Some more little known pre-WWI U.S. Army weapons

[Rick the Librarian]

1. The Colt Model 1895 "potato digger". Developed and used as early as the Spanish American War (the Roughriders used two in 7mm). It also saw service during the Boxer Rebellion. By 1914, this design was fading away, but the start of war "resurrected" it and a modified M1914 was produced as the Marlin, used as tank guns and other applications. It saw use by the Navy and Marines and by the Army for training.

http://www.fototime.com/A4B436BC482575F/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/3BCAF5B79653EA3/standard.jpg

2. The Maxim Model 1904. This was based on the famous German design and was adopted by the U.S. Army in that year. 267 guns were made, 90 by Vickers and the rest by Colt. Interestingly, the first guns were chambered in 30-03 but were modified to fire the new 30-06 cartridge shortly afterwards. It can be recognized by the muzzle booster. The main problem was its weight - 150 pounds, with tripod. Used for training only.

http://www.fototime.com/056604C81D721E3/standard.jpg

3. The Vickers Model 1915: This was adopted by the U.S. in that year, although only about 125 were manufactured at the start, again, by Colt. One thing I was not aware (I assumed these were also used just for training) was that about 12,000 were manufactured and they saw service with several U.S. divisions during WWI, and also were used on U.S.-manned aircraft. They can also be recognized by the muzzle booster, which is slightly different than those used by their British "cousins. The M1915, with tripod, weigh about 2/3 of the Maxim.

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(Most of the information I have shared comes from Bruce Canfield's book on U.S. WWI weapons)

Just to show you that old guns have the ability to show up in the strangest places, here are two photo stills from the 1943 war movie Bataan: two two cast members firing either a Vickers M1915 or a Maxim M1904 - I can't get a good look at the breech to tell for sure.

http://www.fototime.com/D569035942CFA5D/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/EF0DA5211DE59EE/standard.jpg

[RCS]

Colt also manufactured the Vickers chambered for 11mm for used against German balloons,
(it was the old French 11x59R black powder cartridge modified)

Photo shows the 8mm Lebel and 11mm Vickers, the 11mm Vickers was used by US units flying both the SPAD 13 and Nieuport 28

[Rick the Librarian]

The machine guns on Eddie Rickenbacker's Nieuport look like they may be Vickers M1915s.

http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/801/cache/eddie-rickenbacker-01_80100_600x450.jpg

[RCS]

Difficult to be able to ID the caliber of the m/g's on Rickenbacker's Nieuport 28

On the last Bataan move photo of the three men with the Vickers, note the "Hollywood" sling swivel on the Thompson with the blank attachment -

[Jim in Salt Lake]

I noticed the holster and belt the guy is wearing in the Maxim picture. Doesn't look like Army issue, is he in uniform, parts of uniform??

[Fred]

I think that he's carrying a Double Action Smith & Wesson in a Mexican Loop holster and belt. Is this photo from the punitive expedition in Mexico, around 1916?

[Rick the Librarian]

I believe a lot of these photos were taken at the Mexican border, yes.

[RCS]

The US Army used the Colt double action revolver in 38 Colt until the end of WW1, they did have for a brief period the Model 1909 revolver which used the larger diameter rim in 45 caliber, The Model 1911 was in short supply and the Model 1917 Colt and S&W were issued

[Fred]

Something in the shape of the grip seems to me like a S&W, but it could be a Colt. If this is a photo from the 1916 expedition, then of course it wasn't a 1917. Yes, I thought it might be a 1909 Colt in .45 Colt, but still, something in that shape suggests to me to be a S&W. I'll go with whatever you guys think though.

[Fred]

Heck, after I left active duty and transferred to the reserves, I carried my own Pre WWI 1911 made by Springfield Armory in a WWII shoulder holster when I was an Armor Officer in the 1980's. As a Company commander, I put off turning in the 1911's we had in the arms room for the new 9mm's. I just liked them. So did my Colonel who liked my simple and efficient holster and who wanted me to get him one just like it.

[jmm03]

I may be mistaken, but I believe that the German Spandau was a copy of the Hiram Maxim designed machine gun rather than the other way around. Jim

[Rick the Librarian]

Yes, to my knowledge, it was. German, Britain and Russia (as well as other smaller countries) used a Maxim derivative.