Quad Mounted Gun on Trailer

[judyron]

Not knowing a lot about these guns, I have found a working Quad with power unit on the trailer less guns (of course).  Is this the same gun that goes into the halftrack?  Besides mounting rings and possible armor is there much difference?

Ron M.

[Lordsandy]

No difference really other than mount rings.

[Cobrahistorian]

What kind of trailer is it?  If it is the 4-wheel 2-ton trailer (G221), you've got an M51 Quad.  Those were standard from about early 1943 through the end of Korea with AAA Automatic Weapons (Mobile) Battalions.  If it's mounted on the 2-wheel M20 trailer, it's an M55, which came out during WWII, but didn't see combat service until Korea.  In either case, the M45 turret is similar with only minor differences between the M45C, M45D and M45F turrets and they were interchangeable between the two types of trailers and the halftrack. 

v/r

Jon

[judyron]

Backing off the pursuit of this gun, it has a two wheel foldup axle trailer, but he quad gun is manual operated.  I am thinking I read that these were possible cold war era?

Ron M.

[Cobrahistorian]

The M55 quad reached series production in WWII, but did not see combat until Korea (contrary to popular belief).  Now a manual-only Quad probably just means that it doesn't have the generator and the belts and pulleys have been disconnected.  There is no way to manually traverse or aim the guns from within the turret. 

Jon

[judyron]

You can see one just like it listed on the Cannon Superstore website, cannonsuperstore.com, not much info on this gun so you can see why I did not pursue.

Ron M.

[Cobrahistorian]

Ah, ok.  That's not a US gun mount.