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MG34-MG42 German Universal Machineguns Folke Myrvang, a First Lieutenant in the Norwegian Home Guard and an avid machinegunner himself, has produced the first-ever complete study of the MG34 and MG42 – the German Universal Machineguns of World War II – by combining his military expertise with his experiences as an active recreational shooter and collector. Here he presents in-depth coverage of the historical development, fielding, tactical use of and modifications made to these remarkable guns and their myriad accessories and ancillaries, plus authoritative tips on troubleshooting the MG42, and especially the MG34, today. Taking their cue from theMG16, proposed during World War I as the first ever Einheitsmaschinengewehr (Universal machinegun), an audacious program was begun in secret in Germany in 1930 to develop one new weapon which would combine the advantages of the light machinegun and the heavy machinegun, and be capable of performing all the functions previously allotted to both. A judicious combination of features developed by the pioneering firm Rheinmetall, plus contributions from Mauser, Vollmer and others, led to the development of the air-cooled, belt-fed MG34. The spring-loaded Danish Madsen "softmount" completed the equation, leading first to the fielding of the ultra-rare Lafette for the MG08/15 Maxim, nicknamed the Heuschreche (Grasshopper), not one single example of which is known to exist today. With the quick-change barrel and bolt of the MG34, coupled with the automatic traversing and ranging features and optic sights built into the superb MG Lafeete-mounted infantry and Fortress HMG, and an AA machinegun. It was even mounted on gliders. The MG34 was manufactured by a total of five firms before and during the war: Rheinmetall – Maget; BSW/Gustloff-Werke, Suhl; Mauser Borsegwalde; Waffenfabrik Steyr; and Waffewerk Brunn. By 1941, Grossfuss – a firm with no previous experience in arms design-had developed what became the MG42, the world’s first rifle-caliber machinegun with a one-piece stamped receiver/barrel jacket, which fired a the incredible rate of 1,500rpm (25 rounds per second). The Lafette concept was retained, meaning that the end of the war for Tanker and Fortress use. Many receivers and other stamped parts were subcontracted by Grossfuss and other firms for use in the assembly of the MG42 by four prime contractors: Maget, Maschinen-und Gerätebau GMBH; Waffenfabrik Steyr; Gustloff-Werke, Suhl; and Mauser AG, Werk Borsigwalde. Most remarkably, today, over sixty years after it’s inception, the MG42, still in service as the 7.62mm NATO caliber MG3, remains one of the most widely used machineguns in the world. 496 pages, 646 illustrations, hardcover. |