Overview of WWII Vehicular Mounts

D38579 PINTLE ASSEMBLY

Fig. 1 D38579 PINTLE ASSEMBLY This was a simple Y-shape bracket originally used on pedestal and dash mounts. However, it was considered unsatisfactory because it did not provide an efficient means of holding ammunition.

Fig. 1a Detailed view of the D38579 pintle assembly showing pintle adaptor and retaining pin for the machine gun.

Fig. 1b Detailed view of simplified production variant of the D38579 pintle assembly.

Fig. 1c Photograph of a 3rd Infantry Division Jeep in Besanon, France in 1944. It is armed with a .50 cal M2HB with D38579 pintle assembly on M31 pedestal mount. The gun is held in the horizontal position by means of a crotch hinged on the M31 mount and attached to the rear attachment lugs of the receiver.

D36960 CRADLE, PINTLE AND AMMUNITION BOX ASSEMBLY

Fig. 2 D36960 CRADLE, PINTLE AND AMMUNITION BOX ASSEMBLY Earlier cradle assembly developed for use on skate and pedestal mounts. The weapon attached to the cradle by means of a forward bracket and rear elevating mechanism inherited from the M2 and M3 tripods. On the later version, the D54075 (shown here on the D36961 pintle socket and carriage), the rear elevating mechanism was replaced with a fixed bracket. Elevation of the entire assembly was controlled by means of a clamp actuated by a small handle.

Fig. 2a Exploded view of the D36960 assembly showing the elevating mechanism and swivel pivot from the M3 tripod, and the small handle and clamp device for controlling the elevation of the entire assembly.

Fig. 2b Exploded view of the later D54075 assembly showing the fixed bracket that replaced the rear elevating mechanism

Fig. 2c Though blurry, this picture shows the D69960 in action on a M3 75mm Gun Motor Carriage in Tunisia in the spring of 1943. One can tell it is the D69960 and not the later D54075 by the presence of rear elevating device (wheel) at the rear of the cradle

D40733 CRADLE AND PINTLE ASSEMBLY

Fig. 3 D40733 CRADLE AND PINTLE ASSEMBLY Designed specifically for use with the D40721 carriage assemblyshown hereon the M49 ring mount, it had a long, straight pintle shaft and could be fitted with either the D40731 fixed ammunition box or the D90078 ammunition box tray.

Fig. 3a Exploded view of the D40733 assembly. This mount, like the D68880, had a free-swinging bracket but could be locked for travel by means of a pin.

Fig. 3b D40731 ammunition box. This was attached to the cradle by means of screws and had to be loaded manually with 50-round lengths of ammunition belt.

Fig. 3c D90078 ammunition box tray, which was designed to hold standard 100-round ammunition boxes, thus eliminating the need for manual loading

Fig. 3d Well-known color picture of a halftrack crew preparing for the D-Day landing, showing the D40733 cradle and pintle assembly. The ammunition box is of an unknown type.

D68880 (7068880) CRADLE AND PINTLE ASSEMBLY

Fig. 4 D68880 (7068880) CRADLE AND PINTLE ASSEMBLY (part of E10014) This was essentially identical to D40733 (see previous), but had a shorter, stepped pintle shaft for use with the D36961 pintle socket and carriage assembly as part of the M35C skate mount or with various pedestal mounts for trucks. It only appears to have been used with the D90078 ammo tray to form the E10014 cradle, pintle and tray assembly.

Fig. 4a Exploded view of the D68880 assembly showing the different pintle shaft. This also shows the additional locking lugs welded under the main body, thus allowing the gun to be locked either in the vertical or horizontal position for travel.

Fig. 4b Illustration showing the E10014 cradle, pintle and tray assembly mounted on the M31C pedestal mount designed for use on the 1/4 ton 4 x 4 command and reconnaissance truck (Jeep).

D70627 CRADLE AND PINTLE ASSEMBLY

Fig. 5 D70627 CRADLE AND PINTLE ASSEMBLY This cradle/pintle assembly, fitted with either the D40731 or D68375 ammunition box, or the D90078 ammunition box tray, was used principally on the M10/M10A1 3in. Gun Motor Carriage.

