Plans, Specs, Pix for 40mm Bofors Loading Machiine

[BB62vet]

I am looking for plans and specs for the Bofors 40mm LOADING MACHINE. Any photos would help also. These machines were installed on CLEVELAND Class cruisers in the 1940s but I've so far been unable to locate any information on them.

Note - I DON'T need any info on any of the various 40mm gun mounts - every man, woman, & child over the age of 6 already knows what those look like!!!

Thanks in advance,

[EJFoeth]

Once bought a few of these nice pamphlets from floating drydock:

https://new.floatingdrydock.com/product ... g-machine/

and, the planbooks of Missouri/Fletcher have images of them as well. (If you mean those that is)

[FFG-7]

BB62vet, check with DrPR as he is knowledgeable on the Cleveland class as he might have the info you are looking for. Floating Drydock does not appear to have any Bofors 40mm LOADING MACHINE in their pamphlets.

EJFoeth, BB62vet is looking for 40mm loading machines not 5" loading machines.

[EJFoeth]

Ah yes, brain went into wrong mode Do not have info in that piece of gear.

[BB62vet]

I appreciate the replies, etc.! Seems to be a rather obscure piece of equipment...

[EJFoeth]

No mention found in Terry Gander's "The 40mm Bofors gun".

[BB62vet]

EJ,
Thanks,

I appreciate you checking that out!

[raggs]

BB62vet,

Why dont you try contacting the USS Kidd museum and see if those are still on board. Maybe they can send you a few pics.

Good Luck.

Raggs

[Timmy C]

Success! On USS Massachusetts, there's one such machine next to one of the 40mm mounts: https://x.com/HiddenHistoryYT/status/19 ... 6142784854

Hopefully that's a location where tourists can access, and a careful Google search would come up with other tourist photos taken in that area even if they're not tagged with the name.

[BB62vet]

Raggs,

Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm not sure these machines were installed on DD's at all.

Timmy C,

Wow! That was a fortunate find!! I wasn't aware that they were installed on BB's, but obviously one such machine was indeed put in place. That photo will have to suffice as I've checked over all the photos on NavSource concerning the SDak class ships and none show this equipment. I have 3D drawings of the mounts, so modifying to make a loading machine shouldn't be that much of a chore. I will do a Google search for anything else.

Thanks so much!!

[Admhawk]

Is this one on the North Carolina? Hard to tell because I think there's some wood on top.

[Timmy C]

Based on Darren's photo, I'd bet it's a temporary installation and would be moved outside for training as needed rather than a permanent fixture.

Another few shots from Flickr tourist photos (all "front end" from a distance of people taking photos of the main guns):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pablosanchez/3840700215/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jablow/4740621514/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/knight1192a/14171700505/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rupp/7428507624/

Sadly because it's on the port side of the ship, it's not in a position that pierside folks can photograph.

[BB62vet]

Darren -

Thanks so much!! That photo will help immensely! I'll have to go thru my photos of BB-55 because I had no idea that equipment was located on board, in spite of several recent visits... - and Yes! - that wooden stuff I don't believe is part of the equipment. This photo shows the unit in its entirety, so I can make the stand, as well (something the other photos haven't shown). As for its location on the ship, I'm guessing it may be near one of the main deck mounted 40mm mounts.

Timmy C - Again, Thanks! Those are proof, but due to distance, very hard to use practically.

Gentlemen, I appreciate your efforts. I also found one overhead photo of BB-59 which was somewhat helpful, but again, too far out to make a good close up shot.

Hank

[FFG-7]

that gun mount & loader machine in on the port side forward of #3 16" turret.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/USS+M ... FQAw%3D%3D

[taskforce48]

Hank,

Interesting you bring this up, as I spied this object on the USS Montana model from the game World of Warships and thought it was a flight of fancy to offset the 5-in practice loader. Looking at the posted images of the real thing, it seems that the 3D artist had some photo or plan references as it looks the part. I have seen films of 40mm training where the crew are loading a real mount, the loader would orient and line up to the racks but another crewman grabbed the clip from him simulating the load. Perhaps that was on a smaller ship such as a DD that did not have room for the larger mount?

Matt

[BB62vet]

Interestingly enough, this topic has life!!!

FFG-7 - actually, the machine is located on the 01 Level, port side of BB-59. The red arrow in this overhead points to this piece of equipment -

Very hard to see, but that's the loading machine.

TF48 -
Thanks so much for those two renditions from World of War (I would have never thought to have accessed that site!!). Good find - more than likely this is closer to the actual operational machine than the two photos of the actual equipment - as both examples (BB-59, BB-55) are somewhat incomplete in their current condition. These two photos will help me design a very accurate part.

Hank

[FFG-7]

BB62vet, your red arrow allowed me to see it on my link.

[BB62vet]

I think this came out rather well -

At 1/200 scale, this is barely 3/16" square, so the detail is basically overkill.

I appreciate those who provided photos & so forth - we now return you to your normal Bat Station and Bat Channel!!!

Hank

[Admhawk]

Good Job!!

[BB62vet]

Good Job!!

Thanks, Darren - much appreciated!!

Hank