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Turkey has provided a huge range of military equipment to Ukraine, in this video we'll look at Turkish-made M2 heavy machine guns and an unusual rotary grenade launcher in service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Let’s take a pictorial look at some of the machine guns used by both sides during the Korean War.
DShK 38/46 (on an AA mount) alongside an American M2 Browning .50 cal HMG (Source)
Soldiers from the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division in action near the Ch'ongch'on River, with a Browning M1919A6 'light machine gun', November 1950. (Source)
A Vickers medium machine gun of the Royal Canadian Regiment. Widely used by British, Australian and Canadian forces. Excellent in the defensive sustained fire role. (Source)
A COMBLOC DShK heavy machine gun on a wheeled carriage, captured by US troops in Koesong, Korea. (Source)
The British Bren Gun, in use with British & Commonwealth forces deployed to Korea. Seen here with men of the Royal Canadian Regiment. (Source)
The King's Own Scottish Borderers with an American M1919A4 medium machine gun. (Source)
Men of a Dutch infantry battalion fire on North Korean positions with a .50 M2 Browning heavy machine gun mounted on a tripod, northeast of Yanggu. (Source)
A US soldier armed with an M1 Carbine, with M8 grenade launching attachment, sits next to a captured DPM light machine gun. (Source)
Captured Communist equipment including an anti-tank gun and a pair of PM M1910 Maxims. (Source)
BAR Gunner with the 25th Division, c.1951 (Source)
On the 15th January 1968, near Dak To, a rapid reaction force from Company B, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, moved to aid a unit in heavy contact with a battalion-size North Vietnamese force.
Sgt. Dwight H. Johnson, then a Specialist and tank driver, was part of the rapid reaction force and for his actions during the battle, was awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation for Johnson’s Medal of Honor describes his actions:
“Specialist Johnson's tank [probably an M48 Patton], upon reaching the point of contact, threw a track and became immobilized. Realizing that he could do no more as a driver, he climbed out of the vehicle, armed only with a .45 caliber pistol [a M1911A1]. Despite intense hostile fire, Specialist Johnson killed several enemy soldiers before he had expended his ammunition. Returning to his tank through a heavy volume of antitank rocket, small arms and automatic weapons fire, he obtained a sub-machine gun [M3A1] with which to continue his fight against the advancing enemy. Armed with this weapon, Specialist Johnson again braved deadly enemy fire to return to the center of the ambush site where he courageously eliminated more of the determined foe.”
The fighting became extremely close and when Johnson ran out of ammunition he killed an enemy soldier with ‘the stock end of his submachine gun.’ Weaponless, Johnson returned to his tank, finding one of his crew mates he carried him to a nearby armoured personnel carrier. Johnson’s citation continues:
"He then returned to the same tank and assisted in firing the main gun until it jammed. In a magnificent display of courage, Specialist Johnson exited the tank and again armed only with a .45 caliber pistol, he engaged several North Vietnamese troops in close proximity to the vehicle. Fighting his way through devastating fire and remounting his own immobilized tank, he remained fully exposed to the enemy as he bravely and skillfully engaged them with the tank's externally-mounted .50 caliber machine gun; where he remained until the situation was brought under control. Specialist Johnson's profound concern for his fellow soldiers, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.”
After returning home from Vietnam, Johnson was awarded his Medal of Honor by President Lyndon B. Johnson in November 1968. Sgt. Johnson started work as an Army recruiter, but was diagnosed with depression and PTSD. Sadly, on the 29th April 1971, Johnson was shot during an armed robbery of a Detroit convenience store.
Sources:
Images: 1 2 3 4
‘Medal of Honor Recipients: Dwight H. Johnson’, US Army Centre of Military History, (source)
The latest TAB video is up and I had the chance to take a look at the formidable American M45 Quadmount. Boasting four .50 calibre Browning Heavy Machine Guns the M45 was designed for anti-aircraft duties but often found itself engaging ground targets. The video includes come close ups of the M45 and its M2 Brownings, some contemporary footage of the Quadmount in action and some photographs of it in action during WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
You can also read the full accompanying article on the M45 on The Armourer’s Bench’s website here.
The evening of the 18th August 1966, saw Trooper (temporary corporal) John Carter or the Royal Australian Armoured Corps win the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery. Trooper Carter’s M113A1 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was part of a Troop moving forward with reinforcements to assist a company of the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment which was heavily engaged with a large force of North Vietnamese troops.
As the APCs advanced they came under fire from an enemy 57mm recoilless rifle and intense small arms fire. A 57mm recoilless rifle round just missed Carter’s APC. The citation for Trooper Carter’s medal describes his actions:
Carter returned the fire using his .50 calibre machine gun [mounted on the roof of the M113A1 APC]. The gun jammed. He then grasped the driver's Owen Machine Carbine and without hesitation leapt on to the top of his vehicle and returned fire killing the 57 millimetre recoilless rifle team a fraction after another 57 millimetre recoilless rifle round had been fired. This round exploded and dazed the crew and passengers. Corporal Carter still undeterred continued to fire killing five other enemy.
By his actions Corporal Carter also drew additional fire on to himself enabling the other vehicles of the troop to advance. Through the action which was fought at very close range Corporal Carter showed outstanding courage, initiative and determination. His actions were an inspiration to all his comrades and contributed greatly to the success of the assault by the relief force, the heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy and immediately afterwards, the relief of D Company 6 Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment.
Sources:
Images: 1 2 3
The London Gazette (Supplement), 28 July 1967, No. 44376, p.8433, (source)
In the early 1980s Fabrique Nationale began developing a new heavy machine gun with improved armour piercing capability to replace the Browning .50 calibre M2 Heavy Machine Gun.
Announced in October 1983, the BRG-15 fired a 15.5x115mm cartridge. Early development of the ammunition had used a 20mm Hispano case necked down to 15mm. However, this size projectile lead to rapid barrel wear and a 15.5mm projectile with a plastic driving band, which engaged the barrel’s rifling, was finally developed.
The gas-operated BRG-15 used a double feed with the gunner able to switch feeds with a selector. The gun had a rate of fire of approximately 600 rounds per minute and ejected spent cases below the weapon. The BRG-15 had a quick change barrel system and unloaded weighed approximately 60 kg (132lb). While a tripod mounted system was developed for infantry use it is highly likely the BRG-15 would have also been mounted in vehicles where its dual feed system could be put to best use.
A .50 calibre (12.7×99mm) round next to a .61 calibre, 15.5x106mm, BRG-15 round (source)
FN developed the BRG-15 to counter the Soviet KPV 14.5mm heavy machine gun in service since the 1950s. The BRG-15′s 15.5mm armour piercing (AP) ammunition had a muzzle velocity of 1055 metres per second and an effective range of 2000 metres. At 1,000 metres the BRG-15′s AP projectile is said to have been able to penetrate any APC armour.
The BRG-15 was reportedly abandoned by FN in the early 1990s in favour of funding development of the P90 Personal Defence Weapon.
Sources:
Images: 1 2
Fabrique Nationale BRG-15, ModernFirearms.net, (source)
The Heavy Machine Gun Cartridge: Post War Efforts, Small Arms Review, A. Williams, (source)
FN BRG-15, Cartrology.com, (source)
