Holster of transportation for the MG34

[Michael N]

These covers are very rare and always missing from fieldgear collections.

Currently working on one , 43 dated but not in blue material...

[me6_130]

After comparing the cover, the sustaining bar for the MG34 and the frame of the sidecar I think the cover was fixed to the frame of the sidecar, then the sustaining bar was screwed over the cover, fixing it with the four screws. That way the sustaining bar would be inside the cover when this was closed.

Carles

[me6_130]

These covers are very rare and always missing from fieldgear collections.

Currently working on one , 43 dated but not in blue material...

Hello PAO,

Could you post a pic of your cover? do you have a sidecar motorbike? does the cover fit in the way I have described?

Carles

[David Fettes]

But where are the period photographs? Showing some from 2003 means nothing, I am sorry.

By the way I have just looked through about 20 books but still cannot find a photo of these covers. In my view every motorcycle combination would have had a cover for the MG.
Are pictures of MGs and motorcycle combinations rare? No they are not.
Are surviving examples of MGs and motorcycle combinations rare? No they are not.

So where are all the covers??

[me6_130]

The covers are gone rotten. Just keep on looking for the photos

Carles

[me6_130]

I have got it!!!! D 127/1, page 99 Bild 58

We only had to look in the manual!!!!

Carles

[me6_130]

You can also see a pic in:
page 168, bild 56, number 8- Überzug zum MG34, of the A. Butz manual of MG34's

The same pic is in Myrvang's book, page 253, bottom left.


Sorry I will scan or shoot some photos tomorrow, it's almost 12pm now.

Carles

[Michael N]

But where are the period photographs? Showing some from 2003 means nothing, I am sorry.

By the way I have just looked through about 20 books but still cannot find a photo of these covers. In my view every motorcycle combination would have had a cover for the MG.
Are pictures of MGs and motorcycle combinations rare? No they are not.
Are surviving examples of MGs and motorcycle combinations rare? No they are not.

So where are all the covers??

Maybe your view is wrong.

Rare items are in even rarer photos.

These are really hard to find, maybe seen enough to count on one hand.

Hello PAO,

Could you post a pic of your cover? do you have a sidecar motorbike? does the cover fit in the way I have described?

Carles

No, no, and no.

[me6_130]

D 127/1, page 99 Bild 58 :

[me6_130]

From the A. Butz manual for MG34's, page 168, bild 56, number 8- Überzug zum MG34:

[me6_130]

Gentlemen, I hope these period photos are clear enough:

Carles

[David Fettes]

Now thats what I call proof, well done.
Now to find some MG covers!

[me6_130]

Studying the pictures closer:

The "mounted on a VW or R75" theory: I can't see any hole for the Aufsatzstück, so it would be impossible to have the gun mounted and covered with this at the same time!

The "bulky front"; yes indeed! Why is only this part made of thick leather, why is it so bulky, why is only the front portion zippered and finally why is the zipper there at all? (The normal way would be sticking the front end into the forward "tube", like the US carabine holster).

The "carrying sling": to me it looks to be way too long to the front to balance the gun inside the bag if it was a MG34. The front end must be really-really heavy for that one to make sense (remember that the balance point will be the centre of the sling!)

I think we have answered to the question of the "R75 mounted MG34", to the one of the "bulky front", and also the "carrying sling", but WHY does the front have a Zipp in the cover that started the thread if there is none in those from the manuals?? Could it be makers variation or an improvement to make it easyer to get the MG34 out of the cover?

Carles

[Bergflak]

Well, some answers found, but new questions arise.....

The pictures in the D 127/1 was taken in 1936. The pictures in the BUTZ are clearly from the same year, as the MG34 in the picture is one of the prototype guns with a special charging handle.

As this cover was made in 1939 I would think the production of these would have been a lot larger, but being a "mounted" vehicle accessory, their lifespan could have been very short after they were removed from the sidecars.

And then the next thing to consider! Refurbished German WW2 vehicles tend to end up with A LOT of "extras", as the restaurer thinks it "adds" to the vehichle. There is a fair chance that these two NEVER had this set up originally.

How many pictures of this contraption in use have we found so far..... All pictures I have seen of sidecar MG's have the gun mounted on the Lager, ready for use. Is it fair to assume that this idea might have been left at an early stage of the war?

The zipp might have been a local improvement, a makers variation etc. But I see no point to it, unless it is impossible to raise the rear of the Mg first when taking it out of the bag.....

[me6_130]

Well, some answers found, but new questions arise.....

The zipp might have been a local improvement, a makers variation etc. But I see no point to it, unless it is impossible to raise the rear of the Mg first when taking it out of the bag.....

Parhaps that is the answer: " it is impossible to raise the rear of the Mg first when taking it out of the bag...."

See in the photo: the sustaining bar has the same kind of fixing system as the Lafette, the hooks in the back and a clamp in the middle, so it makes it impossible to release the MG from the rear, but should be done raising the front after the clamp is opened!

Carles