Author Topic: HELP! Can anyone name this? Tony Williams? 600k (Read 437 times)

Replicant · « **on:** December 27, 2001, 08:17:00 AM »

Hi

I was having a drive round an old airfield that I used to work at as I was looking for an old Scorpion tank that was out on the perimeter (they've also got several Jet Provosts, FGR2 F4 Phantom, Harrier GR3, Hunter FGR9, Bloodhound missles etc...). Anyway, I found the tank, but close by I found an old AAA battery. I haven't a clue what make/design it is, and even if it is British. Can anyone help me identify it?

Many thanks!

Regards

Nexx

SFRT - Frenchy · « **Reply #1 on:** December 27, 2001, 10:09:00 AM »

From my Intel day ... but my memory may fail me... It's a ZPU-4. The Chineese have it too "off course", they call it the type 52.

Hey I got it :
ZPU-4/Type 52

Olivier "Frenchy" Raunier

http://www.jump.net/~cs3" TARGET=_blank>63rd FS, 56th FG
"Zemke's Wolfpack"
Ammo cannot stand to pay our P47s repair bill anymore ...
Santa even talked about awarding me the Iron Cross!!!

[ 12-27-2001: Message edited by: SFRT - Frenchy ]

Replicant · « **Reply #2 on:** December 27, 2001, 10:29:00 AM »

Ah great, thanks Frenchy, it must have been one captured from the Iraqis in Desert Storm! Cool!

Regards

Nexx

-ammo- · « **Reply #3 on:** December 27, 2001, 10:36:00 AM »

As alluded too already, I think its Soviet design. At SJAFB we had one in desert camo sitting outside the 335th FS HQ building. They brought it home from DS.

SFRT - Frenchy · « **Reply #4 on:** December 27, 2001, 11:10:00 AM »

According to the color, i thought it was coming from Europe. Maybe the ex West germany or Yugo.

Raubvogel · « **Reply #5 on:** December 27, 2001, 12:19:00 PM »

Saw many of them burned out in Iraq

It is the ZPU4 or Type 56

lord dolf vader · « **Reply #6 on:** December 27, 2001, 01:08:00 PM »

where was the picture taken ? they just leave antiaircraft pieces out in the open to rot? looked pretty servicable to me. as in a dangerous thing to have layin around.

Replicant · « **Reply #7 on:** December 27, 2001, 02:11:00 PM »

It's at a former RAF base - the Army are there now, but the RAF still have a flight there doing Airfield Explosive Ordnance Disposal training. The airfield used to be used to combat/field training and I guess this is a left over from when the base was RAF. Many of the other items on the airfield carry RAF asset numbers, so they still know that they are there... I can only guess that they are still used for training purposes, or even as reconnaisance aids for Tornado/Jaguar/Harrier/Canberra recon planes. Here's a piece I wrote for an online aviation website - http://www.ffour.force9.co.uk/Hangar/2001/northluff/northluff.htm

Regards

Nexx

Tony Williams · « **Reply #8 on:** December 27, 2001, 03:08:00 PM »

Amazing. I wonder if anyone's bothered to deactivate it....

PS please note my website address was changed on me...see below.

Tony Williams
Author: "Rapid Fire: The development of automatic cannon, heavy machine guns and their ammunition for armies, navies and air forces"
Details on my military gun and ammunition website: http://website.tiscali.co.uk/~a_g_williams/
Military gun and ammunition discussion forum: http://www.delphi.com/autogun/messages

Replicant · « **Reply #9 on:** December 27, 2001, 03:39:00 PM »

Well I would expect it to be deactivated if it was put there by the Airfield Explosive Ordnance Disposal as they have loads of bombs, rockets, missiles in their training arsenal. Having said that, I the guns on the ZSU-4 didn't appear blocked at the muzzle end, nor were any holes cut into the breach area or along the barrel. If it is deactivated it must either be welded or cut inside the breach area which I couldn't see. Shame this sort of thing is stuck out on the perimeter where it should be in a museum!

Regards

Nexx

BTW Tony, the airfield is perhaps around 50 miles from Derby.

Gremlin · « **Reply #10 on:** December 27, 2001, 05:57:00 PM »

Nexx,

Wonder who wrote "Blighty Rules" on it and how old is it? Seems a real shame to be left to rot. No chance of having it decommissioned and handed over to a museum?

Great find m8

<S>

Grem.