Early 7.5cm KwK 37 L24 mounts in the 251/9 and 233 8 Rad.
Hi guys, first post on FSM after buying a few year's subscription. Hope you can help with a reference question.
Short Question.
Does anybody have reference photos of the open framework support for the early 7.5cm KwK 37 L25 gun mounts used in the SdKfz 251/9 and SdKfz 233 8 Rad. Not the solid one as provided in the Tamiya 251/9.
Long Question.
I bought a second Tamiya 251/9 with the intention of using the gun and mount to mod the old Tamiya 8 rad to a 233. While trawling the internet to find pics of the 233 mount I happened upon a forum (maybe even here, but I can't find it) saying the Tamiya 251/9 mount was wrong as it was taken from a museum vehicle that had had the mounting framework enclosed with sheet metal. Being highly sceptical of internet sources I waded through my references for the one very grainy, dark, low contrast pic of the 251/9 mount I recalled having. Its the one taken through the open back doors with the spent shell bag oddly skewed to the right. Sure enough, peering through the gloom, you can just make out shapes of items through what does appear to be the gap between the support frames. The perspective is consistent with it being something vertical at about the front bulkhead. Sadly this pic is hopeless for any sort of technical info.
A quik mockup of the Tamiya kit also shows that the mount as provided would have made it hell for the loader to serve the gun. He would have been constantly standing on a slope and tending to slide down toward the back of the vehicle; quite likely in hobnail boots on a metal surface. Not to mention also raising him up even higher in a vehicle where he already stood with his head above the protective armour. Whats more an enclosed mount would have been a criminal waste of space in what was already a cramped installation.
If this is the case was the mount in the 233 a similar open framework that I'm going to have to scratch build for it, not to mention for my other 251/9 also? While I can use the Tamiya mount to get the basic outline, what I am requesting is if someone has a link to, or photos of, both the 251 and 233 mounts that provides detail of members used, bracing, gussets, floor attachment etc. There seems to be ample external pics of early mount 251s in museums so I'm hoping that the photos I'm after are readily available.
Or am I just wrong?
Thanks in advance.
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