M42 Video
 

looks like a cool project to build http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzXTh...yer_detailpage

not WWII but still cool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=keFzBeJkFCI

RE: M42 Video
 

The Duster was a great weapon...replaced the M-19 Copperhead used in Korea...same deal but on the M-24 chassis. It was used a lot on Vietnam as artillery and anti personnel. In Korea they were called "chinkchoppers". Had a buddy assigned to one in VN and he said most of his shooting was high angle...like dropping hundreds of grenades on the enemy...not so much use an AAA. Like the M-41, they were really fast and maneuverable.

RE: M42 Video
 

Im curious if they were able to fire high-explosive or fragmentation shells... that would be pretty deadly.

RE: M42 Video
 

I was surprized at the twin 40s being used as artillery....but he said..."immagine hand grenades being dropped on you @ a couple hundred a minute"...had to be HE frag. Seems it was effective because the M-42s became a prime target for the VC.

RE: M42 Video
 

According to a good friend of mine that was a quad gunner in VN the Dusters only draw back was the shells would detonate on impact. I can't think of the name of the fuze. So in the heavy jungle the shells would detonate before penetrating too deep. The quads fired 50's which would just tear into anything they shot at.
The guys who rode those Dusters had to have balls, when the poo hit the fan they had to get on top as you see in the video, and feed the guns. If you are interested there is an excellent book called Dusterman written by Joe Belardo, it's an amazing read, gives great insight into the courage these guys had.

RE: M42 Video
 

both are nasty systems..the M-16 1/2 tracks and twin Bofors really tore into Chinese mass attacks. Tremendous firepower but you have to have a seperate ammo vehicle (0r two) for both just to keep the hungry guns spitting. I'm fortunate in that I got there too late for those initial mass attacks but we were always prepared. I carried 9 spare cal 50 barrels on my tank....I can only guess what the exchage rate was on quad 50s. M-19 and 42s carried 4 spare barrels, but they shoot out fast. Do not believe the 40mms had VT fuses and only impact detonation, so I can see the drawback in heavy vegetation. Thanks for posting the book info.