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The ten best machines and ten best Small-arms of WW2

Discussion in 'World War 2' started by KBO, Mar 24, 2005.

  1. monoftalmos

    monoftalmos New Member

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    Welcome everybode,

    Suprisingly nobody has mentioned He high attitude observation plane ? - dont know the exact number, sorry for that:) It could reach attitiude which was not avaiable for allies. 10 He provided firm information about allies offensive in Italy.

    Information is a key to succes, we all know about it.
     
  2. Varyag

    Varyag New Member

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    Are you sure you're not thinking about the Junkers Ju 86P series?
     
  3. Simonr1978

    Simonr1978 New Member

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    Got to admit that's the only one I can think of, a quick check hasn't come up with any details of a high altitude Heinkel Recon plane. The Ju86P was not entirely immune from interception either, initially they were impossible to catch but specially stripped down Spitfire MkV HFs were able to catch them from August 1942.

    Edit: Apparently MiG-3s were also able to catch them over the Soviet Union, being one of the few Soviet fighters to hold its performance well at altitude.
     
  4. sinissa

    sinissa New Member

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    As i know only foreign armor who was faworite amoung russians was churchil tank,coz of his good armor protection.
     
  5. arimanis

    arimanis New Member

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    - The Atomic Bomb
    - The Supermarine Spitfire
    - The Bombe (To break German Enygma machine)
    - The Panzer V (Panther)
    - The 105 Howitzer
    - USN Aircraft Carriers
    - Vickers Machine Guns
    - The Lancaster Bomber
     
  6. Simonr1978

    Simonr1978 New Member

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    This one's intrigued me, why the Vickers MGs out of interest? I didn't think Vickers guns saw that much use in WWII in comparisson to Brownings and Brens on the Allied side.
     
  7. dave phpbb3

    dave phpbb3 New Member

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    It was the standard company level Machine gun. much like the Browning M1919A4/1917 or the M2. The Bren did see more use seeing as it was more numerous as a squad level weapon.
     
  8. sinissa

    sinissa New Member

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    German MG family was best machinegun in WWII,it is withouth doubt.No vickers,broving r any otther ally macninegun was near to be that good.
     
  9. dave phpbb3

    dave phpbb3 New Member

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    The Mg42 and MG34 were both amamzing guns, but they were produced to act as both LMGs and Medium machine guns. Whilst The Brens, Vickers and Brownings had their own special purposes depending on job, you cannot simple the MG42 was the best machine gun of the war without considering the class of machine gun. If you compare it as a HMG along side the M2 the M2 wins hands down becuase it was designed as a HMG. The MG42 and 34 were ahead of their time and very good as General Purpose Machine Guns.
     
  10. Simonr1978

    Simonr1978 New Member

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    Really? I thought the Browning M1919 compared pretty favourably with the MG34 at least, and as Dave pointed out the M2 was far above any German infantry MG in terms of firepower. I think it's a stretch to say that nothing the Allies produced came near.
     
  11. Roel

    Roel New Member

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    Russian tankers found the Sherman to be extremely comfortable, reliable and decent compared to their own T-34s.
     
  12. sinissa

    sinissa New Member

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    Ok,lets do the match:
    Browning:Weight 31 lb (14 kg) (M1919A4)
    Length

    * 48 in (1219 mm) (M1919A4)
    * 53 in (1346 mm) (M1919A6)

    Barrel length 24 in (609 mm)
    Cartridge

    * .30-06 Springfield (U.S.)
    * 7.62 × 51 mm NATO (U.S.)
    * .303 British
    * 8 mm Mauser

    Action Recoil-operated
    Rate of fire 400–600 round/min
    Effective range 1,500 yd (1,370 m) (maximum)
    Feed system 250-round belt

    MG34:
    Type General Purpose Machine Gun
    Place of origin Germany
    Service history
    In service 1935–1945
    Production history
    Designer Mauser Werke (Heinrich Vollmer)
    Designed 1934
    Specifications
    Weight

    * 12.1 kg (26.7 lb)
    * 19.2 kg (42.3 lb) (with tripod)

    Cartridge 7.92 x 57 mm Mauser (8 mm Mauser)
    Action Recoil operated
    Rate of fire 800-900round/min
    Feed system 50/200-round belts or 75-round drum magazine
    Sights Iron sights

    So as u see,MG 34 was 2Kg lighter and fire rate was allmost double faster.
    Lets compare to MG42 shall we?
    Type Machine gun
    Place of origin Germany
    Service history
    In service 1942–1959
    Wars World War II
    Production history
    Designed 1942
    Produced 1942–1945
    Number built 400,000
    Variants MG45/MG42V, MG1, MG2, MG3
    Specifications
    Weight 11.57 kg (25.5 lb)
    Length 1,220 mm
    Cartridge 7.92 x 57 mm Mauser (8 mm Mauser)
    Caliber 8 mm
    Action Recoil-operated, roller-locked bolt
    Rate of fire 1,100–1,200 round/min
    Muzzle velocity 755 m/s (2,475 ft/s)
    Effective range 1,000 m (1,100 yd)
    Feed system 50- or 250-round belt
    More lighter and more fire rate,double from browning.So ur comment on that..?
     
  13. Roel

    Roel New Member

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    What's your source? If you're qouting directly you should name your source.

    Simon didn't actually say anything about the Browning M1919 compared to the MG42 so he doesn't need to answer to that at all. Concerning the MG34, though, I'll speak for him: does the weight of these guns include the mount? Is it a bipod or a tripod? What was the effective range of the MG34 (it is not listed here for some reason even though it's mentioned for the Browning)?

    Also as you can see, the belts used to feed the Browning were longer. The MG34 in its LMG guise with 75-round drums would have been severely hampered by this.
     
  14. sinissa

    sinissa New Member

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    I was lazy 2 digg more,so source is wikipedia.And i sow it to,efective range for MG34 was not shown,but it is less then browning for shure (barel leght,ammo probably) but range off 1500m is way ower,for good usage off weapon.Mostly combat ranges was up to 800m,what MG-s do betther then browning.If u wish i can digg more,but u can look by urself.
     
  15. sinissa

    sinissa New Member

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    http://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.asp?smallarms_id=63
    here u got allso,some info,atleast for oweral weight with tripod.
     
  16. Simonr1978

    Simonr1978 New Member

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    Thanks Roel, I'd also like to add to that.

    High rates of fire such as that are not always too much of an advantage either, since at the very least a rate of fire twice as high means you need twice as much ammunition and the weapon will suffer twice as much wear.

    A rate of fire around 500 RPM is plenty sufficient for such a weapon, and two KG (even accepting that as soldier you'll want to keep weights to a minimum) isn't going to be too excessive.

    It seems to me that the M1919 isn't that far off the MG34 in practical respects, certainly not enough to say that it doesn't even come near to it. Arguably inferior in some ways, arguably not in others.
     
  17. sinissa

    sinissa New Member

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    Ur right,not much diferent from MG34 in that stats,but it has replaceble barel,so it can fire alot longer then any otther gun.I say that no ally machinegun is match for MG,il do corection to MG42,but MG34 is allso slight betther.
     
  18. dave phpbb3

    dave phpbb3 New Member

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    The Bren light machine gun had a quick change barrel, it was a common feauture of light machine guns of the time. And the Browning 1919 had a large barrel surface area which allowed it to cool relitivily fast.
     

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