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M8 HMC Ammunition Storage

By Lone_Sentry_Admin, on December 15th, 2010%

Diagram of 75-mm and .50 caliber ammunition storage in the 75-mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 from TM 9-732B: 75-mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8, War Department Technical Manual, January 1944.

Diagram of 75-mm and .50 caliber ammunition storage in the 75-mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8
 

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Releasing 76mm Shells for Active Duty

By Lone_Sentry_Admin, on November 7th, 2010%

A simple trick for improving the 76mm ready racks in the M4 Sherman from Army Motors, February 1945:

Releasing 76mm Shells for Active Duty

UPSIDE-DOWNING YOUR TANK’S READY RACK AND SNAPPING OFF THOSE CLIPS IS WHAT DOES IT

If the 76mm, six-round ready rack or four-round ready rack on your medium tank (in the turret near the gunner’s seat) looks like the one shown in Fig. 1, here’s a simple fix to loosen the ammo.

The end clips (arrow in Fig. 1) hold the shells in the rack good and tight—too tight for fast unloading. So, loosen the top screw and remove the ammo container from the box (Fig. 2). Snap off the clips by bending them back and forth with a pair of pliers or cut the rivets with a sharp chisel. Then turn the box upside down, so the shell holes that were on top are now on the bottom, and slide it back into the rack (Fig. 3).

Repairing M4 Sherman Tank 76mm Ammunition Ready Rack

This is the important thing because inside the shell container there’s a spring that presses down on the shell, holding it firmly. That’s what makes the shell so hard to get out. When the box is turned over, the shell presses on the spring—the pressure’s gone and you can unload lots faster.

There’re several types of six-round ready racks (76mm), so be sure you work this only on the type rack that’s pictured.

 

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NY Divers Discover Lost WWII-era Shells from USS Bennington

By Lone_Sentry_Admin, on October 25th, 2010%

USS Bennington Aircraft Carrier

Aircraft Carrier USS Bennington (CV-20) in Oct. 1944

Divers in New York have found over 1,500 live naval ammunition shells in the waters under the Verrazano Bridge in New York. The WWII-era copper shells are believed to have fallen overboard during an accident offloading ammunition from the aircraft carrier USS Bennington over 65 years ago. Some of the shells now lay only 20 feet below the water. If the ammunition is still live, the shells could be dangerous if disturbed by passing ships or construction activities.

More information on the USS Bennington from Wikipedia:

USS Bennington (CV-20) was one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was the second US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for the Revolutionary War Battle of Bennington (Vermont). Bennington was commissioned in August 1944, and served in several of the later campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning three battle stars. Decommissioned shortly after the end of the war, she was modernized and recommissioned in the early 1950s as an attack carrier (CVA), and then eventually became an Antisubmarine Aircraft Carrier (CVS). In her second career, she spent most of her time in the Pacific, earning five battle stars for action during the Vietnam War. She served as the recovery ship for the Apollo 4 space mission. She was decommissioned in 1970, and sold for scrap in 1994.

 

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More MG Ammunition at Hand

By Lone_Sentry_Admin, on August 29th, 2009%

GI innovation from Combat Lessons, No. 6. Combat Lessons was published by the Operations Division of the War Department to give officers and enlisted men lessons from battle experiences of other soldiers.

GI innovation on M-3 submachine gun.

GI innovation on M-3 submachine gun.

More MG Ammunition at Hand

This innovation was reported from ETO: “Three 30-round magazines, taped together as shown in the photo, give the user of the M3 submachine gun 90 rounds of ammunition immediately available for use. Any one of the magazines can be inserted into the gun without being untaped from the other two.”

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