MG42 Lafette Restoration Project

[foamspoon]

I am going to try and restore my lafette mont. Would you only use bead blast to remove paint or could I use sand. What would be the correct color for these monts. Dark Green, Dark Gray, or Ord. Tan. I think I am going to go with ord. tan.

Bryan

[sean weber]

bunker walls

Hi Wade
and thanks for the "bunker wall" secret, im gonig to give it a bash and turn my bunker into a bombproof one. i imagine being envolved with movie making
you will see many props that would be complimentary to a ww2 display.

once again many thanks
Sean

[Panzer]

Hi Guys,

glad my handywork might have gotten the creative juices flowing!

I had my lafette bead blasted just because it seemed better to get into the little nooks and stuff. The guy did car repairs and really knew metalwork. He could also immediately coat it in red oxide....which is best done immediately after blasting and before the piece is handled....then there is no rust. I did the whole elevating mechanism (with the range plate attached) by hand myself.....only the stand was blasted and I removed the front leg pads.

The results were very nice and not at all costly. I have one friend who is being very very dedicated and stripping his back to the original ordinance tan a piece at a time and with nailpolish remover and cotton buds! He is a thousand times more patient than me!

Good luck all!
Cheers, Wade K.

[foamspoon]

How did you remove the elavating mech? Did you paint that also when you removed it?

Bryan

[foamspoon]

Does anyone have an original with original paint. I am going to attempt to do this right and I want a good example. As I look at it now it is going to be a BIG project.

Bryan

[Panzer]

Hi there.

the ranging and elevation block with trigger mechanism has to be removed by indoing the hing pins at the top and unscrewing the arced travese plate (the one wit the measurements on it) and sliding the unit off. You don't want to strip back that arced plate anyhow....it's only attached with (if I recall) 4 screws. That section is much more delicate and best done carefully by hand.

As for paint then refer to this thread: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ight=tan+paint and then also this link: http://miniatures.de/html/int/colour-ral-farben.html
It might do the trick.
Good luck! Show is how you go!
Wade K.

[foamspoon]

Wade,

I am having a hard time removing the hinge pins. How did you do it?

Bryan

[Panzer]

Hi Bryan,
above the whole mechanism there are two arms that are hinghed and allow the unit to either fold under when stowed or lock when in use. I believe they have screws at the ends of the hinges.....and you have to undo each arm.....try that.

I broke it down to 4 pieces....the front leg (with the pads), the actual mounting tray, the more delicate traverse and tilt mechanism, and the legs.
Cheers, Wade K.

[foamspoon]

Was the mount ever painted over the original paint in the field. i.e. DAK. I was thinking of giving it a quick sand and mask and paint it DAK ord tan. Would that be historical accurate?

Bryan

[foamspoon]

Yours looks great but i do not want to paint the elavation mech and knobs. How much did you sand the old paint down to.

Bryan

[sean weber]

Was the mount ever painted over the original paint in the field. i.e. DAK. I was thinking of giving it a quick sand and mask and paint it DAK ord tan. Would that be historical accurate?

Bryan

Yep Brian
My tan 42 tripod was Dark grey then painted over with desert tan and painted again with ord tan

It happened for sure

Sean w

[sean weber]

DAK over Ordnance tan

Yep Brian
My tan 42 tripod was Dark grey then painted over with desert tan and painted again with ord tan

It happened for sure

Sean w

Look carefully and you can see the lighter tan and grey paint through the later ord tan

Sean

[foamspoon]

I have a question about the MG42 that maybe some one can help. On my MG42 dummy gun it has a plastic(?)stock. Did the Germans use this stock during WWII? If not does anyone know a source for wood socks? Thanks,

Bryan

[foamspoon]

The stock is black. Is that period?

Bryan

[foamspoon]

Ok here is what I have done. Sanded down, masked off, primed, and painted.

Bryan