Peter Laidler---more about the Lanchester SMG story.

[drm2m]

Who got the Lanchesters?

50,000 Lanchesters: (nearly) all for the Royal Navy. First contract June 13, 1941.

The first order was supposed to be split 50-50 between the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, which did not happen.

By this time the British Army had supplies of the Thompson, and they made it quite clear that the Thompson was what they wanted, so the Army kept the Thompson.

The Royal Air Force would immediately receive the 2,000 newly-acquired Smith & Wesson
9mm carbines for the defense of aerodromes and airfields now springing up around the country.
(Ironically the RAF had originally requested a copy of the German MP38.)

*I had no idea what Smith & Wesson 9mm carbine Peter was talking about.
I asked the question to Peter.

This was his answer.

Thanks Peter.
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S&W designed a hideous 9mm SMG that the UK paid for, up front, in advance. It was totally unsuccessful and they were scrapped. Several examples still exist, including a couple at the Pattern Room and at Warminster.
But briefly, it ejected the empty cases downwards, through a tube at the rear of the magazine. Surely a jam waiting to happen I'd say! And true to form, it was.

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Peter, I assume this was the gun you were referring to?
Interesting that they are now highly sought after collector pieces as unsuccessful as they were.

David

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