Fig. 5a Interior view of a M10A1 turret showing D70627 cradle and pintle assembly in place

Fig. 5b The distinctive gooseneck shape of the pintle bracket of the D70627 mount can be seen on this picture of a M10 dug in near a haystack in the Anzio beachhead. Of interest is the large "D" hand painted on the jerrycan in the foreground. As the M10 was one of the few diesel-powered vehicles used by the U.S. Army, such a distinction was essential.

D69820 (6569820) CRADLE AND PINTLE ASSEMBLY

Fig. 6 D69820 (6569820) CRADLE AND PINTLE ASSEMBLY Often referred to as the early style mount for the M4, this assembly, like the later D80030 assembly, was designed to allow the gun to be positioned several inches forward of the trunnion in order to clear the hatch opening. A spring-loaded cam allowed the main bracket to be locked into two different positions, giving two ranges of elevation. It was usually fitted with the D68375 50-round ammunition box, and was originally designed for use on the M7 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage and the M4 Medium Tank.

Fig. 6a Exploded view of the D69820 cradle assembly showing the spring-loaded cam system for selecting elevation ranges

Fig. 6b Picture of the D68375 ammunition box normally used with the D69820 cradle and pintle assembly. The two prongs on either side of the lid snapped onto the small bosses visible near the corners of the box itself. This was done to keep the lid from flopping up and down during movement when it was open to permit the ammunition belt to be fed into the machine gun.

Fig. 6c Color picture showing the D69820 assembly without the ammunition box in place. The bracket to which the D68375 ammunition box was attached can be seen here.

D80030 (6580030) CRADLE, PINTLE AND AMMO BOX HOLDER ASSEMBLY

Fig. 7 D80030 (6580030) CRADLE, PINTLE AND AMMO BOX HOLDER ASSEMBLY Developed specifically for use with tanks, this type is easily recognizable by the presence of the large, adjustable spring equilibrator housing (knob) located on the right side of the trunnion. This spring allowed the displacement of the gun's center of gravity forward of the trunnion. The 6580030 pintle assembly was used on most late (large hatch) M4 series tanks, as well as on the M36 90mm Gun Motor Carriage, the M24 light tank, and the M26/M46 series tank.

Fig. 7a Exploded view of the various components of the D80030 cradle and pintle assembly showing the pins used to attach the weapon onto the cradle and details of the equilibrator spring.

Fig. 7b Exploded view of the ammunition box tray used with the D80030 cradle and pintle assembly

Fig. 7c Sequence showing a crewman loading a new ammunition box onto a D80030 assembly. Notice that the lid of the ammunition container had to be removed prior to installation onto the ammunition box tray.

MISCELLANEOUS MOUNTS

Fig. 8a The D67511 and 7058824 folding pintle bracket mounts were the solution of the Aberdeen Proving Ground to the problem of the anti-aircraft weapon for the M8 Armored Car. Though supposed to replace all other interim solutions, such as the ring mounts installed on many vehicles in Europe, there is very little photographic evidence that these were actually in use before the end of WWII.

Fig. 8b 5460258 (D60528) and D94478 concentric ring mounts were complete assemblies in which the cradle was attached to a vertical support that, in turn, was attached to a ring that rotated inside a larger ring. These were used mainly on the M18 76mm Gun Motor Carriage, the M8 75mm Howitzer Motor Carriage, the M7B1 105mm Motor Carriage, and the LVT(A)4 Amphibious Tractor.

Fig. 8c and 8d 7069693 cradle and pintle assembly (fig. 8c) was basically the same as 7068880, but incorporated mounting tubes for the attachment of an armored shield. It was used with shield 7069692 to form the 7069694 (M69E) shielded bracket mount (fig. 8d) which equipped the LVT-4.

Further Development
In the end, two types of cradle, pintle and ammunition box assemblies were retained as standard for most applications. The first was the E10014, which consisted of the 7068880 (D68880) cradle/pintle assembly with the D90078 ammunition tray. It replaced most other types for use on pedestal mounts. The other was the 7046650, which was basically the D80030 cradle with the D90078 ammunition tray from the E10014 assembly in place of the original tray. It was destined to be used on concentric ring mounts and cupola mounts, but did not supersede the D80030 before well into the 50's. This is why it does not appear in the listing above.