Warbird Information Exchange

This blast tube was passed to me as being from a B17G that was lost in late 43.

It is 25 inches long.

I cannot see any mention of blast tubes of this length on the B17 ( except for muzzle ends).

Did the B17 have blast tubes fitted in the ETO ?

I am not sure about the efficacy of an air cooled machine gun with a blast tube around it except in the leading edge of the wing of fighters ?


I have a P47 blast tube and it is the same diameter but as it is intact it is longer in length - this one is damaged at one end so could be broken off. No markings.

It appears to be painted in Red Iron Oxide and Olive drab and has the barrel marks from when it crashed.

I have had a P51 blast tube ( lot smaller and thicker).

I see that some of the nose gun aircraft e.g. B25/A26 had blast tubes around the barrels as they exited the fuselage.

_________________
Kind Regards,

Brian

The cooling jacket for a Browning ANM2 .50 cal is closer to 36 inches long. Also, I'm not recognizing the two small holes near the end. If I was to guess, I'd say this is something else. But it does resemble one.

Sorry maybe I was not clear.

I believe that this is a blast tube from a 50 cal that has been in a crash. Teh reasoning is as below:

I attach image of it alongside my P47 blast tube which as you can see is ca 29 inches long.

The new one has a broken end hence it is ca. 4 inches shorter.

The new one has the same barrel cover dimple marks at the same diameter and distance apart.

The new ones Right hand end is unusual but the main hole is the same distance as in the P47 tube. Teh two smaller holes may be rivets or spot welds.

It is also the same diameter ; is made from stainless and has OD paint

I don't think it is part of the water jacket.

It was sold as from a B17 that crashed due to icing. 42-31238.

As the P47 had these blast tubes to stop icing on the wing machine guns was there a mod on the B17G guns that also had this ? For the ETO only ?

Or is it from another aircraft entirely ?

_________________
Kind Regards,

Brian