Zwillingssockel 36   TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION     The Zwillingssockel 36 is a twin, side-by-side gun mount for the MG34 light machinegun. At the bottom of the mount is a large circular cast iron base. This base provides excellent stability for the mount when it is removed from the wagon. Located on the top of the base are a set of ball bearings on which the upper mount rotates. Attached to the main frame of the mount is the gunner's seat which can be adjusted for height to fit the gunner's legs. To the gunner's right, mounted on the right side of the frame, is a hand brake. This brake is used to lock the mount to prevent side-to-side movement. When unlocked, the mount will rotate 360 degrees. The power for this movement comes from the gunner's legs. Just to the right of the cross bar is a locking lever with three positions. The first and second position provide limits on the elevation and depression of the guns. The position used depends on the situation. The first position prevents the guns from being depressed below 20 degrees above the horizon. This is used to avoid hitting troops, vehicles, etc. in the immediate area. The second position allows the guns to be depressed 10 degrees below the horizon or elevated to almost 90 degrees. The third position locks the cradles and prevents movement. This is generally only used for transportation or removing the zwillingsockel from the wagon. On the front of the zwillingssockel is a Patronenfänger (brass catcher) made from canvas and leather. This flap deflects the cases into the large area under the gun cradles. On each side of the frame and on both sides of the seat are folding handles. These are used as lifting points to remove and install the zwillingssockel in the wagon. The pair of handles on the seat can also be used by a second gunner to help turn the mount during shooting when the zwillingssockel is removed from the wagon. At the top of the main frame is a cross bar on which two gun cradles are mounted. The two cradles operate similar to the MG34 lafette as the method to mount the gun and change the barrel is the same. Unlike the lafette, the cradles are fixed and do not have a recoil assembly. The standard left hand feed MG34 was used. When the guns are mounted on the zwillingssockel the buttstocks are removed and are stored on a special stud located in each of the MG storage compartments on the wagon. The firing lever is located at the rear and between the two cradles and is operated with the right hand. The trigger assembly will only operate full automatic fire. A handle for the left hand is used to elevate and depress the guns as needed during firing. Each gun is fed using one of the special 150 round Patronenkasten 36. The two ammunition cans are each held in a bracket which is located to the left of each gun. The brackets have spring steel ends to secure the box in place. Located between the two cradle assemblies is the sight assembly. The standard removeable Kreiskorn (Circle Sight or AA Sight) was used along with a fixed post rear sight. Both sights fold down when not in use. The sight assembly is unique, in that when the guns are lowered toward the horizon, the sight assembly folds downward towards the cradle. When the guns are raised toward the sky the sight assembly extends upward. This maintains proper sight alignment with the gunner's eye at all times.     It should be noted that two confirmed models of both the IF.5 MG-Wagen 36 and Zwillingssockel 36 have been observed. All of the surviving examples that I have observed are of the second type. The main difference is in the way the guns are fed when mounted on the zwillingssockel and the storage of the ammunition in the wagon. There are many manufacturing differences among the surviving examples but there are too many to discuss in detail.   Early zwillingssockel mounts used MG34s fitted with the rare 75 round Patronentrommel 34 (cartridge drum 34). These early mounts did not have the brackets for holding the 150 round Patronenkasten 36. The cradle for each gun was equally spaced to the right and left of the center line of the cradle. The later version of the zwillingssockel has both cradles shifted to the right to allow space for the brackets to hold the Patronenkasten 36. An MG34 fitted with the Patronentrommel 34 will not fit on the right side cradle of the second type of zwillingssockels.   The early MG wagons had a different arrangement for the storage of the Patronentrommel 34 versus the later Patronenkasten 36. However, it is not known how many of the magazines were carried in the early MG wagons. The 1941 reprint of the 1937 D 129 manual mentions that wagons with serial numbers 1 - 150 have different arrangements on the inside compared to wagons with serial numbers above 150. It can only be assumed that it is referring to the differences of the storage compartments of the Patronentrommel 34 and the Patronenkasten 36. Two photos have been observed showing the early version of the zwillingssockel with the Patronentrommel 34 in use. These photo are found in the early MG34 manuals and are shown below.