What Happened to all the Thompsons After WW2?

[1952HRA]

I know this is a little off topic but while we are talking about the British and Browning 50 Cals, did the British change the 50s to 303s on the Mustang p-51s and Corsair F4Us we sold them?

[Paladin601]

 

 

"If the German Air Force had had the Browning .50-caliber, the Battle of Britain would have turned out differently." German Field Marshal Herman Göring

 

The brits did not have the Browning either, they had the 303 vickers

.303 Brownings on Spitfires and Hurricanes.

 

They were Brownings?, Cool, always thought they were vickers. Didn't that violate the neutrality act? Or were they manufactured in Britain?

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

They were Brownings?, Cool, always thought they were vickers. Didn't that violate the neutrality act? Or were they manufactured in Britain?

1981 film "Eye Of The Needle"

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG9n_L0ha1c

[anjong-ni]

In actuality...it was the Mosquitos.... Phil

 

"In 1940 I could at least fly as far as Glasgow in most of my aircraft, but not now! It makes me furious when I see the Mosquito. I turn green and yellow with envy. The British, who can afford aluminium better than we can, knock together a beautiful wooden aircraft that every piano factory over there is building, and they give it a speed which they have now increased yet again. What do you make of that? There is nothing the British do not have. They have the geniuses and we have the nincompoops. After the war is over I'm going to buy a British radio set then at least I'll own something that has always worked."....Air-Marshal Goering...

[Mk VII]

The Colt gun was selected to replace the older Vickers types in the late Thirties, but with so many modifications that it was felt desirable to give it a distinctive name. In particular the Air Staff insisted that the gun must be made in Britain so as not to depend on foreign supply, and it must fire the same cartridge as the Army for logistical reasons. Air trials revealed a propensity to 'cook off' after a really long burst, - which the Air Staff Specification had insisted was required - something which cordite-loaded ammunition was more likely to do, so the mechanism was changed to cease fire with bolt open. N.C.- loaded ammunition was also ruled out for logistical reasons. Initial supplies of guns were made by Colt, and thereafter by Vickers-Armstrong and BSA, with Standard Motors chipping to help later on. Although some of the early American-made aircraft such as the Brewster Buffalo were rearmed with .303s, in an attempt to lighten them and improve their dismal performance, later ones were used as they came.

Edited December 24, 2017 by Mk VII

[Big Al]

Someone stated here in the past that M1-type Thompsons can still be found on (I believe) Los Angeles class submarines.

[2ndArmored]

There is always a story about some veteran that dies and their kids find a gun, grenade or something hidden in the Garage. There is a book on the Thompson cannot think of the name (blue Cover) that while in France researching the book, a number of people showed him Thompsons and other guns that were not turn in after the war, in case France was invaded again.

 

In England an Woman died who had been in MI-6 during the war, and she still had her Sten Gun in the attic.

 

I am sure many more will start turning up as the veterans get fewer from that war.

Dad's a WWII vet - still alive at 91. He said GI's were shipping home enough trophy MP-40's and K-98's to fill the Queen Mary. "Slightly used" Thompsons (separated into parts) et cetera. And about half of them never made it to those homes, intercepted by the guys on the docks. A change of address and off they went.

[buzz]

Someone stated here in the past that M1-type Thompsons can still be found on (I believe) Los Angeles class submarines.

 

 

why would the navy bother with thompsons?

 

they'd have no parts or ammo in their supply network

 

what does the navy pay for a new M4 assault rifle? $600 maybe? the sub probably burns that much money with every spin of the propeller

[dalbert]

 

 

 

Someone stated here in the past that M1-type Thompsons can still be found on (I believe) Los Angeles class submarines.

 

why would the navy bother with thompsons?

 

they'd have no parts or ammo in their supply network

 

what does the navy pay for a new M4 assault rifle? $600 maybe? the sub probably burns that much money with every spin of the propeller

They don't use M4's to internally guard the nukes, for fear of damaging them if a weapon is fired. They normally use shotguns, from what I understand. I may have been the one who mentioned the Thompsons still being in use, because a friend of mine indicated they were still in submarine use up through at least 1992, when he left service in Navy subs. I don't recall what subs he served on. I don't think they would have a need for many spare parts in such a limited role, but I did not ask my friend that question.

 

David Albert

dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

[Ron Mills]

David, as a side note---a nephew of mine served in the Navy in the 1980s. The ship he served on (not a sub) still had M3 Grease Guns complete with flash hiders as active arms at that time.

[mgvince]

I was an M1 Abrams mechanic in the Army. We still had M3 grease guns in our M88A1 recovery vehicles. There were two in each 88 as bail out weapons.

Operation Desert Storm.

 

Edited December 29, 2017 by mgvince

[Petroleum 1]

Considering the Marines are responsible for security on all navy ships Im not surprised they are still using 75yr old guns. The Marines always get the hand me downs

[shadycon]

mgvince;

1972 while in 6/10 FA, Bamburg, Ger. we had an M88 & M578, Both had M3 GG's. Two in M88 had straight and bent barrels. Interesting to shoot!!!!!!

[MG08]

 

 

 

 

Someone stated here in the past that M1-type Thompsons can still be found on (I believe) Los Angeles class submarines.

