Lewis gun ammo load

[Billy_Bishop]

Ok, does anyone have any idea how much ammo was carried for Lewis guns in the different aircraft that used them as armament?

I've seen different information stating that anywhere from 3 to 7 drums were carried for the Lewis gun.

While I'm sure this varies somewhat with the particular aircraft model, I'd like to know for sure.

So if anyone knows, PLEASE tell me.

VBR,

Al Lowe

[Vigilant]

Hi Al,

W. MacLanachan (aka 'McScotch') writes in Fighter Pilot, his book on his time in 40 Squadron during spring-summer 1917, that the Nieups carried 3 drums of Lewis ammo. Two were tracer, one was Buckingham incendiary (page 82 of the Greenhill reprint).

Regards,

Vigilant.

[Richard_Schrader]

Al;
At first the Lewis drum held 48 rounds. A British pilot came up with a double drum that held 96 rounds.{I think it was either Strange or Hawker} Hope this helps pal.
Richard

While the Nieuport might have carried 3 drums, no one would carry drums of pure tracer or pure Buckingham. That must have referred to the preferred mix of ammunition within each drum by McScotch himself; two rounds of tracer followed by one round of Buckingham. Quite a nasty mix, actually. No ball cartridges at all. Different pilots had their own combination of the available types of bullets put into their drums/belts.

Back in the 1980's a series of articles appeared in the Cross and cockade Journal (UK) which basically confirmed that the number of drums of Lewis ammo depended upon the aircraft, type of operation. Bristol Fighters might typically carry five double drums, one on the Lewis and four stowed in the observer's cockpit; depending upon the distance to the target DH4 bombers might also carry five drums. Heavily loaded bombers wouldn't have a lot of spare lifting ability which might restrict the number of drums to three or less. Nothing I've read suggests that there was ever an operational standard number of drums carried.

Hope this helps.

VBR Graeme Neale

[Barrett]

I've frequently seen a film clip of a mech handing 4 drums to the observer of a Sop Strutter: one goes on the Lewis and 3 in racks.

All of the Lewis gun drums I have ever seen were either 47 or 94 round capacity.
In one book I have, a photo shows observers picking up loaded 94 round drums, and it is obvious that it was one to an observer {in this photo.)

[stephen]

2Lt. John Pugh was a Bristol observer with RAF 48 in the summer of '18 til he had an unfortunate disagreement with a flight of DVII's. He survived and wrote me in the spring of 1989 that he carried 1 on the gun and 4 in the rear cockpit. He said he was on his last drum when they hit the ground. Nice guy. I neglected to ask him if they were single or double drums - stupid me. But I'm sure he meant doubles. The singles were in very rare use by that time in the war.

What Stephen said is true about the use of single drums by the end of the war, but this was only true of the air services. The PBI still used the singles of 47 rounds, as there were lots of them in stores. During WW-II the Home Guard also used aircraft Lewis Guns on makeshift ground tripods with single tier drums. If you are a collector, you already know that the singles outnumber the double deckers.
I have never seen an example of a carry bag for extra double drums. Have any of you? Even in the movie "The Lost Patrol" Vic McLaglen was never shown with a spare double drum...(he copped the gun off an SE-5, the pilot having been killed by a sniper.)He fired more than 94 rounds at ground targets but was never shown reloading, nor was there an explanation of how he carried his spares as he advanced on Arab positions laughing and shooting.

[Barrett]

Ref. MG/SMG reloads, or lack thereof: look closely at combat footage from WW II, especially the Russians and Japanese. You'll seldom see ammo boxes, bags or pouches. OTOH, Germans and Brits inevitably carry extras.
It's also interesting to note that Japanese infantry hardly ever advanced at port arms (both hands on the rifle), preferring a one-handed "trail arms" carry. That's doctrine at work: a rifle was a long, elaborate pole for mounting a bayonet.
As for cinematic gunners, there's Sgt. Saunders (Vic Morrow) in the 1960s "Combat" TV series--the only GI who fought WW II with one magazine for his Thompson. In "The Longest Day," EVERY Thompson, carbine, or BAR guy had M1 Garand cartridge belts & bandoliers.
"Technical advisers need not apply."