could i put bren machine guns on a cromweel and
if so how many 1 or 2

Maximum of one on the roof, and then probably only on an AA mount. Although this was not common (well i've never seen one or even heard of one...) as the cromwell carried two BESA mgs in a hull and a turret mount I really could not begin to imagine the logic or practicality of such a mounting.....

Can I also ask why you are asking so many questions about MG mounts? Personally I think it is brilliant that you have the confidence to ask so many questions but as I said before, there is a certain pattern in your questions......

29 Topics started in one month?

the answer is no , bessa was fitted as per previous posting and that was it cheers ian

like i said in an earlier reply,
i asked my great-unkle,who was a gunner in a firefly.
he served in the grenadier guards from 1937-45.
they became part of the guards armoured division and he served in normandy ( late july onwards ) and he told me his tank and many others he saw carried a bren on the roof, mainly for close-quaters defense. it wasnt on a mount just on its bipod.
i agree jim i have never seen this in a photo but it must have happened, at one time or another for him to see it.
the brens included in the tamiya british infantry are good,
cheers
joe

The only pic I've seen of the Bren on a Cromwell was on an ARV, the guns ( twin mount) were mounted in the hatch opening.

look at ths,
http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/thread?forumid=47208&messageid=1064518259
see i told you, hehe
thanks ukgeoff,
joe

there were mounts for bren guns these were used for AA duites and were for fixed locations would have been stored on the back of a lorry or something if you have a AA mount or scratch build one you could stow it on the back of the tank with other stuff
hth
Mike

As a point of interest, I found this illustration of the "Lakeman" mount that was used to mount the Bren for AA defence on British tanks. As you can see, its rather like an angle poise desk lamp, the barrel being held by a leather? strap. I'm not sure how frequently it was employed, I only recall seeing one photo and that was a unit in training.

Lakeman AA mount on a Valentine

There is a pic. in a book by Concord Publication called "British Tanks of WWII" ( Pg. 7 ) showing a Cromwell had a pair of light machine-guns ( either Bren or Vickers K ) on a PLM mount on top of the turret but the photo caption did mentioned that it's extrmely unusual ( well, but not necesssary to be impossible :-)))....) I can't upload the picture now as I am reconstructing my site and I need a picture URL in order to upload it here. If you are interested, give me a e-mail and I can send it to you to have a look.

Also, there is a Canadian Sherman with a mortar mounted on the turret in the same book.

vince

this might answer all of those yes,no and it might questions. i served in the british army from 1973-1082, and the first thing that you were taught is self preservation .so when in a conflict situation you carry every pece of protection as you can ,that included portable fire power as our c.o. found out when inspecting a sub unit in the fallklands in 82 .so that is the answer. if laying around and portable lift it

yeah I miss the old bren fantastic weapon the moving parts used to smash a pencil to bits
when you stuck on in there shame they never redeisned it for 5.56