Does anyone know what year the MP38 was first developed? And was there a sub machine gun used before it?

Hi Bountyhunter

Welcome aboard !
Good posting - you'll get some good replies.
The MP38 was part of a progression of German submachineguns starting with the Vollmer design of 1927. This was the first weapon to feature the telescoping mainspring guide - carried through to the MP40.
The Vollmer was further developed by Vollmer's company ( Erfurt Machinen und Werkzeugfabrik B Geipel GmbH - better known as ERMA ) and the EMP ( some sources call it MP.E ) appeared in 1935. This weapon was used extensively in the Spanish Civil War.

In 1938 the German High Command recognised the official need for a light, burst-fire weapon which had long been requested by armoured troops. Erma were in the fortunate position of being able to quickly supply a further-modified EMP - this became the MP38; production beginning at Erma in the Summer of '38.
The main differences between EMP and MP38 were : receiver and magazine housing formed from pressings, grips made from resin-impregnated paper, the perforated barrel jacket was omitted, and all wooden furniture was omitted - the now-familiar skeleton stock being introduced instead.

One incidental mystery is the generic use of the name 'Schmeisser' being applied to the MP38/40 by Allied troops - and recently even a book being published in England with this title.
Hugo Schmeisser worked for the firm of Haenel ( a MP38/40 subcontractor ) as General Manager, and may have introduced in-production modifications. The firm of Erma have always maintained very forcibly that Schmeisser made no contribution to the original design.

However, speak to any 'old soldier' of WWII and - it's a 'Schmeisser' !

[ 06 July 2002, 03:40 PM: Message edited by: Martin Bull ]

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Very well put! The first true sub-machine gun in the German army was the Bergmann MP18. German Shock troops used this weapon with great success at the end of WWI. The US had its own SMG which was the famous Thompson, and was used very limitedly at the end of WWI as well. The Germans latter improved the MP18 into the Bergmann MP28. Other companies such as Erma produced the Erma EMP, and eventually lead to the MP38. The Germans really focussed on the SMG more than other countries, since they found that the shock troops were so successful at the end of 1918. This laid the foundation for a new military doctrine that the Germans used in WWII. The allies called it "blitzkrieg!"

Matt