www.MG42.us

Somehow, the lafette extension tube has now become a motorcycle mount. I'd like to see how THAT works.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/U ... 1-SHOPPING

sportsman misguide is what they should be called.

Matt wrote:sportsman misguide is what they should be called.

It says 'cycle monopod', this is actually not the common lafette add-on,but a rare item,as they say. It was issued early in the war to the troops of the unicycle division.Not to be confused with the motorcycle recon units,these specially trained soldiers were recruited mainly from traveling circuses.They were able to get into places the motorcycles could not fit.They were used mainly during the attack on France,where the roads were fairly good. Cross-country travel was limited.
The main problem was that when they fired the gun,the unicycle just rotated on its wheel and the soldier fell off.Many head injuries resulted.Originally equiped with the MG34,these monopods were later adapted to fit the mg42 as it came into use,and were given to the Bulgarian Army.It was hoped they hadn't heard of the problems the Germans had found,and of course,they hadn't. Most of these ended up being captured during the fall of Stalingrad,when the Bulgarian army had stopped riding the unicycles,and just carried them,thus slowing them down considerably.It hadn't occured to them to just take the gun off the mount. The ones at Sportsmans Guide are probably from the large amount of unicycle related items found recently in a military warehouse and imported to the US.They were not affected by the recent ban,as they were not considered as dangerous war material. They could be modified to fit a sidecar,but you would have to stand up to fire,or a hole could be drilled in the sidecar floor,and a small caster type wheel added to the bottom of the mount.
See how much you learn here!? I keep telling you to buy John Baums manuals,the one for this is only 8 bucks,and has lots of nice pictures,including some from the circus! ---bil

Bil wrote:It says 'cycle monopod', this is actually not the common lafette add-on,but a rare item,as they say. It was issued early in the war to the troops of the unicycle division.Not to be confused with the motorcycle recon units,these specially trained soldiers were recruited mainly from traveling circuses.They were able to get into places the motorcycles could not fit.They were used mainly during the attack on France,where the roads were fairly good. Cross-country travel was limited.
The main problem was that when they fired the gun,the unicycle just rotated on its wheel and the soldier fell off.Many head injuries resulted.Originally equiped with the MG34,these monopods were later adapted to fit the mg42 as it came into use,and were given to the Bulgarian Army.It was hoped they hadn't heard of the problems the Germans had found,and of course,they hadn't. Most of these ended up being captured during the fall of Stalingrad,when the Bulgarian army had stopped riding the unicycles,and just carried them,thus slowing them down considerably.It hadn't occured to them to just take the gun off the mount. The ones at Sportsmans Guide are probably from the large amount of unicycle related items found recently in a military warehouse and imported to the US.They were not affected by the recent ban,as they were not considered as dangerous war material. They could be modified to fit a sidecar,but you would have to stand up to fire,or a hole could be drilled in the sidecar floor,and a small caster type wheel added to the bottom of the mount.
See how much you learn here!? I keep telling you to buy John Baums manuals,the one for this is only 8 bucks,and has lots of nice pictures,including some from the circus! ---bil

I have one of those unicycles with the VERY rare cheese grater spoke atachment.....I must have one of those monopods!!!!



Bill

I tried one of them on my R12 but it was an EPIC FAIL !!!!!

All kidding aside, why was it a failure on the R12. I just brought a Dnepr MB650 and I happen to need a mount for my semi MG42. The Dnepr has a tube type mount already in the sidecar but it needs the extension, would this work. Or does anybody know where I can buy one. Thanks for any info.
Happy Trails
James

The AA extension is not what they used during the war to mount Mgs on a sidecar. They used these type of mounts , aside from that I have only seen 1 picture of a MG42 mounted on a sidecar, they were usually Mg15s or Mg34s.

bmwr12 wrote:I tried one of them on my R12 but it was an EPIC FAIL !!!!!

You have an R12? That's not a China-clone?

WOW!

