Yesterday's Weapons Forums

We had a meeting of the Dutch Firearms Collectors Association today.
One of the members brought this MG 15.
I had never seen one up close.
From what I heard and read this machine gun was designed for use in an airplane and was later adapted for use by infantry.
Made some pictures.












Fantastic these meetings.
I just love 'em.


Met vriendelijke groet,

Martin

Martin,
Nice pics. I have seen film clips of gunners in bombers using them. I remember in particular the long reciprocating bolt handle.

Greg

Not sure but I think the German Paratroopers used these so there was no problem with spare parts and ammo drums etc.
A lightweight version of the MG34 had been in the works but proved to be less durable. The lightweight MG34 weighed about nine or ten pounds less than the standard MG34 and had a much shorter barrel, in the same weight and size class as the BAR. Parts of it were made from cast magnesium/aluminum aircraft alloys.

I don't think it was standard Fallschirmjager issue. That was the FallschirmjagerGewehr 42

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It's 5 o'clock and it's watermelon time.....................
because you can't drink beer & load rockets - TXPete

Martin,

Is it "live"? Very interesting!!! SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

Several models of aircraft MG were adapted to use by infantry late in the war. They had more weaponry than aircraft to put them on.

A very fast firing MG that resembled the MG34 only much heavier built acheived a extreme high rate of fire and used aircraft type disintegrating link belts.
Their were problems in issuing these as the belted ammo did not interchange with that of the MG34 or MG42.

An early model MG from which the other guns evolved used a curved box magazine , and was very lightweight. I don't think that model saw much production. The basic mechanism was carried over into the MG34. It might have made a good ground gun, but was probably too light to control easily.
http://world.guns.ru/machine/mg63-e.htm

nifty MG , neet photos , and fun info - keep it coming

Thanks for your replies.

@SW
This MG belongs to a member of the Dutch Firearms Collectors Association, which means this MG is very much...."LIVE".

Met vriendelijke groet,

Martin

great pics.I couldn't have one I would go broke quick but smile while doing it.

pete

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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - WOW - What a Ride

Martin,

I found this vintage pic of Italian troops equipped with German weapons - some of which are clearly MG-15s. An unusual image to say the least. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

For you trivia fans:
In the original Starwars (now retitled #IV a New Hope) IIRC in one scene where they are at Mos Eisley there are two storm troopers and one is carrying an MG15 with two scopes added to make it appear futuristic. I thought I had remembered seeing this and someone pointed this out on one of the MG15 pics on Google.
Update: I had to check it out. You can see it about 43 minutes into the film and there are 5 storm troopers and three have MG15s (sans barrels). " These aren't the Mg15s you're looking for". . You can then see them throughout the film especially at the Deathstar. I think I also saw a Lewis gun without the mag.

....(in Yoda voice)...."wise ...are you....oldernavy...observant to detail are you also......Jedi material you be......or you are no life having....spending much time watching re-runs you are....yes....no...???...well done..."



yoda.jpg [ 61.87 KiB | Viewed 8965 times ]

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....Naj puška govori!....
.............deplorable typical "bitter clinger"....

Ouch!
Well I had a photographic memory, but I've run out of film.

....at least you got some pics-my "brain film " got "overexposed"....

....I just remember Hans Solo's Broomhandle....

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....Naj puška govori!....
.............deplorable typical "bitter clinger"....

Yes, We keep a film library around for anachronisms, reference, and to do sitreps on info like this and the several broom handles. The prop guys must have had fun changing the appearance of these and others we have yet to uncover. I especially liked the rack of upside down MG15s in the control room. In a way a sad end, but better to be demilled?? than being cut up for scrap like so many Garands. Its like destroying the art of an entire country.
Of course the MG15 Martin saw was not demilled. Thank God not everyone's an art critic.

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Slava Ukraini!!

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NRA Benefactor Member
AMA Life Member
Tri-State Gun Collectors Life Member

Hopefully most of the modified WW2 weapons used as Starwars props were made up from cast resin duplicates. These are much easier to work with than steel

Also I doubt any operational MGs would be permanently altered for these sorts of prop weapons, not on any large scale at any rate.
If any real steel was chopped up it would likely have been previously demilled weapons once used as props in war movies.

Sometimes real weapons are modified, to allow blank firing, but when all the ray gun blasts are added as special effects, blank firing capability is un necessary.

If you look close at some 60's TV series and war movies many of the more expensive weapons like Thompson SMG are replaced with finely detailed carved wooden replicas whenever the weapon has to get dunked in water or dropped.
You can spot the wooden 1928 Thompsons due to lack of a slot for the operating knob.

With nicely detailed airsoft guns available these days very few real weapons are used in film.
Due to increased insurance and fire marshall permissions when blanks or other pyrotechnic devices are used most firing is now faked with muzzle blasts added by CGI.

They could be plastic replicas, if they were doing this in 1975-76 when the film was being made. No MGs were chopped up in the film. I was referring to the real fate of many M1 Garands and others that were destroyed by the government before the order was stopped by public outcry. I am curious as to why they would use MG15s in the film when they had creativity and resin to work with and why they would disguise them.