My New MG08 Sled came in yesterday!

[IMBLITZVT]

Guys,

Here is an update. I have been busy! Well I bought a junker Sled at the SAR show. Its missing large amounts of the "deck" and the all the small boxes except the lock boxes. I am selling the Legs to someone to help pay for it. I will then use the parts I need and sell the rest. So if you need a basic part of the sled, let me know!

Anyway I was able to get another sled cradle that is less broken then my old one. I had the original top yoke strap too! I also got a new gear box and connecting parts. The Gear box has the range table on it! Its also really tight... much more so then the last one. So basically the whole mechanical part of the sled has been upgraded.

I have also found a two rear lugs. Thanks to Glen I have a nice Chinese one that works. However this weekend I found a German one with rear mounting pin but missing the upper cam piece and the locking handle. SO I need those parts if anyone has them.

I posted on 1919a4.com about having the oil cap flange made for me and it has been. I even got the correct thread in it! The same guy is also working on a set of oil caps for me!

I found a Lock box door on a Sokolov finnish captures russian (all brass) wheeled mount's lock box! So I bought the mount, which I wanted an all brass one anyway, and traded out lock box doors with standard finnish one. It will need a little rebuilding as the clips on the inside were removed but it looks 100% from the outside!

So I still need to install the oil cap flange, finish switching over the T&E system, rework the Traverse bar, find the missing parts of the German rear mounting lug (Chinese and finnish cams are different, Larger), rework the lock box door, straighten the barrel box and paint!

So I would say I have made very good progress. I should have updated pictures soon. I have given up on the idea of saving the original paint. I plan to paint the sled standard field gray colors for now and the camo it later. Glen, I think you said you had the color, if I can get the info, that would be helpful!

Oh and yes, all wood is present on my sled and in good condition!

[IMBLITZVT]

Here is the part... Now I just need the upper cam and the handle. Even just the upper cam would be enough as I think the Chinese handle will work. However the chinese cam is to large!

[MarkFinneran]

I too need a traversing lock please but actually the cam, the pin and the handle. This is what I have which shows key components missing. Thanks. Mark

[amafrank]

Matt,
That mount looks pretty good and the armor plate is indeed a rare piece to find now days. I just picked up the 08 I bought in march and the sled it came on had the armor too. The sad part is that the sled was pretty rusted and abused. It took quite some time to get the cradle to move along with a lot of oil and heat. Still working on the gearbox to get it to move. I did notice too that the chinese traverse clamp is a bit different than the 08 in that it does not have the pin to locate the clamp on the sled like the German one does. I had to slightly modify one of my chinese clamps to fit the MG11 tripod I've got because the radius at the front was different too. It hit the quadrant and wouldn't allow the gun to move. Unfortunately the chinese mount I got with the type 24 is a bit beat too so I have to use the swiss mount for both guns. I got an adapter for the 08 to put it on the MG11 mount as well, at least for shooting. I'll try and get some pics up in the next couple days. . .

Frank

[MarkFinneran]

Frank congratulations on your sled purchase too. I look forward to the pictures of your new piece. I hope to join you sled owners club shortly and will publish my finds too. I do need some pieces like yourself and Matt and would be interested to hear what correct colour schemes are being used.

ps Who is the main man for Swiss maxim kit?

Mark


















































f

[IMBLITZVT]

Frank,

I don't know if I told you but I picked up a junker Sled at the SAR show. I sold the front legs and the elevation wheel but have the major pieces of the remaining part of the sled. Gear box, cradle, main body of the sled. If you are interested, I might be able to hook you up with some good parts. Let me know what you need and I will see what I can do.

You don't have the code for the German field gray paint do you?

Mark, MG11 items are a bit rare over here... at least from what I have seen. Lately I have only seen a fusee cover for sale.

[mg34nz]

I know this is an ancient posting but Matt Im curious to see if you still have pics of the Tan painted sled??
I have recently seen such a sled and from my observations the tan colouring is very close to what I have seen on camo M16 helmets.The paint is very old and flaky in places and has been applied over a grey/green base.My initial feeling was that it has been post war repainted but having now seen it first hand I am wondering if it was period done as it just looks so "right" I will get another chance to view this again in the coming weeks and may be able to get pics also, for now Im very interested to hear your thoughts?

I have been fortunate to view a few sled mounts first hand in museum and private collections, they certainly are a masterpiece of engineering! My quest to find one continues......

Regards
Andrew

[IMBLITZVT]

I am pretty positive it was a repaint. The green under it was just not right and kind of sparked. I stripped it and sold the mount before repainting it. The paint also covered Unit Markings which also supposes the idea it was repaint. THe paint was just way to tan.

[mg34nz]

OK thanks Matt, When Im able I will post pics of the one I am referring to and see what the general consensus is.

Regards
Andrew

[alpencorps]

untouched, all parts matching,
also the inner shield...
dated 1915, maker AWS...

[mg34nz]

absolutely stunning sled and beautiful MG08 ! It is a real pleasure to view this one!

[dwmmg08]

Fantastic find! I would love one that looked like that! Where did you find it?

[dwmmg08]

So do you see early ones like that sled a lot in Germany?

[alpencorps]

i bought the pice from a Military Dealer...
he told me sled comes from a collektion...
for me that the first realy good one i found in Germany,
and i'm searching a long long time..

untouched Sleds in Germany pretty rare, early ones,
but also late ones..

i belive, to find a sled in US is mutch easyer then here...

[IMBLITZVT]

I think 1915 dated items are hard anywhere!

Very nice! For some reason I love the early and late stuff...

[jmann]

Very nice. My 1917 dwm gun came to me mounted on an identical 1915 sled with the brass range plate like yours. Our guns and mounts could be twins.