 

why would the navy bother with thompsons?

 

they'd have no parts or ammo in their supply network

 

what does the navy pay for a new M4 assault rifle? $600 maybe? the sub probably burns that much money with every spin of the propeller

They don't use M4's to internally guard the nukes, for fear of damaging them if a weapon is fired. They normally use shotguns, from what I understand. I may have been the one who mentioned the Thompsons still being in use, because a friend of mine indicated they were still in submarine use up through at least 1992, when he left service in Navy subs. I don't recall what subs he served on. I don't think they would have a need for many spare parts in such a limited role, but I did not ask my friend that question.

 

David Albert

dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

I can't speak for all USN submarines, but When I was in the Navy, and attached to the Trident program ( early 80s) , We had Ohio class, the old Slow attacks ( old missile boats with the tubes filled with concrete per START treaty) and a few new Los Angeles class boats. I was pretty familiar with the arms rooms and base armory as I checked out stuff all the time, and transported weapons as part of my duties. I never saw any Thompsons, no Grease guns, and only a few "other" guns. Most in use were M14s, M16s and pump shotguns. We still had 1911 45s - this was just before going to the 9mm. The SEAL detachment had some weird stuff, ( M45 "K"s, M79s, AKs) bu theirs were stored separately. We had 45 ammo to burn and if there had been Thompsons in the armory, we would have gotten them to shoot. I had free access to check out anything I wanted to shoot, and the Marine range was on my way home from the base. I took every opportunity to shoot I could get. But no Thompsons.

[thirtyround]

Concerning parts availability for "obsolete" weapons possessed by US ARMY Tier One assets and/or Naval Special Warfare Branch entities, (and some others) there are a few modern "facilities" in which the entire purpose is support of weapons maintenance, parts, technology, rebuilding and "fabrication" of anything needed if it cant be found. These facilities are incredible in what is accomplished from current issued weapons to O L D stuff. Their budget pretty much has no limits since their main focus is dark side support. In regard to "older" weapons, (in which are available) additionally they're job is to procure spares and parts conus/oconus OR they make them.

Bottom line... If there are US military activities that possess obsolete weapons for any legitimate reason, they provide parts and keep them running, regardless of what small arm weapon system it is.

2 cents worth

[rpbcps]

Sorry I don't have the reference, but I read somewhere, that the Yugoslavian Army received 34,000 M1A1 Thompsons during the 1950s, as part of a US Military Aid to Yugoslavia Agreement.

Some of these guns resurfaced during the Balkans wars in the 1990s, as you sometimes come across photos of them from that period, but I am yet to find a photo of an M1A1 being used by Yugoslavian forces during the 1950's, 60's, 70's or 80's.

I have also just received a "Military Commission of the National Republic of Croatia", manual for the M1A1, dated 1953, so that date may coincide with the US Military Aid agreement, M1A1’s being delivered.

 

[Broadarrowmaint]

Heres a neat photograph of my grandfather in the Korean War. It sure the story behind the Thompson in the photograph, could have been a captured Weapon photo op, who knows. I regret not asking about this before he passed. Very cool photo though.

[john]

I recall back in the late 60's and early 70's the ads in Shotgun News for Paragon and other companies who sold Thompson parts for 21 cents a pound (or so?) Or a cheap $55.00 per 55 gallon drum full (picked up or delivered via rail freight).

Their ad showed a picture of dozens of drums in a warehouse, with Thompson stocks and barrels sticking out the tops.....

Some of these are still turning up at shows.....

[bug]

Very nice. Do you have any idea how the photo became "Mirrored"? He is obviously holding the grip with his right hand.

 

Bob D

[Broadarrowmaint]

I have no idea! I realized that when looking at the Thompson and the 1911. I think my Aunt has the original photograph and when she was doing a collage for his celebration of life after he passed she may have mirrored it on the computer. Something tells me that Thompson was a captured weapon. He always talked to me about carrying a carbine while he was in country.

[john]

To mirror a negative you can reverse it before copying....just turn it over. Same thing happened there as the print was made.

The ejection port is right there on the left side(!!) where it shouldn't be, right? 😉

[Maxim]

I was visiting with a German friend after the Oktoberfest last September. I told him when he was here next time he could shoot my Thompson. He told me that he had been to a range in Czech Republic and fired a Thompson there. They did not have any MP-40s for anyone to shoot at that facility.

[rpbcps]

'WW2 Thompsons in Todays World', I can not remember the source where I found this article, wrote by Master Sgt John Barber USMC, but thought I'd share it with you.

 

WW II Thompsons in Todays world.pdf

 

and some of those 'surplus’ Thompsons found there way into the hands of insurgents, such as the Algerian Armée de Libération Nationale, fighting the French in the 1950's

 

 

Stay safe

 

Richard

Edited March 6, 2019 by rpbcps

[johnnj]

Richard, Great article. Thanks for sharing!!

[Kilroy]

Heres a neat photograph of my grandfather in the Korean War. It sure the story behind the Thompson in the photograph, could have been a captured Weapon photo op, who knows. I regret not asking about this before he passed. Very cool photo though.

Edited March 9, 2019 by Kilroy