Vickers aircraft gun drive

Dave_Watts · 8 February 2005, 10:17 PM

Hi all,

I'm up on Spandaus, but can anyone point me to images, drawings, or books of the firing system, linkages, levers, etc. for the Vickers aircraft gun for 1918?

Does it vary quite a bit from aircraft to aircraft or is it a pretty standard system like that used with the Spandaus from late 1917 on?

Thanks!

Best,
Dave W.

MK108 · 9 February 2005, 04:20 AM

Coming from French manual
Best Regards, Dan

Dave_Watts · 9 February 2005, 08:54 AM

Hi,

Thanks Dan, this is just what I was looking for; I just had a buddy send me what he called Vickers aircraft synchro parts and I simply was out of touch.

Thank again!
Dave W.

MK108 · 9 February 2005, 12:01 PM

This Afternoon i make quickly one page about Vickers for you and other friends, it's not complety finalised but you can first time found diverses détails
http://www.munavia-21.org/VickersAvia/mitrailleuses_vickers_d.htm

Amic, Dan

William · 13 February 2005, 08:47 AM

Dan,
Many thanks for making the effort to place the data on your website. Very nicely done. It is interesting that the Vickers gun identified as the "English" type is more consistent with the American Colt Vickers with Birkigt (sp?)interrupter gear. An example of this gun can be seen in the virtual museum on our website. We are currently restoring a pair of these for a friend's Spad project. If you should encounter any Birkigt parts or drawings we would be greatly appreciative. We have the correct drawings for the charging lever and jam clearer.
Dave,
We'd be very interested in seeing what your friend sent you. We can probably identify it if British or American in origin, but will of course have to talk you out of them if they apply to any of our projects

.
Best,
William
Canvas Falcon Engineering
www.canvasfalcon.com
canvasfalcon@msn.com

AchimEngels · 19 February 2005, 02:53 AM

William · 19 February 2005, 08:59 AM

Achim/Dave,
Many thanks for posting the images. Certainly looks like a Birkigt trigger motor to me, that's quite a coup. There is one rigged slightly differently in Woodman's "Early Aircraft Armament" on p 198. These are the type we need to complete restoration on our "Spad" Colt Vickers so expect that we will grovel a bit

.
I've attached images of the type C CC gear trigger motor for your comparison and a Hazelton device, we are also looking for these in case someone finds one in a yard sale. As always we are quite happy to reverse engineer from originals and return them unaltered. Again, congrats on your find Dave and thanks for sharing it with us. Do you know any of its history/application?
Best,
William

Dave_Watts · 19 February 2005, 05:46 PM

Hi William and all,

An old MG buddy of mine sent these to me on speculation. He told me of the stuff and I said to send it. I have to see what he wants for them.

I'm not going to keep them so they will be available. My first thoughts were with my ol' GWAA buddies and who might be nutball enough to want to mount real guns on his airplane, and I remembered selling a Vickers to Fred Murrin and Fred Jungclaus. I've told both of them of the stuff and Fred J. is interested and I've yet to hear back from Fred M., but I suspect he will want it for his Camel as well. It sounds like they need to go to you and you can make up units for anyone that needs them. Let me see how much the guys wants for these things.

Best,
Dave

P.S. Do you know what the other stuff is?

William · 20 February 2005, 08:52 AM

Hello Dave et al,
We'd be very pleased to get to lay hands on these, and we're definitely nuts enough to put real guns on airplanes.

You are correct in your observation that we like to make repro parts and information available for others.
I think that the Birkigt gear wasn't used on the Camel.
Regarding identification; I'm assuming that you mean the parts in the first image. Top left- no clue, middle looks similar to a flip up mount for the anti-aircraft sight used on Lewis ground guns, and right looks to be Vickers type in origin but haven't seen it before and its not in my armourer's manual. Does it interact with any part of the Birkigt gear when assembled? I'm not totally certain why your Birkigt gear has the articulated handle. It wouldn't work the Vickers charging mechanism, perhaps its a manual override for the interruptor or intended to clear some jams. It also appears to be a "field" modification.
Thanks again for sharing these with us all.
Best,
William

MK108 · 22 February 2005, 12:02 AM

Other draw found in notice
Bsrg, Dan