Nice Bike...

On the tube

" Remember Friends don't let friends over pay " I believe is the saying about the low low low price of $199.97
Was $399.97
Club Price $179.97

I believe that I got mine from Sarco for about $99.00

Also is that the true WW2 style or the post war style???

Later 42rocker

DARIVS ARCHITECTVS wrote:

bmwr12 wrote:I tried one of them on my R12 but it was an EPIC FAIL !!!!!

You have an R12? That's not a China-clone?

WOW!

Yes, it is the earliest matching serial number Military R12 know to exist right now. It is not a chinese or russian clone. I am restoring the Royal sidecar for it now. I also have a 1939 R12 basket case I am getting ready to restore.

bmwr12 wrote:

DARIVS ARCHITECTVS wrote:

bmwr12 wrote:I tried one of them on my R12 but it was an EPIC FAIL !!!!!

You have an R12? That's not a China-clone?

WOW!

Yes, it is the earliest matching serial number Military R12 know to exist right now. It is not a chinese or russian clone. I am restoring the Royal sidecar for it now. I also have a 1939 R12 basket case I am getting ready to restore.

HOW MUCH FOR IT?


Just kidding. I'm still paying off the restoration for this 1944 DKW NZ-350-1.

Yep, I would probably have a heart attack if I ever totaled up the R12 restoration costs between all of the missing or wrong parts,bidding wars for rare military parts,outsourced services,originla purchase price,sidecars, and all of my time into it. I did end up with a 95% original bike.I would have to be blown away by an offer to ever sell and then I would have to get a Kettenkrad to replace it.

The DKW is nice but I would ditch the Russian seat covers for the correct Pagusas.

You need one of these! ---bil

Bil wrote:You need one of these! ---bil

The Steib Zepplin style sidecars are pretty rare and expensive especially the pre war type. It would be nice to put on of them on my 39 R12. I am going to use the Elephant ear fenders though.

bmwr12 wrote:Yep, I would probably have a heart attack if I ever totaled up the R12 restoration costs between all of the missing or wrong parts,bidding wars for rare military parts,outsourced services,originla purchase price,sidecars, and all of my time into it. I did end up with a 95% original bike.I would have to be blown away by an offer to ever sell and then I would have to get a Kettenkrad to replace it.

The DKW is nice but I would ditch the Russian seat covers for the correct Pagusas.

DONE! I had a repro Pagusa drivers seat from Leszek in Poland (OldTimerGarage), and a postwar Pagusa replica seat for the passenger seat. You cannot get an original or a repro passenger seat. They originals are not available and Leszek won't make repros because too few people have DKW's with rear seats to justify the cost of making them.

DARIVS ARCHITECTVS wrote:

bmwr12 wrote:Yep, I would probably have a heart attack if I ever totaled up the R12 restoration costs between all of the missing or wrong parts,bidding wars for rare military parts,outsourced services,originla purchase price,sidecars, and all of my time into it. I did end up with a 95% original bike.I would have to be blown away by an offer to ever sell and then I would have to get a Kettenkrad to replace it.

The DKW is nice but I would ditch the Russian seat covers for the correct Pagusas.

DONE! I had a repro Pagusa drivers seat from Leszek in Poland (OldTimerGarage), and a postwar Pagusa replica seat for the passenger seat. You cannot get an original or a repro passenger seat. They originals are not available and Leszek won't make repros because too few people have DKW's with rear seats to justify the cost of making them.

That sucks.. your only shot is probably ebay germany. I scored most of my rare R12 items on there.

Well, boys...

I bought one, got club price though I figure to use it on my Faux Kubel, built from a '73 "Thing". It's a nice piece of kit, I think it's post war, account I don't see any marks on it, but I still need to strip it.

MGMike

Nice motorcycles! I'd love one, but between my Airplanes and MG's, I can't afford it. Maybe someday, they've been around 60 years now, they'll probably be around for me to get when I get the planes paid off!