flers1916 Posted 26 February , 2014 Share Posted 26 February , 2014 I want to make a replica aircraft type mount for a Lewis Machine gun for my sidecar - so does anyone know the diameter of the air cooled barrel tube please? I have found illustrations of the mount itself and dimensions of the gun but none give the diameter of the barrel casing. I will not be attempting to reproduce the gun, highly illegal I understand, but I would like to fit the mount - a bit fanciful I know but it appeals to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 27 February , 2014 Share Posted 27 February , 2014 I think your best bet will be to ask a pal with a Lewis gun to measure it. i have checked the drawing in "Instructions for Armourers" and also another detailed drawing I have and neither give the dimensions of the barrel shroud. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill24chev Posted 27 February , 2014 Share Posted 27 February , 2014 Just a thought, did the Lewis Guns mounted on Aircraft use the Air Bag? I am sure the top wing mounted Lewis Guns did not, the airflow of more than 100 miles an hour made it superfluous to requirements and the same would, I think, apply to a ring mounted, observers gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 27 February , 2014 Share Posted 27 February , 2014 Just a thought, did the Lewis Guns mounted on Aircraft use the Air Bag? I am sure the top wing mounted Lewis Guns did not, the airflow of more than 100 miles an hour made it superfluous to requirements and the same would, I think, apply to a ring mounted, observers gun. Initially some airborne guns did have the shroud which on the Lewis also served a vital function other than cooling. The gun was very sensitive to damage to the recuperator (the tube that runs under and parallel to the barrel) and even a very minor knock to this could put the gun out of action. The shroud protected it from being knocked. As aircraft mountings became increasingly sophisticated a gun once mounted was unlikely to be easily knocked and there was no need for the shroud. However looking at photos of guns being carried to and from aircraft the men so doing are often seen cradling the gun and I wonder if a specific way of carrying the unshrouded gun had evolved to protect it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 27 February , 2014 Share Posted 27 February , 2014 Recuperator? It is the gas cylinder! The action is returned to battery by the clock spring in front of the trigger guard once the trigger is pressed. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 27 February , 2014 Share Posted 27 February , 2014 Recuperator? It is the gas cylinder! The action is returned to battery by the clock spring in front of the trigger guard once the trigger is pressed. Regards TonyE Which contains the piston rod which acts much like a recuperator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 27 February , 2014 Share Posted 27 February , 2014 Sorry, but that is completely wrong. In an artillery piece the recuperator stores part of the energy of recoil and then uses this to return the gun to battery ready for the next round. The gas piston does neither of those things and in fact does the opposite as it is responsible for opening the action, not returning it to battery. At a stretch one could call the return spring a recuperator, but not the gas piston/cylinder. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flers1916 Posted 27 February , 2014 Author Share Posted 27 February , 2014 ,,,,,er getting back to the subject - anyone know the diameter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 27 February , 2014 Share Posted 27 February , 2014 graham, Will check for you. will be tomorrowunless someone beats me. Will measure my example for you. TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 28 February , 2014 Share Posted 28 February , 2014 Graham, Using a piece of string...........circumference is 10.5 inches or 270 mm / 27cm. Hope this helps. TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 1 March , 2014 Share Posted 1 March , 2014 Bumping in case missed TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flers1916 Posted 4 March , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 March , 2014 TT thank you for the information, just what I needed. I can now make mount for the side car - sadly I cannot make a replica gun unless I paint it bright pink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flers1916 Posted 4 March , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 March , 2014 .....diameter of the Lewis gun barrel outer casing therefore is 86mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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