Bendix gun turret roller id?

[Caroline]

Hiya,
I'm an archaeologist working on WWII aircraft sites in Darwin, NT and recently came across what looks like part of a Bendix gun turret roller. I was wondering if there was any way to work out what model gun turret it might have come from, and possibly what type/s of aircraft. It's got at a Bendix inspection stamp and at least three visible part numbers; ASSY 80266, 80801 and 80156, but I haven't been able to match these numbers in any of my manuals - though I don't have any full copies of Bendix ones.
If anyone has any thoughts or ideas, I'd very much appreciate it!
Thank you,
Caroline.

[Taigh Ramey]

I agree that it is a feed roller for the Upper Bendix turret but its hard for me to nail it down to a specific model as it looks like parts were used throughout the run. The 80266 number shows up in the Bendix model A manual as Support and nut assy RH as does the 80156 Shaft assy RH feed roller but the 80801 does not.

Photos from the manuals and other turrets for comparison















I hope this helps.

If you ever need to find a home for your unwanted turret parts please keep us in mind.

[Caroline]

Hi Taigh,
Wow, thank you so much for your response! I'm very happy indeed to have your confirmation that it is indeed a Bendix feed roller(!), and the added information that it's from an Upper turret. The images and photos you've attached are absolutely amazing. Thank you so much; this is all of incredible help
The particularly interesting thing about this find is it's from an RAAF Catalina base and there's been an assumption that only PBYs were ever serviced there; though in my understanding (which isn't great), Cats never had Bendix turrets.
Would you seriously be interested in the turret parts we've got? I'm having a look at your website at the moment; it looks awesome! One of the main problems with the parts we've been finding is that they're all from the bottom of the harbour and start corroding very quickly once they are recovered. A lot of the larger pieces we've found - including the framework of a discarded PBY bow turret (I've attached a photo of how it looked when it first came up!) - have been relocated back in the water as we don't have the resources or funding to conserve them. Some of the smaller ones do stabilise quite nicely, but they're probably not great examples. Do let me know though, I'm always happy to see aircraft parts go to a good home!
Thank you again so much for all your help

[dirtysidedown430]

Was wondering I'm guessing each can had 50 rounds each then was wondering how hard it was to reload in the air

[Taigh Ramey]

Very cool Caroline. Did the twin 30 cal gun mount show up too?

The ammo cans on the Bendix upper turret held 400+ rounds per gun. I am sure they could be reloaded in flight but my impression is that they wouldn't do that very often.

[dirtysidedown430]

400 per gun that is a lot of 50 cal. So guessing a power feed then of some kind. Thanks Taigh

[Taigh Ramey]

I don't think that the Bendix upper had any feed motors although Bendix did make them. The 50 has the ability to pull a sizable belt just through its mechanical feed mechanism. I recall seeing some specs for the requirement so ammo boxes close to the gun didn't need the ammo boosters but you do see them on turrets with multiple ammo boxes where the ammo spills over to the next can and on later war turrets. Just off the top of my head I have seen them in the Martin 250CE and the GE turrets in the P-61, B-29 and A-26. I'm sure there are others but my CRS is kicking in and I'm too lazy to look it up.

[dirtysidedown430]

Ths

[Caroline]

Hiya Taigh,
No guns with the Cat turret, unfortunately; it'd been stripped and thrown overboard.
However, we've just found a nice twin 50 cal mount that I suspect might just go with this roller