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Dioramas
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us airborne weapons
biker
Joined: June 29, 2006
KitMaker: 14 posts
Armorama: 13 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 01:36 PM UTC
hi you all!

I'm making an airbornew diorama of us paratroopers in the first hour of the normandy invasion.
I have a question about weapons!

1) did the first waves of paratroopers carried B.A.R. s?(I have done some research about this question, and the answer is no!, but if some of you have any information it will be very well received!

2) was possible that they carri shotguns?(I konw it was used in the pacific theatre, but I dont think paratroopers carrie them)

3) and flamethrowers?

Other usefull information is that my paratroopers are from the very first waves, and their mission is to blow up a bridge near the shore!


thenks you alll!


JohnLong
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Missouri, United States
Joined: March 11, 2002
KitMaker: 276 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 01:55 PM UTC
I think the answer is "no" to all three. I may be wrong about the flame thrower, but I'm fairly certain on the BAR and shotgun. A visit to Mark Bando's site, Trigger Time, will get you more information than you might care to digest about the subject of US WWII airborne.
Fitz
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: July 11, 2006
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Posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 03:06 PM UTC
BAR's were not on the TOE of the airborne divisions during the Normandy campaign.

I have never, ever seen or heard of them using shotguns and flamethrowers were rarely used in Europe and less likely to be used by airborne. I'd say no on all counts.
Airchalenged
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Texas, United States
Joined: October 21, 2006
KitMaker: 188 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 03:35 PM UTC
It's no on all three accounts.

BARs and Flame throwers are too bib to jump - let alone the rarity of Flame Throwers in the first place. And shotguns are useless in hit and run tactics are distance shooting. They are only real good at the close quarters fighting of the pacific or indoors (which was a style still evolving)
Pavlovsdog
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Carlow, Ireland
Joined: June 05, 2006
KitMaker: 438 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 11:05 PM UTC
No to all three, they did use Browning .30 Cal as a support weapon

Jerry
TimStreeter
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: October 19, 2008
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Posted: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 06:25 AM UTC
This subject comes up all the time on Trigger Time. Mark Bando said a few years ago that he has found evidence that BARs were used by paratroopers during D-Day.

Also, George Forty's reliable "US Army Handbook, 1939-1945" has 1942 TO&Es for both paratroopers and glider troops showing BARs among the weapon assets.

Tim
biker
Joined: June 29, 2006
KitMaker: 14 posts
Armorama: 13 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 01:04 PM UTC
ok!


thanks you all buddys!
I wasnt probably going to use those weapons anyway; but in case that any of you told me it was possible to see paratroopers using them on d-day, I was gonig to reconsider the idea( specialliy the bar) because I have 12 paras on my diorama! And I want to make eache of them so different ass possible from the others!





thanks you all guys!

- conclusion: BAR o NOT BAR?

- caliber 30: WAs it available for troops on d-day? Its correct to use it?
how many soldiers wold be nedeed to carry the gun pluss the munnition, tripod etc. ?




THANKS you all! excuse pliss my english again!

Belt_Fed
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: February 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 01:13 PM UTC
airborne troops sometimes scavanged B.A.R.s off of the glider infantry. Giving one figure a Browning wouldnt be totally inacurate.
biker
Joined: June 29, 2006
KitMaker: 14 posts
Armorama: 13 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 01:15 PM UTC
another very important question: is there any system to carry the cal 30 machinegun?
such as a shoulder bag/ backpack or any arnesses or something like that?
I have scratchbuilded lots of stuff And I think I could make also some other stuff


THANKS!
monkybutt
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: November 28, 2007
KitMaker: 381 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 02:19 PM UTC
I read a book called "The Steele Wave" by Jeff Shaara a while back. Highly recommend it to anyone interested in the Normandy invasion and the asassination attemp on Hitler's life. The book is interestind, it's a historically accurate novel but with fictional characters (besides all the key figures). The story is told from infantry men's prospectives as well as Rommel's, Montgomery's, Eisenhower's, Pattons etc. READ IT!

anyway, there was a whole section about the 82nd airborne division assaulting a bridge on the noght before/evening of D-Day. i cant remeber too many details that might be of help to you besides the fact that it was the 82nd at this specific bridge, but if you enjoy to read, read this book because it would definetely be extremely useful.

other than that, the first wave of paratroopers would have been pathfinders which soemtiems smeared greese on their uniforms in order to better camoflauge them
jowady
Joined: June 12, 2006
KitMaker: 1,027 posts
Armorama: 683 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 03:01 PM UTC

Quoted Text

ok!


thanks you all buddys!
I wasnt probably going to use those weapons anyway; but in case that any of you told me it was possible to see paratroopers using them on d-day, I was gonig to reconsider the idea( specialliy the bar) because I have 12 paras on my diorama! And I want to make eache of them so different ass possible from the others!





thanks you all guys!

- conclusion: BAR o NOT BAR?

- caliber 30: WAs it available for troops on d-day? Its correct to use it?
how many soldiers wold be nedeed to carry the gun pluss the munnition, tripod etc. ?

The 1944 TO&E for an airborne squad shows a BAR an a .30 cal. The problem is that there aren't many photos of BARs in use by paratroopers in Normandy, and I have read that they were deliberately left behind. The .30 cal that was used was not a tripod mounted weapon, rather it used a bipod and had a stock ( I forget the "A" number, maybe its an M1919A4?). You can see these used in "Band of Brothers" and Tamiya has it in their American weapons set.

John



THANKS you all! excuse pliss my english again!

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