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Machine gun

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Roland Domanig
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Machine gun

Hi Forum,
the attached photo shows a machine gun, found in the mountains of Tyrol.
Can one confirm, that it is a USAF m-gun,
which position did it have in a plane,
could it be demounted and thrown down if there was need to do,
can it be assigned to a B17 or a B24?
2 crashes 1943 and 2 crashes 1944 could be brouhgt in connection
with this gun. But the 4 crashsites are in all cases ca 20 km off from the
place where
it was found.
Sorry to say, that the gun disappeared again in nature and has to be found
again,
and its number plate (once taken for identfying ) is lost for the moment
too.
Is there a number engraved in the metal of the M-gun?
We´d be glad receiveing many answers to our questions to
discover the history of this weapon.
Thanks for your interest.
Roland
Tyrol, Austria, Europa
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Quote  #1
Serial Number

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    Al Blue
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    Re: [Roland Domanig] Machine gun (permalink)
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    Roland - There is nothing in the photo to indicate scale, but if the gun is a typical American .50 cal. mg there should be a serial number, located as follows. Get behind the gun as if to fire it. Make sure the main casing (the rectangular box holding the working mechanism) is right side up with the receiver for the ammunition on top. Now look along the lower left hand side of the casing almost all the way toward the front. The serial number should be there, stamped into the metal.

    Al Blue
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    Quote  #2
    PJP51
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    Re: [Roland Domanig] Machine gun (permalink)
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    Hallo Roland,



    Go after it fast !....

    I hope we'll be hearing from you when you've relocated this gun !



    Greetz,

    Paul

    The Netherlands
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    Quote  #3
    billrunnels
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    Re: [Roland Domanig] Machine gun (permalink)
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    [cool] Roland, in the photo the tip of the gun barrel appears to be flared. If so I doubt that it came from a B-17 or B-24. Most likely was used by ground troops. Good luck on your search. Hope you find it again. Will be anxious to learn of the outcome.

    Bill Runnels, Bombardier(B-17)
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    Hans von Hammer
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    Re: [Roland Domanig] Machine gun (permalink)
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    Just a guess, but it looks like a British .303 MG to me.
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    Roland Domanig
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    Re: [Hans von Hammer] Machine gun (permalink)
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    Dear Hans,

    thanks for your reply,

    we try to relocate the gun soon and make better photos. Try to find engraved numbers as Mr. Al Blue told me, or other significant details. You´ll hear from me, if news occur.

    atb

    Roland

    Tyrol, Austria
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    Quote  #6
    Roland Domanig
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    Re: [Al Blue] Machine gun (permalink)
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    Dear Mr. Al Blue,

    your detailled description of the possibly engraved serial number makes me very curious, it will be a great help for us to identfy the origin and function of the gun. We hope, that the rocks will give free the gun that we can take it to our museum.

    If we succeed, you will hear about it.

    Please let me say, that I have answered to JP51 and Bill Runnels to their private mailing adresses with similar contents, just because of technical/translation-reasons with the Forum pages.

    Hope this answer will come through too, I am trying.

    atb

    Roland, Tyrol, Austria, Europa
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    Quote  #7
    Jeff Carless
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    Re: [Roland Domanig] Machine gun (permalink)
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    Hi,
    Without doubt its a 'handheld' 0.50 'fifty calibre' gun, seen attached picture of a similar gun and mount recovered from a B24 crash site. The mounting is of the same type, although the counter balance is further up the cooling jacket, maybe from impact or by design. The one shown here was a waist gun as all others on this model (J) were in turrets.
    The same mount would have been used in B17s also.

    Regards,

    Jeff
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    Quote  #8
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