Description
WWII USAAF Type C-2 Left-Hand .50-Caliber Ammunition-Box Mount, P/N 37B2675
Item Overview
This original WWII U.S. Army Air Forces Type C-2 mount secured a Type O-1 or similar ammunition box to the left side of a .50-caliber M2 or AN-M2 aircraft machine gun. Its compact design kept the ammunition supply close to the gun during flexible aircraft-gun operation. This listing is for the mount only and does not include the ammunition box, gun, or feed equipment.
Identification and Features
The official 1944 AAF armament catalog identifies this part as a left-hand ammunition-box mount. The catalog photograph matches its machined-metal shape and mounting lugs.
- Official name: Left-Hand Ammunition-Box Mount
- Type designation: C-2
- AAF drawing/part number: 37B2675
- AAF reference number: 52-3200
- Application: .50-caliber M2 and AN-M2 aircraft machine guns
- Ammunition-box application: Type O-1 or similar box
- Mounting method: Belt-retaining pawl pin
- Right-hand counterpart: P/N 37B2675-1
- Status: Original military-surplus gun accessory
How It Worked
The mount’s two lugs attached to the gun through the belt-retaining pawl pin. The ammunition box then slid onto the mounting plate. Spring-loaded plungers on the bracket helped keep the box from moving loose under aircraft vibration and the repeated movement caused by firing.
Weapon and Aircraft Application
The Type C-2 was standardized equipment for flexible .50-caliber aircraft-gun installations. Part number 37B2675 is documented in a B-17G parts breakdown for certain waist-gun installations, although the mount was not limited to one aircraft model. This part should not be confused with the Type L-1 flexible-feed-chute adapter. The L-1 was a separate component that could attach to the gun through a Type C-2 or C-3 mount.
Historical Background
The Browning .50-caliber aircraft machine gun became one of the most important American aircraft weapons of World War II. Fixed guns armed fighters, while flexible guns protected bombers and other multi-crew aircraft. The Type C-2 helped support a compact ammunition supply beside a flexible gun. By 1944, the improved Type C-3 mount had replaced the C-2 for new installations, but existing C-2 mounts remained part of wartime equipment and supply systems.
Condition
This example appears complete as the mount itself. It shows heavy oxidation, surface pitting, discoloration, and other wear from age and storage, but no obvious fracture is visible. The ammunition box, machine gun, belt-retaining pawl pin, Type L-1 adapter, ammunition, and related equipment are not included. Please check the pictures for the general condition of the item.
Ideal For
This uncommon mount is well suited for collections and displays covering American aircraft armament, Browning machine guns, and World War II bomber equipment.
- WWII aviation collections
- B-17G waist-gun displays
- AN-M2 aircraft-gun exhibits
- Browning .50-caliber research
- USAAF armament collections
- Military museums and educational displays
Approx length 5.34", Approx width 1", Approx height 1", Approx weight .41 lbs.
Pictures are stock images of our inventory. Unless otherwise noted, you will not be receiving the exact item shown in the pictures. The pictures are representative of the item’s general condition. The item you receive might be slightly better, or worse, condition than was shown in the pictures.
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