MG 34
MG 34 with a center mounted bipod
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/modern/19545/mg-34
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/modern/19545/mg-34
nice condition
Yes, it does look like it’s in excellent condition - as if it were either a museum piece or maybe a repo? But one of the interesting things the photo reminds of is the gurtrommel - the 50-round “drum” it used. Most people seem to think of the long linked ammo belts being used for the MG34 and 42; I’ve even had people be amazed at the idea these MGs could even use drums instead of belts. Yet I’ve read that the gurtrommel was actually the most common way of feeding the gun (at least when being used as an LMG, rather than the MMG)!!? The frequency of its use vs. the linked belt is not often talked about, at least in the books I’ve come across, so I’m going on the word of only one or two sources here… Anyway, the gurtrommel is not a true drum magazine: instead, a 50-round belt lay coiled up inside. The drum helped keep the ammo clean, and made it much easier to move the gun around during combat. There was also a 75-round saddle drum used for the MG34, but it was a real magazine, not a housing for a coiled belt. I looked on the 'net quickly for its name, and found “patronentrommel,” but my memory says there was also a name like “doppletrommel” for it - my spelling here is a guess. It preceded the gurtrommel, and was used mostly for AA, and was being discontinued about the time war started. I believe the MG42 could use both of these drums as well, though I came across one source that said it couldn’t use either of them. Photographs seem to suggest otherwise, at least regarding the gurtrommel. Interestingly, there was also a version of the MG34 made especially for AFVs, which lacked any ventilation holes on the barrel.
The MG34 was still used during the Sinai campaign in 1956 by the israeli army. Kinda ironic…