Installation of a M-30 Machine Gun in an O-IE

submitted by: Alva Leon Matheson

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During the early months of 1966 an M-30 machine gun was obtained from an Army Jeep and installed in O-1 Birddog #11976. The aircraft was subsequently nicknamed “Little Puff.” The gun was installed in the back seat on a tubular mount as it was on the Jeep. The mount went down to the floor and then was braced to the right side. It was pointed out the left window. Although the idea was interesting, and perhaps even useful, there was a hidden problem lurking.
The problem was this. When the gun was fired, the spent cases went everywhere. The pilots and crew chiefs would clean-up the floor of the aircraft, but they never looked below the floor. One day, a casing that had worked its way below the floor and into the fuselage got wedged in the elevator cable grommet. As a result, the cable bound-up! The elevator could only be moved a slight amount and the pilot had an extremely difficult landing. Inspection of the under floor area revealed numerous spent casings, and the gun was removed forthwith. The aircraft was flown by Captain Phil Tague and he may be able to tell you more about its firing.