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Thompson On Combat


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Anyone have any idea where the Thompson that Sgt. Saunders carried on Combat is today. Serial Number? Colt or ?Was it a rental? Just courious, I have spent alot of flying time watching Combat since I got the DVD,s and I guess its Thompson envy when I see the Thompson that started my obssesion.
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it was one of the m.g.m.gun's.back around 1972 i held the thompson,it was a boat anchor..bad barrel refinished...they used two for the series is what i was able to confirm...also had one of the mp-40 /reisings also.

 

that is one i never should have let get away. a little history there.............anyway you would not have liked the gun in the cond.it was in.by now i am sure it looks alot better.........

 

anyway thats my story and i am stickin with it...j.elwood

 

take care,ron

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Bet this'll bring back memories for you, Ron!

 

MGM Studios owned four Thompsons up until about 1970, when the entire MGM collection was transfered to J. Curtiss Earl (don't know the date of the actual transfer). Two of the Thompsons were 1928 Auto Ordnance Bridgeports which Earl describes as having been the ones used in "Combat" and "Rat Patrol", and there were two Model 1921 Colts that saw a lot of use in various MGM productions. The two '28s (see arrows on scan #3) were Serial #s AO150593X and AO152697X. Don't know where any of these are today, but I seem to recall reading an account of some expert "debunking" a few of the Curtiss Earl/MGM guns that had been purchased for "big bucks" by a private museum (whatever they paid it'd probably seem like a bargain today).

 

Here are scans (from an old J. Curtiss Earl catalog) of the MGM collection and the request for transfer/detail list submitted to the BATF. The list itself is interesting for what it tells about how some of these guns were created (sheet metal Schmeisers?). And note the BATF response time from request to approval!

 

Save these pics if you want them because I don't know how long the hosting service keeps em.

 

Bob

 

http://img34.exs.cx/img34/6209/MGM_1.jpg

 

http://img34.exs.cx/img34/1256/MGM_2.jpg

 

http://img34.exs.cx/img34/2074/MGM_3.jpg

Edited by Bob B
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Does Hollywood still own some real Thompsons or have they all been replaced with props?
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Interesting!

Des anyone know the whereabouts of #3965?

I ask because I picked up a 1921 actuator with a broken cocking knob...!

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i owned #3965,i gave a list here in what movies it was used in.i sold it and now its in a private collection.the actuator has been replaced a long time ago,and has been refinished........with its original case and al the goodie's.......a bit of history.. take care,ron
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