Landships II

Date: Sep 1, 2005

13mm TuF problem

Date: Sep 2, 2005

wow you mean the real thing? well i assume you may wind up having to machine your own parts, as it is very hard to find anything pertaining to these old machines,

here is all i could find, relating to the gun you were talking about,

http://forum.rpg.hu/lofiversion/index.php/t2048-500.html

and im not sure how reliable it is as i dont speak whatever language that is (looks like polish maybe)

good luck!

Date: Sep 2, 2005

Thanks to Theburk for your referance. That page is a Hungarian one and I know that tongue somewhat so it is good. Is Theburk a name from Caucasian region? It is not one I have head.

Yes that is right that I have real weapon. I have always been of engineering mind so I get the right papers from the authority for my projects. Sometimes I must make replicas which is not so good but almost always I have to machine parts or make my personal castings and I have a very grand metal work shop. For most of time what I build is pre 1930 armored vehicles and all the weapons always go into them for those that purchase them. The TuF M1918 is a wonder to behold but it is very hard to work on as manuel does not exist and I am better with vehicle work then weapons.

I have gotten some mechanic drawing of Carl Gast Maschinengewehr M1917 showing interaction of twin magazines with charging system but non show magazine layout itself.

If you are into such matters as this site covers you may want to know that some things I built were on parade at the anti-Bolshevik monument in Vilnius in �03 and made a short show on local television.

Cheers to good people at this site.

Date: Sep 2, 2005

heh no the burk is american, its my nick name (my last name is burkey, and my freinds call me the burk as a nick name, so i use it for my user name on the internet) ive always liked the idea of rebuilding old wwi and wwii tanks, and planes, and you would think with all the restoration work going on that it would be profitable to make spare parts.

now im not an expert or anything and this is just a hunch, but do you think that part of the problem could be that you are using blanks and that too much gas is escaping to allow the gas system to work?

Date: Sep 2, 2005

Odd it is to me to see that Americans are concerned with the First World War but good.

As to problem of cyclic feed it may be blanks are to blame as you say. At the current I am turning brass for vital ammunition and if I can get permission I will test the M1917 with it. As to regulation of gas I can not say as specifics about such is not to be had. When I got the TuF it was very bad shape but complete save the stock so I spent much time breaking it down. Many parts had to be machined next and the tolerances may be wrong as I never found complete plans. Yet everything fits tight and seems to move in good fashion so it seems that I am radicallly wrong with my work. The regulation of the gas is still a likely problem so I fear that much time is to be spend on working with it.

I have been looking and found someone that say they have the Carl in fine standard so I will go see him and hopefully lean of making the magazines and fed process.

Date: Sep 2, 2005

heh sounds like fun

and ya there arent that many americans interested in WWI but there are some of us out there, i think there may even be a reinactment guild somewhere. one museam i went to, (i may post some pics from it if i can find them) had tons of stuff from WWI, the best was the trench art, and a horse gas mask.

but ya i would love to see some pics if you have any.

Date: Sep 2, 2005

Well Hajo I am impressed you got the TuF to go at all but trust me, the Sollex is a mule you will never to go. Let it lay. You email is quebrado (the english word I forgot) so I will write here to you hear.

I would suggest that you look at the links keeping the rounds togeather as they gave me lots grief with the Bergman as you may remember. Do not forget that you needed to help get the ABB attached to the DIII on Sunday and you need to bring the Rauchmalz but not to worry that I�ve got the kuurna taken care of so the sahti can be made tomorrow.

Date: Sep 4, 2005

Theburk,

It sounds like you have museam to goto in the Americas. We have no war museam of great status here but a great many of peoples are very interested in 1914-22 period. One thing that you say is very od as it is a term I know not "reinactment guild". Guild is profession group or alternate to labour unions which in Germany went by the name of Z�nft i think. It is new to know that they have such in America and I don't see how that works with study of the Great War.

Date: Sep 6, 2005

This is an interesting post. The Mauser 13mm anti-tank rifle has a very clear history in American weapons developement. In 1919 the Americans had shipped hundreds of these rifles to Aberdeen Proving Grounds. They were put through chamber pressure evaluation tests for a period of time until all were literally blown up. The projectile was adopted, however, with minor variation, and became the US .50 calibre machine gun round.

Further, I'm curious how European socialist governments view private weapons collection. Some years ago (1998), the curator of the Royal Army Musee in Brussels, told me of his personal efforts in educating government officials to allow private ownership of some military weapons. If I recall correctly, the French, for example, prohibit the private ownership of military calibre rifles . This was particularly upsetting to him because of the number of Lebels hidden by their owners for fear of consfication. Can you enlighten me?

Date: Sep 6, 2005

Herr Mueller, you have my thanks for interest you have placed in this matter.

I do not have a Tank-Gewehr M1918 as you say but the 13mm Maschinengewehr Tank und Flieger (MG18 TuF). It is to be known that MG18 TuF is mechanical likeness of the Einheitsmaschinengewehr MG16 but used 1916 pattern wheel carriage. That also the MG18 TuF has cartidge same as the T-Gewehr but no else is same. I do know a man that owns the Tank-Gewehr M1918 and makes the ammo himself and it works o.k. so I think you may be mistold as to it having been danger to use. I have no reports that tell of the Tank-Gewehr M1918 or MG18 TuF failing from excess of chamber pressure so that is odd and not part of my experience. I did not know of the 13mm T-Gewehr being copied by America.

As to ownership of firearms I have no trouble as I have required licences and papers. When the firearm is function I store it with police and test fire only at site that is owned by army. As to socialism that is much to vague a word to mean much as so many kinds of socialism are to be found and some are not statist. Unusual to hear a German make such a general statement. I will guess you mean social-democratic welfare states as exist in the West. Proud I am to say we have no such state here but I think it not easy to do as I do in West.

Date: Sep 11, 2005

Hallo Hajo!

You are correct; politically my statement alluded to Social/Democratic States indeed. I did confuse the weapon systems additionally. Now I understand more clearly the weapon you addreess I am familiar with as having been manufactured in Switzerland after the Great War. Please forgive my errors.

MFG,

Jack

Date: Sep 11, 2005

Very good it is to hear from you. It is so excite to of those that share my passion of the era. My grandfather and that of forum member obscurata served in the Great War and some campaigns that came after. I assume your family was also with the Central Powers so I am interested as to what unit.

I ignored my good compatriot Lusitanio and bought that Carl Gast Maschinengewehr M1917 (built by Solex of Wien) but a better one as it part remade and unassemble. The magazine and feed system is easier to understand when it is seen apart.

I also have good news in that the TuF is run better and now jam just one time in 20. It was a problem with regulation of the gass that still is not right I gues but it is better.

Date: Sep 14, 2005

cheers Hajo,

I busted my hump and finally found a copy of nearly complete plans for the Solex. I'll sell them to you for what I paid for them but I have to say, I think your in for a very difficult job making that thing work.