FG 42
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  FG42 Model I (top); FG42 Model II (bottom) |
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| Type | Automatic rifle |
| Place of origin | Nazi Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1942-1945 |
| Used by | Nazi Germany |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Louis Stange |
| Designed | 1942 |
| Number built | 2000 (Model I), 4,397 (Army) |
| Variants | Model I, Model II, Model III |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 4.5 kg (9.9 lb) (Model I), 4.9 kg (11.2 lb) (Model II) |
| Length | 937 mm (Model I), 1060 mm (Model II) |
| Barrel length | 502 mm (19¾" in) |
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| Caliber | 7,92 x 57 mm (8 mm Mauser) |
| Rate of fire | 900 rounds/min (Model I), 600 rounds/min (Model II) |
| Muzzle velocity | 761 m/s (2,500 f/s) |
| Effective range | ~500 m |
| Feed system | 10 or 20-round detachable box magazine) |
| Sights | Diopter Open Sights, ZFG42 Scope (Model I & II), ZF4 Scope (Model III) |
The Fallschirmjägergewehr 42 (FG42) was an automatic rifle produced in Nazi Germany during World War II. The weapon was developed specifically for the use by paratroopers, who wanted a suitable gun after their experiences in the Invasion of Crete. As a result, the FG-42 was developed. It could fire single shots semi-automatically, but also serve as a light support weapon. Its development was authorized by Hermann Göring.
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[edit] Development
At the time of Operation Merkur, or the Battle of Crete, the German doctrine was to let paratroopers jump only with pistols, submachineguns and handgrenades. It was believed that rifles and machinguns were too heavy and clumsy to safely jump with, and those weapons were dropped in separate containers. At Crete, Greek & British defenders decimated outgunned Fallschirmjäger in the early stages of battle who were trying to retrieve those containers scattered all over the battlefield. The heavy losses suffered by the Fallschirmjäger during Operation Merkur caused a reversal of doctrine, and hence the need for a suitable weapon to jump with. Hermann Göring, at the time the commander of all Luftwaffe forces, insisted that his Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers) be supplied with an advanced self-loading rifle. Friction with the army led to an independent development by the Luftwaffe (airforce) as the Fallschirmjäger were part of the airforce and not of the army. The so-called LC-6 specifications mentioned amongst others that the weapon should not exceed one metre in length, should not be significantly heavier than the K98 bolt action rifle, should be able to fire semi-automatic from a closed bolt, and full-automatic from an open bolt from 10 round or 30 round magazines. In spite of the development of the promising 7,92x33mm cartridge (that led eventually to Sturmgewehr 44, the first assault rifle) the full power standard 7,92x57mm round, used in the K98 bolt-action rifle and the machineguns, was retained.
Six manufacturers were given contracts but only a few prototypes are known to have been submitted. The design by Rheinmetall-Borsig designed by Louis Stange was accepted for mass production by Heinrich Krieghoff of Suhl (fzs) and L.O. Dietrich of Altenburg (gcy). However, due to design faults, the weapon had to be modified twice, increasing its serviceability but also its weight and cost.
[edit] Field testing
The FG42 filled a key niche in Nazi Germany's arsenal and was somewhat well-received by paratroopers when tested, but it did have its drawbacks. The FG42 had a 20, or sometimes 10, round magazine that was mounted on the left side of the rifle. Though a side-mounted magazine was common in submachineguns, the larger magazine with heavier ammunition of a full-powered rifle tended to unbalance the weapon. In addition, muzzle rise with automatic fire was substantial and controllable bursts were difficult. This made full-automatic fire only marginally useful. The FG42 used a fairly sophisticated muzzle device that did help with recoil and muzzle flash, but blast and noise were much greater than other similar weapons. The US M14 rifle had similar problems and attempts were made to upgrade that rifle the same way with an in-line stock and muzzle device.
The FG42 fired in semi-automatic mode from a closed bolt; the short lock-time, and little movement in the action during firing meant greater accuracy. When firing in the automatic mode, the gun utilized an open bolt system. This had the advantage of preventing a phenomenon known as "cooking off" where the heat of repeated rounds being fired causes a chambered round to overheat and prematurely ignite the powder or primer.
Some features, such as the details of the gas-operated bolt selection process, were studied by US Army engineers after the war. These, along with some aspects of the MG42, are commonly reported to have been incorporated in the similarly troubled M60.
The American M41 Johnson LMG has many parallels with the contemporary FG42. Both had in-line stocks, fed from the left side, and both fired from the open bolt in automatic mode and closed bolt in semi-automatic mode. Despite these similarities, there is no evidence that either weapon had any effect on the design of the other. They were both seeking to solve similar problems.
[edit] Deployment
After approximately 2000 FG 42s had been produced by Krieghoff, supplies of the manganese steel from which the receivers were forged were diverted to other needs; this meant a redesign was required to use stamped sheet metal in its place. Field reports were also requesting minor improvements, such as: relocating the bipod from the front of the handguard to the muzzle to reduce shot dispersion; changing the pistol grip angle to near vertical; enlarging the handguard and changing the stock from stamped steel to wood to minimize overheating. By the time the FG42 Mark II was developed, the war had significantly changed for the worse. Frequent allied bombing raids had crippled Germany, and the only weapons that could be produced were made out of lower-quality materials and subject to poor production methods. In all, only about 5000 of the newer model were produced, and only a limited number found their way into the hands of troops. Commandos under Otto Skorzeny were the first troops to use this weapon during their daring rescue of deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini (although no shots were fired during the operation).
[edit] Bibliography
Dugelby, Thomas B. and Stevens, R. Blake Death from Above – The German FG42 Paratroop Rifle, ISBN 0-88935-096-5
[edit] Other Weapons in this Category
| German-made firearms and light weapons of World War II |
|---|
| Side arms (Pistole) |
| Mauser C96 | Luger | Walther P38 | Walther PPK | Sauer 38H | Mauser HSc |
| Rifles & carbines (Gewehr & Karabiner) |
| Karabiner 98k | Gewehr 43/Karabiner 43 | StG44/MP44 | FG42 | StG45(M) |
| Submachine guns ( Maschinenpistole ) |
| Bergmann MP18 | MP38/MP40 "Schmeisser" | MP3008 "Volks MP" |
| Machine guns & other larger weapons |
| MG08 | MG34 | MG42 | Faustpatrone | Panzerfaust | Panzerschreck
Flammenwerfer 35 | Panzerbüchse 39 | Granatwerfer 36 | Granatwerfer 42 |
| Notable foreign-made infantry weapons |
| P.640(b) | Vis.35 | Vz.24/G24(t) | MG26(t) | Panzerbüchse 35(p) |
| German-made cartridges used by the Wehrmacht |
| 7.92 x 57 mm | 7.63 x 25 mm Mauser | 7.92 mm Kurz | 7.65 mm Luger | 9mm Luger |
[edit] External links
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