MG 15 in use

[Bil]

From you-tube.I will try to find the clip these came from. ---bil

[Bil]

More! ---bil

[762x51]

Here are some others

[Bil]

Nice! Thanks. We all have seen the ground kit by AMA-does anyone have an original here? I was wondering how close they were,given the extremely accurate descriptions they print! ---bil

[762x51]

Bil,

I have one of the ground adapter that IMA sells and I think it is a very good reproduction of the original.
The sights they sell are very simple and not at all like the ones shown in the photos of the MG15 with the adapter fitted.
The IMA sights are like the ones in the photo you posted showing the MG15 mounted in the nose of the aircraft.
The rear is a simple pointed post and the front is a single ring with wires used for the crosshair.

Here are renderings I made of the sights in the original photos with the MG15 mounted on the ground adapter.
I found the spider (ring) sight in Latvia and the rear sight was loaned to me by a friend in AZ. The one from Latvia was ground dug and not in very good condition but enough remained for me to make accurate drawings of all the parts.

Regards,
Orin

MG15 Ground Use Front Sight Assembly

MG15 Ground Use Front Sight Assembly Exploded View

MG15 Ground Use Rear Sight Assembly

MG15 Ground Use Rear Sight Assembly Exploded View

[42rocker]

762x51 that's a nice work up on the sight.
Great pictures everyone.

Later 42rocker

[Bil]

Yes,much nicer than the IMA items.I have those,they dodn't look like something the Germans made.Even the rest of their kit is pretty rough. ---bil

[www.Prussia.us]

great pics, did we ever uncover any post-war pics of the "water-cooled" Mg-15's being used??

[762x51]

I haven't seen photos of the water cooled MG15 (ST61) in use by a military from any time period.

[Bil]

Somewhere I have a picture of the water cooled version in use.It is weighing down some laminate I was glueing and was the heaviest thing I could reach in a hurry! But still no official military use pictures or info.Do you suppose IMA had a bunch of 15s without any barrel shrouds,and just welded up some well casing,made up a story? ---bil PS-I wrote to them quite a while ago,asking what country they got them from-no answer.No surprise.

[762x51]

Hi Bil,

Rumor has it that the water cooled MG15's AKA ST61's were made for Romania with the water jackets having been made at a "disused" plant in France. They were supplied to Romania under a military assistance program but never were issued and stayed in a Romanian warehouse until sold off as surplus after the break up of the USSR.

Here is a scan of the inventory sheet that was in one of the ST61 transit chest that I have which has a Communist Romania stamp on it.
I have also included a closeup of the stamp which is clearly Romanian. This would appear to support the rumor.

Regards,
Orin

MG15 WC (ST61) Transit Chest Inventory Crest.jpg (44.17 KiB) Viewed 3143 times

[TactAdv]

Bil,

I have one of the ground adapter that IMA sells and I think it is a very good reproduction of the original.
Regards,
Orin

I can't agree with you, much as I would like to. I am on my FOURTH aluminum ground-mount cradle adapter from IMA, my THIRD front sight, and my THIRD stock!! To wit:

Cradle #1- clamp arm was snapped off when I opened the shipping box.....back it went.....
Cradle #2- clamp arm snapped off immediately as it was (gently) tightened over the barrel jacket......back it went.....
Cradle #3- Casting was way too rough to even place the nose of the barrel jacket into the front end hole...back it went...
Cradle #4- Casting was way too rough to even place the muzzle bearing lock bar into the slot......I milled that one out so it finally fit and have been saving it, because I just totally totally gave up on this item and had my friend make me a custom adapter (details already posted elsewhere on this sight) he had come up with for use with the MG3 AA tripod.

Front ring sight #1- ring snapped in half at the lower screw holes after a few bursts......back it went.....
Front ring sight #2- Same....back it went.....
Front ring sight #3 Same....so, thoroughly disgusted, this time I milled/turned a new steel ring and base....so the original IMA sight now has a new base and a new ring.....the screws and stadia wires for the reticule are "original". Like George Washington's original axe that is on its fifth new handle and third new head....

Ground Stock #1- Arrived in the shipping box with the shoulder pads welded more than 35 degrees off-center.....back it went.....
Ground Stock #2- Clamping piece was mounted off-center too, so it wouldn't tighten down with the gun rear cover installed in it.....back it went...
Ground Stock #3- This one works well enough. ;-)

I really hate to complain because truthfully IMA has stepped in and made the effort to REPOP these rare items where otherwise there would be no affordable options, but I am frustrated because I called Christian and specially asked, pointedly, if these items would hold up to actual machine gun shooting and he was firm in assuring me they would. The problem is that the Indian makers are using re-melt aluminum that has no discernible, identifiable, alloy-specific properties and is cast in native tensile only. It might be fine for the Euro wall hanger market, but it is a bad idea for actually firing a live gun.

[762x51]

Sorry to hear that you have had problems getting an acceptable ground mount for yours.
This photo is the one I bought from IMA about 5 - 6 years ago - Granted mine is on a non-firing display gun but I have had no issues with it at all.
Maybe the earlier ones were somewhat better cast and finished.

Regards,
Orin

[Bil]

I would like to see a side by side comparison with the original-was the original one aluminium or another material? Was it better finished? The repros are rather crude for German standards,after all,these were not something thought up in April of 45,they had been around a while.
Orin,what you posted goes with what I have been able to find out,but with the important addition of an actual piece of paper with Roumania on it.First time I have seen any actual documentation on this.There is certainly a lot more to be found out.Now if only I can get someone to send me to Roumania! I keep getting offered Bulgaria-though then I could visit Mr. Wolf! ---bil

[amafrank]

After looking at a number of original adapters and comparing the repro I got from IMA I'd say that aluminum quality has nothing to do with any problems. The originals are cast from some cheap pot metal as well but the molds were done better so as to fit the guns properly. The repros have some issues with the castings in that there is flash and other material in places that interfere with the fit on the gun. I had to open up a slot in my repro in order to get the thing close enough to the jacket for the clamp to close. I could have simply overpowered the clamp but it would have broken. That brings up the issue of the clamps and bipod mounting parts. The pieces cast in place on the repro's are not very well located so that they are frequently near the edge of the casting leaving little strength remaining to hold the part in place. Recall that IMA's primary interest is in display guns....not those of us who actually shoot these things. If it looks good than they're happy, as evidenced by the 8mm drums for the MG08/15's that were too small for actual 8mm ammo to fit. Its all about looks not function. I will say that the bipod adapter I got for my MG15 works well and looks good but I did have to go through and deburr and remove mold flash. I think that for the money it would be hard to beat even with the minor issues we find. Its not a part I could have made.....

Frank