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| WorldWar2.ro Forum > Romanian Army > WTK:Romanian ST 61/56 Water Cooled Machine Gun (German MG15) |
| Posted by: 762x51 November 20, 2003 03:43 am |
| Does anyone know where and when these weapons were converted from aircraft (air cooled) to water cooled?
If you have any information at all on these guns please share it and thanks in advance for the info. Here is a scan of the packing list that came with the ST 61/51's transit chest and a line drawing of the converted gun from IMA-USA's web site. Can someone provide a translation...Thanks... 
 [/b] |
| Posted by: 762x51 November 20, 2003 05:55 pm |
| More information that I learned today:
Water Cooled conversion was performed at MAS in France in 1943. Contract was a "commercial" contract. They were supplied under a military aid program to the Romanian 3rd Army Group on the Eastern Front. Most were captured while in a rear depot and were never fired. |
| Posted by: inahurry November 20, 2003 10:35 pm |
| A (?) follows the word I’m not sure of or precedes the whole item I’m not sure of. Where I’m even more uncertain about the good translation I skip over:
Rhm. ST 61/56 machinegun inventory – Crate #1 1. Machinegun’s case 2. Machinegun itself Accessories 3. Reserve barrel 4. Cleaning rod 5. Magazine 6. Oil pump 7. Barrel cleaning device (2 pieces) 8. Bipod 9. Cord of asbestos 10. 11. Shoulder (?) stock 12. Handle for carrying 13. Vaseline box 14. The wrench for the recoil hardener (?) Tools and spare parts 15. Cloth sachet with: 16. Operating (?) spring 17. (?) Barrel latch 18. Bronze or brass hammer 19. 20. Screwdriver 21. 22. Universal(?!) wrench 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. Safety catch 29. Shell ejector 30. Case for parts with : 31. (?) Breech bolt body 32. Ruptured case extractor 33. 34. (?) Breech bolt 35. Little pump for sulfur based oil |
| Posted by: Dr_V November 20, 2003 11:09 pm |
| Translation to table in your picture:
1. Storage Box 2. The machinegun Accesories: 3. reserve barrel 4. cleaning rod 5. magasine 6. oil pump 7. barrel cleaning device (2 components) 8. the MGs support device [? bipod] 9. azbest wire 10. leather (?)bracelets [I really can't find the English word] 11. shoulder piece [? shoulder support] 12. handle 13. vaseline box 14. the wrench for the recoil stiffner Tools and reserve components: 15. the tools bag with: 16. spring for the recover device 17. aiming device 18. bronze hammer 19. nail 20. screwdriver 21. cleaning device for the recoil stiffner 22. universal wrench 23. 3 components cleaning rod 24. wull 25. angled rod 26. brush head 27. 2 chambers bottle 28. safety rod 29. cartridge tube thrower 30. tools box with: 31. percution device body 32. broken cartridge extractor 33. extractor claws 34. percution nail 35. sulphur-oil pump |
| Posted by: Dr_V November 20, 2003 11:37 pm |
| Quite a challange to translate so many technical terms. You should compare my translation with the one made by "inahurry" to get a more accurate result.
The thing that we both couldn't translate (nr. 10) means something like small cercles of leather ment to be intercalated between 2 components that interlock when assambled, to make the mounting air/waterproof. Like the rubber cercles used when you join 2 water pipes. |
| Posted by: 762x51 November 21, 2003 12:06 am |
| Dr_V and Inahurry..You guys are GREAT and I really do thank you for taking the time to translate this list.
Nr. 10 Would be "Leather Gaskets" or in English "Leather O-Rings" would probably be more descriptive. These were used on the rear of the barrel to provide a water tight seal. I'll combine both translations a little later to see if we can come up with one that we all can agree on. Again, THANKS |
| Posted by: dragos November 21, 2003 10:43 am |
| A few suggestions:
11. Butt 16. Operating spring 17. Front sight 28. Safety 29. Ejector 31. Hammer 33. Extractor 34. Firing pin |
| Posted by: inahurry November 21, 2003 02:29 pm |
| I was tempted to put at 34. firing pin too, but from the photo is not very clear it is so. Then 'breech bolt body' would become simply 'breech bolt'.
