anyone have a photo of a smoke discharger on a Panzer II? I an trying to figure out if they had a chain attaching the tops to the discharger.
Try this link. Cannot reproduce the photos here.
This is what if looks like now, but I think that the caps should have chains on them.
Yes, best I recall the chain was attached to the center of the cap. It hung down and and was attached to the bottom side of the tube just past the bottom rim of the cap… make sense? Basically like the gas cap on a old truck or something.
Kenneth is steering you straight…there should be small “dog lead” type chains attached to the top of the grenades. One chain per grenade with the other end attached to the little nub at the top of the overhang on the rack. It was a crude but effective way to activate the smoke grenades…a pull release inside the vehicle dumped the grenades and gravity did the work once the end of the chain was reached in terms of pulling the pin and activating the smoke.
Thank for the help. About how long would the chains be? I remember seeing a photo last year, but can’t find it now.
Tim,
While these are on a Pz IV, the setup and length of chains were the same regardless of the vehicle they were fitted to (Pz I, II, III, or IV, etc.). Line diagram shows you the inner workings of the grenade rack and the pic provides an actual close up shot that should aid you in figuring out the needed length for your build. HTH!
Bill, thanks for the photo, it sure helped me ge the lenght close.
My pleasure Tim, glad to be of service! [B]