From: Jim Gilmore (jgilmore@ptd.net)
Date: Sun Feb 22 2004 - 10:31:14 PST
John wrote:
>"........One of my friend's neat finds (and this has not hit any books yet) is an
>original photo of a pre- production Bantam, with rear body tub cut down, and
>M3 37 MM cannon mounted in the center of the remains of the bottom of the
>tub. VERY NEAT, and it wasn't in any manual I had ever seen, nor Crimson's
>book, nor was it confirmed by an expert. But it is real and came from a guy
>stationed at Holabird in WWII. ................"
When you say "pre-production" Bantam are you referring to the 1940 BRC-Mk II (aka BRC-60) or to the 1941 BRC-40?
If the BRC-40.......then there are photos of them in Crismon's "U.S. Military Wheeled Vehicles" on page 446. These units were "home made" from standard BRC-40's by the ORD.
They were extensively tested and it was found that the added weight of the 37mm gun and carriage was too much weight for the frame of the vehicle. Most of the vehicles suffered cracked and bent frames in the center which left the vehicle with a "sway back". At least 5 vehicles were converted, W-2017096, W-2017029, W-2017111, W-2017113 and W-2017112.
There were several BRC-40's that had the same carriage and gun installed in them but did not have the rear of the body cut off. These too suffered the same frame damage. W-2017011 and W-2017017 were thus modified.
If you are referring to the earlier BRC-Mk II .........
At least one BRC-Mk II was converted to mount a 37mm cannon. BRC No. W-2015386 had this weapon mounted on it and was tested in 1941. During the testing (test No. 3) the cannon was fired with maximum depression of the muzzle with the gun facing forward and the barrel pointing over the hood. When the gun was fired, the muzzle blast from the 37 mm cannon caved in the forward part of the hood and created a huge depression in it. It was so badly bent down that the outline of the radiator is visible on the hood! Photos and test reports are in the QMC/ORD files in the National Archives and show the vehicle before and after the damage done by the muzzle blast.
>"..........Now here's a rhetorical question for Armchair MV historians. Did the US
>Army use the Indian 741 in ANY capacity in WWII? Does anybody have any
>photos or proof (other than the known TM photos)?..........."
Ordnance Stock Control Records show several types of Indian Motorcycles delivered.
340-B
640-B
841
639-B
MTC-18
741-B
The 741-B was delivered under contract QMC-12983 in 1942.
This contract was for two motorcycles, one 640-B (USA # 642363) and one 741-B (USA # 642364).
Jim Gilmore
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