I have seen a photograph of this machine from the front as it is quite a well known shot. It quite simply uses a SWD drive Big 4 with the standard sidecar chassis but in lieu of the sidecar body it mounts a 3" Stokes Mortar and what appears to be mortar bomb boxes on either side of the mortar.The question is do any other photos exist of this machine and has anyone built a replica?

email (option): keithchandler@clistandchandler.co.uk

Here it is from both ends!

Kieth please don't tell me that you have an ex WD model KX! Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

No real ones or replica exist as far as I know, same for the Motley mount with Bren. I might have better pictures though.

Ron, model KX??

Cheers, Lex

email (option): welbike@welbi••.net

Lex I believe that Kieth has a Royal Enfield V Twin 'K' or 'KX' Ron

PS your parcel from Paul Milner just arrived.:+1:

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

There is a little bit of information about these machines is British Forces Motorcycles by Chris and Steve.

"C4185089/S 1582 sent to SAS at Netheravon, C4185179/S 1672 sent to SAS"

This is my theory, the Small Arms School (SAS) Heavy Section was at Netheravon at the time, the Special Air Service (SAS) was in North Africa so its clearly the former who created this machine, the standard crew of a 3inch mortar was 3 men and this only carried two with a very limited amount of ammo, so its quite possible the other one remained with the standard sidecar body to carry the rest of the crew and enough bombs to keep it in action for more than 40 seconds but that's only a guess.

The were lots of self propelled weapons tried during the war, some like the Morris C9B 40mm Bofors started life as a one off for the Nuffield factory Home Guard and was then put into production, others like this Norton didn't catch on.

But it would be nice to make a replica, I did think about it myself after I bought a de-activated mortar tube and set of front support legs, but I decided against it and moved them on.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

I suspect that you're on the right lines Rob, although they were delivered first to MWEE direct from Nortons on 9/7/1940. S1582 as a M/C Combination and S1672 as M/C Comb. (Chassis). They were not sent on to Netheravon until 2/10/1940 which might suggest that they were converted by MWEE / MEE at Farnborough ? I can't find any test report in their files though.

I acquired, some years ago, a de-activated 3" Stokes Mortar complete with several dummy practice bombs and have long thought about restoring one of my SWD Big 4s as a replica of this machine. In fact I ought to check out the frame number in the unlikely event that the machine is in fact this one. Interesting to note that the photos imply there was more than one of these machines carrying a mortar.

email (option): keithchandler@clistandchandler.co.uk

Interesting to see that the sidecar shock absorber units are attached to the mortar base. The mortar becomes part of the chassis when it's clamped down. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com