https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...73_large-1.jpg
Army Maneuvers, Ft. Houston, Texas
Date taken: June 1939
Photographer: Thomas Mcavoy
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...c8_large-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...c1_large-1.jpg
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https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...73_large-1.jpg
Army Maneuvers, Ft. Houston, Texas
Date taken: June 1939
Photographer: Thomas Mcavoy
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...c8_large-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...c1_large-1.jpg
Top pic center right, note the very seldom seen 1918A1 BARs with the intermediate bipod on the gas cylinder. Not on the muzzle as later... Also, bottom pic is the anti aircraft drill. We had similar, never understood why you'd want to encourage an aircraft to engage you with 20mm from a mile away... Love the early gear...
The new bipod was adopted in 1937 and used into WW2 by the US military.
Credit the late Billy Pyle with the 1942 photo of an army post showing the Model 1918A1 in the rack.
These are really quite rare to find when you consider they were done away with during the war,
Attachment 137026Attachment 137027Attachment 137028
Good Day,
Great prewar pictures. It's a bit difficult to tell, but the front sights indeed have the silhouette of gastrap era M1s. From the buildings in the background, it looks like the "maneuvers" were conducted on the Calvalry and Light Artillery parade field. If you have a chance to go to the Fort Sam Houston Quadrangle museum in San Antonio, it's a must see!
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the gas port M1 rifles did not enter service until June/July 1940
The AA drill is something I learned today - thanks.
However I wish the image of the pickup truck in the parking lot wasn’t so fuzzy…
During the 1920's and into the 1930's, US Ordnance developed both a 30 rd and 40 rd magazine for the BAR for AA defense, these were all scrapped before WW2
Yes. All brand new gastraps...imagine the value there today? I would think the whole idea of this pic was to show off brand new equipment.Quote:
Originally Posted by FlightRN
There were few aircraft with 20mm cannon in 1939. Most had rifle caliber machine guns and the US was the only one at the time to use .50 caliber guns.Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
"Rear rank! Fire!"
The Messerschmitt BF-109 was designed around a centrally-mounted 20mm "motorkanone" that fired through the propeller hub and a pair of cowl-mounted, synchronized machine guns. Some later versions went to two wing-mounted canons canons and the tow machine guns. It was regular practice for the pilots to fire the MGs first, "walk" the tracers onto the target, then fire the canon(s).Quote:
Originally Posted by eb in oregon
Bob
I did say "few." The P-39 had a 37mm cannon firing through the propeller hub, so that's two in 1939. And we knew nothing of the "Zero" at the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Womack
Yes but it was still in our FMs when we adapted the C6-(MAG58) in '87 and still when I last saw the books in '08.Quote:
Originally Posted by eb in oregon
The Japanese incorporated the anti aircraft sights on their standard infantry rifle, the Type 99 in 7,7 mm thought outAttachment 137069 WW2
The last two versions did not have them. The "last ditch" was a very basic rifle. I have very nice last ditch, looks to be unissued. No anti-aircraft sight on it or the type 99 just before the last ditch.Quote:
Originally Posted by RCS
Your right about the "last ditch" rifles, but my point was they did have anti aircraft sights ftom 1939 to around 1944. That is a long time .
I have two Type 99 rifles (1943 & 1944) my cousin sent them to my father from Nagasaki in 1945, have shot them and reloaded the Norma cartridges
but the anti aircraft sights were long obsolete yet they continued production ?
Possibly still useful against antiquated Chinese aircraft, I suppose.Quote:
Originally Posted by RCS
Am I the only one who feels kind of a shiver thinking to be in the “first row”?