We use that?

It is named FG-42. A LMG i thing. We used this weapon in ww2?

Iama

Attached Image

Iama,

The weapon shown in your scan is not a LMG. It is a gas-operated, selective fire battle rifle (not exactly what would later be called "assault rifle", nor even in its original German "Sturmgewehr" guise, because it is chambered for the full power Wehrmacht rifle ammunition, 7,92x57), the Fallschirmjägergewehr 42, designed as a specific weapon for the elite parachute units of the Luftwaffe as it name implies (Paratrooper's rifle model 42). It was quite an advanced design for its era, with some problems too... The rate of fire - 759/800rpm - in full auto mode was a bit too high for such a gun, which was fed from a magazine... Besides, the rifle was too flimsy to withstand prolonged use firing in full auto: the first model of the weapon was simply too light to tackle the full power 7,92 round; it would have been far easier to use the then new 7,92x33 Kurz cartridge, conceived as an intermediate power round for use in the new assualt rifles being developed. But the Luftwaffe high brass were stubborn and insisted upon the use of the older, full-power ammo. Besides, it was a very expensive gun to manufacture.
A second model, known today as FG-42 II, was designed to allieviate the problems of the of first one, aiming at the same time to reduce manufacture costs. It was ready in 1944, and, although it replaced the futuristic looking buttstock made from stamped steel seen in the first model by a wooden one, as also the angle pistol grip, it was still a complicated gun to produce, too light to fire in full auto mode. The bipod was also changed to a different position. In spite of the efforts made to convert the design into something better, only a small number of the 2nd model was actually made (around 5000 rifles) until the end of the war.
A strange and quite archaic feature - possible the only one, if we exclude the ammo itself! - found in the FG-42 was a simple and short spike bayonet, which could be stored pointing backwards under the barrel, just like in the French bolt-action MAS 36 rifle.
The rifles (both versions, FG-42 I and II) were used only by the German paratroopers. Please take a look at the following:
http://www.waffenhq.de/infanterie/fg42.html
http://www.fg42.net/
But by far, the best reference on this weapon is the superb book by Thomas B. Dugelby, "Death from Above: the German FG 42 Paratroop Rifle", Ontario, Collector Grade Publications, 1990. ISBN: 0889350965.
I bought my copy six years ago. Now the book is out-of-print and can fetch incredible prices: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...985539?v=glance

Ruy

Hei! Now i remember!

When i see real pitures, not drawings, i remember - i find this weapon in computer games!!! I think, in "Return to Castle Wolfestein" it was one with scope. And, other games. Maybe in Call of Dutty, last one?
So, the answer is - we used that weapon just in games!

Iama

Hmmm... a FG-42 with an ORIGINAL scope, that's a collector's dream! I mean a real gun, with a real scope (most probably a ZF-41)... not the virtual version.
I recall reading about a lawyer who owns several FG-42's, of both models. The gentleman must be quite well off, given the scarcity of the guns themselves and the incredible high prices asked.

Ruy

Hello Ruy,

1. You are guns collector? What guns you have?

2. You play computer games? If you like guns, is nice to shoot with them, even in virtual mode. In Call of Duty (last) i have pleasure to use a Tokarev rifle for first time. In Vietkong, for example i use with a big-big pleasure PPSh and SKS. And pistol Tokarev, with verry good skills (little under 100 % headshots).
Vietkong had real design of the rifles.

Iama

this is slowly turning into a general discussion thread....

but anyway, i remember in call of duty, but in return to castle wolfenstein i cannot recall when u saw this one

The answer to the initial question is: no, the Romanian army did not use such a weapon.

Use cheats to have all weapons, and after that make a verification. I hope i remember well, because i dont liked this game.
Sorry for off topic...

Iama

Victor,

I already answered the initial question:

The bold was added now.
The only German ally that used semi-auto rifles (not selective fire ones, though) in reasonable numbers was Finland, due to the capture of quantities of SVT-38 and SVT-40 rifles, both during the Winter War and the Continuation War. They also developed an indigenous semi-auto rifle in the same category as the M-1 Garand and the Tokarev SVT-40, the Pelo, but this is way off-topic...

Ruy

This post has been edited by Ruy Aballe on December 28, 2004 05:10 pm