I can see how this would be a problem. I suppose you can't just go down to your local gun shop and buy a World War II 20mm machine gun.
The best possible solution would be to contact the U.S. Navy or U.S. Coast Guard and see if they have any such weapons in surplus and would be willing to loan or give one to AMERICAN VICTORY. This is how SS JOHN W BROWN obtained all of its weapons (eight 20mm, three 3-inch/50, one 5-inch/38), but that was years ago and we had a retired Coast Guard admiral, now deceased, who arranged for them at the time. (And no, sorry, we don't have any extras.) I would have no idea where to start now.
There is an organization known as the Historic Naval Ships Association (http://www.hnsa.org/), of which AMERICAN VICTORY, JOHN W BROWN, and many other historic ships are members. The Executive Director of the Association, Jeffrey Nilsson, sends out a monthly e-mail memorandum to member ships, announcing matters of concern or interest. The current memorandum, for example, mentions that LST 325, located in Evansville, Indiana, is looking for replacement parts missing from a twin 40mm gun mount they have aboard. It is very likely that someone associated with AMERICAN VICTORY receives this memorandum. Your organization could announce its need in one of these memoranda and see what happens. Contact the Historic Naval Ships Association at http://www.hnsa.org/mail.htm or e-mail Hnsa01@aol.com.
A less satisfactory solution would be to obtain good-quality photographs or drawings of typical Oerlikon guns, enlarge them to poster size, seal them from the weather, and place them in or near one of your gun tubs. There are a lot of images online, of varying degrees of quality and usefulness. Here are a few I found quickly enough:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HMAS-Castlemaine-gun-2-1.jpg
http://www.paladinarmory.com/Photos%20for%20PA%20website/Oerlikon_20mm_2.jpg
http://www.lanevictory.org/ProductionImages/20mm.jpg (a twin mount aboard SS LANE VICTORY in California)
http://www.ussslater.org/weapons/20mm/20mm.gif
http://carol_fus.tripod.com/Pic_4.jpg
http://indicatorloops.com/pequot_20mmGun.jpg
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_2cm-70_mk234_sketch.jpg
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_2cm-70_mk234_British_sketch.jpg
http://www.hnsa.org/doc/br224/img/dia35.jpg
http://www.armed-guard.com/mobile12.jpg
Some of these images may be in the public domain, for others one would need the permission of the owning website.
Any local graphic arts company could prepare such a display, for a price of course.
If you find any other useful photographs on the Armed Guard website (www.armed-guard.com) you are welcome to use them for this purpose.
There is also available for purchase a World War II training film, now in either DVD or VHS format, that MAY have footage showing a 20mm in operation. See http://www.militaryvideo.com/index.cfm?film=detail&titleID=MM1940V&do=detail&search=armed,guard. The Armed Guard website has no connection with this company.
Good luck.
Ron Carlson, Webmaster
Armed Guard website
www.armed-guard.com
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