I need help to identify this Greek MG

NeuralDream · I need help to identify this Greek MG

It can be either one of the five types used by the Greeks (400 Hotchkiss M.1914 7,92mm, 1,752 Hotchkiss M.1926 7,92mm, 2,300 Saint Etienne M.1907 T 8mm, 230 Schwarzlose 6,5mm, 170 Maxim (sMG 08) M.1908 7,92mm ) or maybe a capture Italian one.

Any idea?

acs0424

I can't even tell that it is an MG, not clear enough.

Sindor

Its definitely an air-cooled machine gun, and the "bicycle seat" on tripod + "barrel ring" visible on picture is pointing at this candidate: St. Étienne Mle 1907

Wiki

NeuralDream

That was my guess too, but the seat is different. Or doesn't that matter? So, you are positive that it isn't the Hotchkiss one, right?

Hotchkiss 1914:

Sindor

Look at the MG barrel (next to the left soldier's helmet) - there is no such massive ring on Hotchkiss.
The seat is probably "home made", from a bicycle (I guess the original one could be quite cold and incomfortable in winter).

NeuralDream

I think I will agree with you. Many thanks Sindor Smile

. This is the next unit in my blog. I had finished a great colorization for this, but I wasn't certain it was the St. Etienne one.
I'll probably add it tonight:
greek-war-equipment.blogspot.com

NeuralDream

Ok, it's in my blog. And that's the colorization of the picture above:

RAEVSKI

definatly St ettienne.

NeuralDream

One more for identification
greek artilley

I'd be grateful if you could help identifying it Smile

.

NeuralDream

It can be either a captured Italian one or one of the three types they had at the beginning of the war (•75mm L/19 Field Howitzer
•85mm L/35 Schneider Field Gun (French)
•105mm L/19 Field Howitzer)

RAEVSKI

straight of it looks like the french schneider. but i'll double check

Sindor

It is a Schneider, but which one? 105mm was more massive. 75mm had square front shield not pertruding over wheels.
So, because of the length of barrel and gun shield I tend to say its 85mm L/35 Schneider Field Gun.

NeuralDream

Canon de 85 modèle 1927 Schneider

I can find its specs:

weight 1,985 kilograms
Barrel length 2.96 metres (117 in) L/34.8
Shell 10 kilograms
Carriage split trail
Elevation -6° to +65°
Traverse 54°
Muzzle velocity 670 m/s (2,198 ft/s)
Maximum range 15,150 metres (16,570 yd)

but no other photo to check.

Complicating things, another source has the following heavy guns for the Greeks in service in 1940:

(I've kept only those not much bigger than 100mm)

Heavy Guns Schneider Mle 1925 105mm 48
Heavy Guns Μ Schneider Mle 1925 85mm 48
Heavy Guns Krupp 105mm * 3
Mountain Guns Schneider Mle 1919 105mm 120
Mountain Guns Schneider Mle 1919 75mm 192
Mountain Guns Schneider - Dagli Mle 1908 75mm 48
Mountain Guns Skoda m.1916 105mm * 7
Mountain Guns Skoda 75mm * 22
Mountain Guns Saint Etienne(?) Mle 1906 65mm 110
Field Guns Schneider-Canet Mle 1908 75mm * 56
Field Guns Schneider Mle 1907 75mm * 4
Field Guns Schneider Mle 1904 75mm * 20
Field Guns Krupp m. 1904-1910 75mm * 128

Sindor

Greeks had whole artillery museum in 1940 - have you ever heard about standartisation?
Very Happy

Eliminate from the list everything with bigger caliber than 100mm - this gun is simply not so heavy.

NeuralDream

Found it:

The website only mentions Schneider_field_gun, but at least now I know where to look for it. It's outside the National War Museum, Athens.

Sindor

So, which one is it?

NeuralDream

I'm not 100% certain yet. It's probably the 85. Let's see if Raevski managed to double-check.

Sindor

Hey, what is that grey thing on the background? It looks like armoured horse-cart to me...

NeuralDream

Sindor

What the hell Shocked

It is really a 4-HP tank ... So strange I consider making a card for it

NeuralDream

Looking for the 4-HP tank (Which is 1894-model 57mm Krupp-Schuman Armoured Carriage, Mobile, captured from the Bulgars in 1918 ) , I found the confirmation that the artillery is indeed the 85mm Schneider Very Happy

.

http://www.military-collections.com/Greek%20War%20Museum.html

RAEVSKI