Time for me to let this dream go and focus on other projects...
I have a WW2 M1A1 Pack Howitzer Project to sell. It is NOT complete but it will get you along the way towards a very realistic dummy pack. To make this dream happen you will need the services of a talented welder with fabrication skills but the end result will be far better than the sheet steel and drain pipe things that folks want to sell you...
*** Pics added 03/28/08
Here's what you get:
(1) M8 "Airborne" Carriage consisting of...
* Front Trail Assembly, stripped (1)
* Rear Trail Assemblies, stripped (3). One with Hand Spike Bracket.
* Complete Trail Locking Mechanism (bead-blasted and in primer)
* Elevation Gearboxes, shafts, elevating Cranks, gears -- some gears demilled (see below). Parts disassembled, blasted and primed.
* Equilibrators (demilled)
* Complete Rocker Assembly (Elevation Arcs) -- EXC + demilled pair of Rockers.
* Lunette Assembly, Complete (EXC) + incomplete spare (EXC)
* Gun Book metal box (- lid) -- attaches to Rear Trail.
* Brass Rod Sockets (EXC) and Retention Straps (EXC)
* Axle Shaft C1654 -- demilled (cut) but all there. This is the inner shaft only -- no traverse housing parts are attached.
(2) Bottom Sleigh with some (demilled) Recoil Parts. Sleigh was damaged during the making of a film. Cut out the damaged area (it won't show when installed in the cradle anyway) and heat-n-squeeze her back into shape.
(3) Cradle Assembly (stripped). Also damaged during movie work. Prior owner decided to use a 1/2" thick steel plate to get the body back into alignment... You get the plate for "free"... caus' I'm not inclined to pound it out anytime soon!!!
Parts that are not here include the following...
* Barrel or Breach Ring
* Top Sleigh Assembly
* Axle Traverse Parts
* Rims or Hubs
* Remaining Recoil Parts
* Sight Bracket or Sight
* Dataplates (one part is dated 1942)
The front trail is rusty but there's no cancer and minimal demil cuts to tackle. You'll get one very nice rear trail out of the three and have spare parts to sell. The Pinion Gear (A3311) and Shaft Gear (B5570) were torch demilled (30% of the teeth) but there's enough left to have new gears made. The D3848 (Elevation Gear) brass case had a torch hole that I dressed in preparation for patching.
THIS IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART... You WILL be doing some beating, cutting, welding, heating and blasting but you'll have a great start on a dummy Pack.
To help you along I'm including the following original manuals:
* TM 9-1320 75-MM HOWITZERS AND CARRIAGES (4/10/44 edition and print) with excellent detail pics on the M1 and M8 carriages. EXC.
* TM 9-320 75-MM HOWITZER MATERIEL (6/21/41 edition and print). Good basic details on the howitzer overall. EXC.
Lot is priced at $5,500 F.O.B. Patagonia, AZ (1 hr SE of Tucson, AZ on SR82). This heavy pile will fit in the back of a full size pick-up bed. I'm not interested in parting it out at this point. Please PM direct if you are interested. Pics will follow (with luck) in a few days. Thanks for looking!
SOLD --- Yep, I wish I still had it too... But this pile went away not too long after this was posted. Sorry.
Jeff Q.
AZ
