101st Airborne Machine Gun Team 1/30 Figure Set - William Britain (25240)
Features
- Figure is approximately 2.5" long
- All metal construction
- Hand painted and ready for display
The U.S. military wanted to use the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle as its portable squad weapon. It would lay down a base of fire then advance to the next position with the team. While portable, the BAR was not sufficient as a sustained fire weapon due to its fixed barrel and 20-round magazine. The M1919A6 was the attempt at a solution. A 30 cal. M1919 was fitted with a buttstock, a front barrel with a carrying handle, and a bipod similar to that used on the BAR. Unlike the BAR the M1919A6 muzzle device allowed the gun crew to replace the barrel; an improvement, but still an awkward procedure that put the gun out of action for several minutes. Although slow to set up, it was effective, reliable, and popular with the troops.