Operating spring, butt stock, breech bolt, I picked from info associated with other photos of MG or SMG as I was tempted to use more 'direct' translation. I also suspect there are slight variations for some parts depending on the English or American-English terminology used. |
| Posted by: 762x51 December 04, 2003 04:25 pm |
| With the help of Inahurry, DR_V, dragos, and Hedgehog from www.brenlmg.com, I think I have a fairly accurate translation.
Please take a look at this and let me know if you feel that I have it right or if you see any errors. Thanks to those that helped me with this. The Translation ("American" English): Rhm. ST 61/56 Machine Gun Inventory – Crate #1 1. Transit Case 2. The Machine Gun Accessories 3. Spare Barrel 4. Cleaning Rod 5. Magazine 6. Oil Pump 7. Cleaning Patches 8. Bipod 9. Asbestos Cord 10. Leather O-Rings 11. Shoulder Stock 12. Carrying Handle 13. Grease Container 14. Booster Wrench Tools and Spare Parts 16. Main spring 17. Front sight 18. Bronze or Aluminum Hammer 19. Punch 20. Screwdriver 21. Booster Reamer 22. Adjustable Wrench 23. 3 Piece Cleaning Rod 24. Cleaning Rod Eyelet Tip 25. Angled Rod 26. Brush Tip 27. Double Oil Can 28. Safety Ring 29. Ejector 30. Case for parts with: 31. Breech Bolt Body 32. Broken Case Extractor 33. Extractor 34. Firing pin 35. Pump for sulphur based oil |
| Posted by: 762x51 December 07, 2003 03:02 am |
Here is another image of the Water Cooled ST 61/56 (MG15) from a guy in France..
 |
| Posted by: dragos December 08, 2003 08:07 am |
| That explains the shape of the magazine (5) in the boxes, which I didn't understand looking at the drawing. |
| Posted by: SethG December 23, 2003 04:42 am |
| How many guns were contracted for? Is it possible that any were issued on an organized basis? Anyone know the stats for this gun (barrel length, weight, mv, etc.)? I notice that the line drawing has a box magazine, as opposed to the saddlepack type in the photos. Is that a magazine from the ZB 30 LMG?
Seth |
| Posted by: dragos December 24, 2003 08:32 am | ||
No, the magazine of ZB LMG has a straight shape, not curved. |
| Posted by: 762x51 December 26, 2003 06:21 pm | ||
It's a modified MG13 magazine. The Doppeltrommel's (saddle) were heavy and hard to load while with a small modification the MG13 magazines could be used. If you'll notice, the sights are offset to the left like the Bren LMG's so the top mount magazine could be used. |
| Posted by: 762x51 January 03, 2004 04:03 pm |
| I have added more drawings and information at:
http://brenlmg.com/6/ubb.x?a=frm&s=8446044983&f=1286072974 The following drawing is from "German Machineguns" by Daniel D. Musgrave & Smith Hempstone Oliver and is reproduced here with the kind permission of Ironside International Publishers, Alexandria, VA.  |
| Posted by: REGAL UNIFORMA COLECTOR May 31, 2010 06:15 am | ||
Did any of the Romanian ST-61 LMG's make it to the Russian Front and used by the 3rd Army ? The one sold through IMA had a Romanian acceptance stamp on it of an arrow insignia. Was this stamped in France at the factory or would this have been stamped in Romania ? |
| Posted by: REGAL UNIFORMA COLECTOR May 31, 2010 06:22 am |
| ST-61 http://img42.imageshack.us/i/7957060722w.jpg/ |
| Posted by: REGAL UNIFORMA COLECTOR May 31, 2010 06:24 am |
| ST-61 http://img9.imageshack.us/i/7957060721w.jpg/ |
| Posted by: REGAL UNIFORMA COLECTOR May 31, 2010 06:26 am |
| Romanian Mark http://img38.imageshack.us/i/7957060723w.jpg/ |