Wehrmacht MG42 Qualification Test

[PortHolio]

neat topic, thought I'd throw in some pure speculation...as I understand it, German theory treated an MG34/42 on a tripod very similar to a mortar or small field gun, and this is why the smaller crew served weapons were fielded together in infantry support companies.

It would make sense to have two separate qualifications for the two primary roles:
1. A heavy MG was used to "swat" a designated area out of direct line of sight, and was called in like an artillery strike. Maybe they call out coordinates on distant targes and see if crew could hit it with a burst.

2. In the light MG role, it was like the BAR and similar to how the M240 is deployed today for direct and covering fire for the squad. Maybe this resembled a National Match course of fire, only for a machine gun - different loading methods, different firing positions.

We might get some idea of the German MG qualification from what they did with other weapons. I found a lot of food for thought in "Panzer Tactics - German small unit armor tactics in WWII by Wolfgang Sneider". In Chapter 9 - Training and Tank Gunnery, the key training points stressed by combat experienced officers are:

-combined unit fight & manuever training (always train infantry and support weapons together; frequent repositioning and constant camouflage)

-very limited "marksmanship" on a known distance static range, essentially only for sighting the gun. marksmanship is learned in realistic combat context.

- no blank firing. dummy rounds only in the classroom, always live ammo with unknown range targets during field exercises

-must bracket unknown range or moving targets during direct fire (if they knew another tank was between 1000 and 2000m, they would set the sight for 1000, fire, set for 1500, fire, and fire the final round at 2000m setting. this was often quicker than firing one shot and correcting for actual perfect range) Excellent explaination of the tactic on pgs331-333.

I would love to see a responsible, semi scientific live fire, area target exercise. If I ever saw one in person, I would be the guy with a Maxim sized chubbie.

[Bil]

Very good-I had forgotten about the info in that book,there is a lot of interesting info in there.I have another that shows how several MGs were co-ordinated for various situations,it is at the office,I will post more later.This would make a very interesting excercise,we would need J Baum and his 'dingerwatermesser' or whatever that optical device is.(I am sure I will hear soon the exact term!) The book has details about firing over your own troops,and drawings of the difference between the coverage firing manually and firing using the FCD. If this ever comes together,if possible I would like to get a TV camera setup to record it-I don't think this has been seen since 1945 or so! ---bil

[Taurus454]

Thanks to all for the replies! As an aside, my health has deteriorated to where I really cannot work anymore and I have put in for early retirement. If it is approved, I will have free time and would love to be involved with the actual firing that has been discussed.

In any case, I'd love to see this happen and would love a copy of any video or stills. What would be really cool is if this could turn into an annual event where MG42 operators from around the USA could meet annually and qualify the original German standards! What a get together that would be! The possibilities for expanding it to other weapons would become a world class event IMHO!

Oh well, I can dream, can't I?

Thanks again to all!

Tom

[42rocker]

Tom
Sorry to hear about your health.

It would make for an interesting event. Where is one of the bigger problems. Folks that want to... If well planned, a lot of us would be interested in doing it.....

Later 42rocker

[Matt]

I think I would travel anywhere in the USA for that event. Well worth vacation time to watch and I'd leave the semi 34 at home and just watch the FA guns work! - Matt

[42rocker]

Matt
I have seen semi auto mg42's in a tripod doing a bounce fire that is almost as good as a FA, ok Large Almost. I think that it would still be interesting in semi auto anyway. Yes I would also like to see FA first. Then Semi???? There is another post on this topic also.

http://mg42.us/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10643

3,000 meter indirect fire exercise,,, talk and interest

Later 42rocker

[Matt]

I've done some really long shooting with the TNW 34 on a Bundeswehr and wartime lafette. About 1500 yards at a friends farm here in Iowa. We shot at an old solid rust tractor and saw some good impacts but mostly we couldn't see them with the naked eye. Another friend in Montana has a place to shoot that is several thousand yards, I was there one time with full auto MG34s. That was fun. The target was sandstone and dry dirt, very easy to see impacts. - Matt