Should be pretty easy for you to add the label to your master documentation that you have build up on disk. Let me know if there is anything else related that I can provide.

[tom]

Cheers David
will down load them when the nets quiet here as I'm still on dial up. Yup its my intention to tie it to the drawings so any one with a urge to make up a chest (either convert from a old Bren Box or from scratch) can print one off, Infact I'd like to copy as meny labels as I can, for the greater good of the party.

I vaguely remember copying the drawings for the box for the 4 100 round drums and the drawings for the big chest that took 10 100 rounders, also all the ones for the various hinges I could find. Kevin can you think of owt else of this ilk?

All the best

Tom