Pre-War Mystery Picture?

[Arlequín]

Any ideas what the weapon is being towed by the Carden-Loyd Tankette in this picture anyone?

[Hammers]

It's a Prometean Death Ray gun, isn't it? Or is it a Space Marine Lasgun?

[Arlequín]

*Slap* 

[aircav]

It could be a northover projector that was uased by the homeguard!

[Westfalia Chris]

On a more serious topic, judging from the pivot mount and shoulder rest, I would assume it´s a quick-firer AA gun of small caliber (40mm or less, although it takes quite a shoulder for that!).

It´s a wild, if educated guess, though. I´ve never seen a piece like it (although it does look a bit similar to the Polsten AA gun, but that one had a much smaller calibre, a different limber and was only built in WW2).

[dadlamassu]

Might it be a ground mounting of the 37mm Coventry Ordnance Works (COW) gun? 

I think it might be a test weapon?

[WillieB]

It is indeed a Northover projector , but on a wheeled mounting
http://images.google.be/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/H_11843-Members_of_Home_Guard_using_a_Northover_Projector-July_1941.jpg/180px-H_11843-Members_of_Home_Guard_using_a_Northover_Projector-July_1941.jpg&imgrefurl=http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northover_Projector&h=176&w=180&sz=15&hl=en&start=9&sig2=FocTlLAfD_Ih0M0IpmoyBQ&um=1&usg=__5rGBWy3E8jwaCQT6j8RpU8I0bVI=&tbnid=rcld6CbZRNSTLM:&tbnh=99&tbnw=101&ei=Wr4USf6aNoiy0QTGxP31Cg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnorthover%2Bprojector%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:nl:official%26sa%3DN

[Johnnytodd]

Here's the English language version:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northover_projector

[Arlequín]

I doubt this is a Northover Projector as the weapon was not constructed until 1940. The uniforms on the troops although possible for 1940, are more likely to be pre-1938. The tankette tractor was out of service by this time too. However, I'm not ruling this out.

It also seems a bit low to be some form of AA Gun, but the mount isn't clear and there might be some contraption for raising the weapon when deployed.

I was inclined to think that it was the 1 1/2 Pounder (37mm) C.O.W. Gun, but the only pics I have seen, show a recoil spring around almost the full length of the barrel and aircraft mounted. I know some where converted for ground use by the army pre-war and indeed the RAF used some for airfield defense during the war, perhaps there was an alternate method of absorbing the recoil?

The only other thing I could come up with was that it might be an early test version of the 2pdr, before the more usual carriage was adopted, but again there's no obvious recoil mechanism.

It does look like there is a box-like ammunition hopper or ammo box mounted on the weapon, so I'm tempted to think it's an auto-cannon of some description.

I suspect dadlamassu is closest to the mark on both counts, it being experimental and probably the C.O.W. Gun. As we have no concrete idea what it is, no doubt it wasn't too successful 

C.O.W. Gun

http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/COW.jpg

C.O.W. Gun with the Crayford above

http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/COW1.59.jpg

[Driscoles]

To me it looks like a mixture of Anti Tank Gun and Anti Tank Rifle.
Björn

[Arlequín]

To me it looks like a mixture of Anti Tank Gun and Anti Tank Rifle.
Björn

I found a picture of a similar, if not identical weapon, titled "20mm Oerlikon Anti-tank Cannon"

http://ww2photo.mimerswell.com/tanks/gb/ligh/ca-lo/03223.jpg

"The Oerlikon 1 Pdr. anti-tank gun was mounted on leaf sprung tracks in British service in order to be towed behind Carden Loyd T.9 tracked carriers and Mk.I Universal carriers. The weapon was withdrawn from active duty in 1938 when the 2 Pdr. became available. It was again issued to some Home Guard units during 1940 in preperation for the German invasion that never came. It also served as a anti-tank gunnery range trainer throughout the war. The weapon had no shield fitted."

Well...... mystery probably solved 

[Driscoles]

well...ya know...I was always into weapons and such 
The butt or shall I say hilt reminded me of a typical anti tank rifle.

[carlos marighela]

"The Oerlikon 1 Pdr. anti-tank gun was mounted on leaf sprung tracks in British service in order to be towed behind Carden Loyd T.9 tracked carriers and Mk.I Universal carriers. The weapon was withdrawn from active duty in 1938 when the 2 Pdr. became available. It was again issued to some Home Guard units during 1940 in preperation for the German invasion that never came. It also served as a anti-tank gunnery range trainer throughout the war. The weapon had no shield fitted."

Correct weight! There's your answer.

By the by, the shoulder rest doesn't imply that it was fired from the shoulder. Such rests have frequently been used as part of simple pressure release traversing mechanisms, often on much larger guns. Leaning into the pad allows the gun to be traversed and thus aimed. The principal US version of the 6 pounder AT gun used this method. Other examples are legion, various Nordenfeldt guns up to 12 pdr, Japanese tank main guns etc etc. For smaller calibres it's a damn sight handier, lighter and less expensive than fitting them out with traversing wheels, gears etc.

[BigMecha]

I say it is a anti tank gun...and I see the answer below says yes

[Arlequín]

I say it is a anti tank gun...and I see the answer below says yes

1st Rule of Comedy: Timing is everything