Wehrmacht (German Soldiers): Part 6

 German soldiers with MG-34 machine-gun with optical sights

THE MG-34 MACHINE GUN

The Maschinengewehr 34, or MG 34, was a German machine gun that was first produced and accepted into service in 1934, and first issued to units in 1935. It was an air-cooled machine gun firing the 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge.

The MG34 was used as the primary infantry machine gun during the 1930s, and remained as the primary tank and aircraft defensive weapon. It was to be replaced in infantry service by the related MG42, but there were never enough quantities of the new design to go around, and MG34s soldiered on in all roles until the end of World War II. The MG34 was intended to replace the MG13 and other older machine guns, but these were still being used in WWII as demand was never met.

The new gun was accepted for service almost immediately and was generally liked by the troops, and it was used to great effect by German soldiers.

Imported units of MG34s, as well as indigenous copies of the weapon were adopted by Chinese Nationalist forces during both World War II and the Chinese Civil War. Some models captured from the Germans by the Soviets or French were supplied to the People's Liberation Army/People's Volunteer Army, Korean People's Army, PAVN and the Viet Cong over the Cold War.

  With MG-42 machine-gun

THE MG-42 MACHINE-GUN

The MG 42 (shortened from German: Maschinengewehr 42, or "machine gun 42") is a 7.92mm universal machine gun that was developed in Nazi Germany and entered service with the Wehrmacht in 1942. It supplemented and in some instances, replaced the MG 34 general purpose machine gun in all branches of the German Armed Forces, though both weapons were manufactured and used until the end of the war.

The MG 42 has a proven record of reliability, durability, simplicity, and ease of operation, but is most notable for being able to produce a stunning volume of suppressive fire. The MG 42 has one of the highest average rates of fire of any single-barreled man-portable machine gun, between 1,200 and 1,500 rpm, resulting in a distinctive muzzle report. There were other automatic weapon designs with similar firepower, such as the French Darne, the Hungarian-Gebauer single-barreled tank MGs, the Russian 7.62mm ShKAS aircraft gun and the British Vickers K machine gun. However, the MG 42's belt-feed and quick-change barrel system allowed for more prolonged firing in comparison to these weapons.

 The 98K Carbine

THE 98K CARBINE

The German Model Kar 98k Mauser Carbine is a modified, shortened version of the WWI Gewehr 98 rifle, the Mauser turn-bolt action, developed by Paul Mauser in 1898. The Kar 98k (98k) was adopted for use by the German Wehrmacht in 1935. It was the primary German infantry rifle in WW II, and was noted for its excellent accuracy.

During WWII the 98k was developed in very large quantities in most German occupied countries. After WWII many countries; East Germany, Norway, China, and even Israel issued the rifle to homeland troops. Some rifles were rebarreled to 30.06 and .308 calibers.

Allies. A Hungarian soldier with a German officer

The SS firing the MG37 machinegun

A German Tiger tank fires on a Russian village

A German soldier performs the cavalry orchestra

General Manstein with Tiger Tanks in the background

German headquarters in the field

A German soldier examines a Soviet SVT-40 rifle

This man is not going to get psyched seeing the Soviet poster which says Hitler will face a similar fate which Napoleon faced more than a century ago

 

 The SS cavalry perform

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-- German soldiers: Part 1
-- German soldiers: Part 2
-- Rare Images Of The Wehrmacht: Part 3
-- Wehrmacht: Part 4

-- Wehrmacht (German Soldiers) Part 5
-- Wehrmacht: Part 7

-- Wehrmacht: Part 8