Short Sunderland Mk III Forward turret

[sunderlandmr5]

Hi all

Looking for some help please, does anyone have any photos or drawings of the
forward turret for a MK III Sunderland.

Note the Mk III turret differed to the Mk I/II and changed again from the
Mk IIIa to MkV

Ideally a side shot and forward shot if possible please?


Thanks in advance

Alan

[sunderlandnut]

This is from ‘Sunderland at War’ by Chaz Bowyer



Cheers
Richard

[sunderlandnut]

Is this any help?



From ‘Maritime is Number Ten’ by K C Baff.

Cheers
Richard

[dogsbody]

There's not much out there showing a Sunderland nose turret, is there. I have a few good shots of the tail turret, but nothing on the nose.



Chris

[sunderlandmr5]

Hi Tony/Richard/Chris

Thanks for your replies

The photos and drawing certainly are a big help-thank you

I will have to, I think vacform some new turrets
for the Mk III I'm building, as the kit ones are worthless,
and aftermarket ones don't appear to be correct.

Thanks/regards

Alan

[seawings]

Is it the single gun turret or the twin gun turret you want the details on?

[sunderlandmr5]

Is it the single gun turret or the twin gun turret you want the details on?

Hi Bryan

It's the Twin gun turret I'm after.

The Mk III (not Mk IIIa) was the first as far as I know,
to have the twin gun forward turret.

Trying to get a decent photo or drawings has been a mission

Thanks

Alan

[seawings]

This has come into me from a Sunderland afficianardo:

The Mark III still retained the single Vickers 'K' ..303 as per the earlier versions. However the Mark IIIA had twin belt fed Browning .303s + 4 fixed .303s in the bow. As far as I have been able to find out, the glazing on the front turret only had the glazing altered. Easy way to tell the difference at a distance between both is that the IIIA had twin radar scanners under the wings

Any help?

[seawings]

More: Original nose turret fitted and as used on the II. The twin Browning version for the IIIA and V was the Frazer-Nash FN-5

[sunderlandmr5]

Hi Bryan

Thanks for your reply

The following things I have found

In a commentary written by a Sunderland pilot who flew Mk III's
during WWII (Mac is his name) he stated that (at least in
the West African Mk III's) that the following applied on Sunderlands he
flew in


1) Mk III's flew with a single VGO (Vickers Gas Operated) MG (.303 cal)
this was in liu of the twin Brownings usually carried, as the Lufwaffe
was not a threat in that area
(this begs the question when did the Mk III carry twin brownings prior to the Mk IIIa)

This is a 490 Sqn Mk III West Africa

(Photo used for illustration only)

2) Mk III's did not carry the upper mid turret

3) Only Sunderlands based in the UK carried the bow mounted x4 Brownings.

Mac's Mk III (DW109/Q) had the MkII ASV equipment (Yagi aerials etc) so was
not a Mk IIIa

Unfortunately the only photo I have of DW109/Q is at a distance, so the
forward turret is not that clear

Pehaps I may have to go with either a Vacform similar to the photo above or Falcon models sells
the set

Thanks for the replies

Regards

Alan