Tag Archives: .50 caliber

Guns of the Air Force at 75

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While Ben Franklin theorized using airships to deliver troops to battle behind enemy lines as early as 1783 and the Union Army fielded a balloon service in the Civil War, today’s Air Force traces its origin to the heavier-than-air machines of the U.S. Army’s Aeronautical Division, founded in 1907– just four years after the Wright brothers first flew. After service in Army green during both World Wars, the Air Force became an independent branch of the military in 1947 with the first Secretary of the Air Force named on Sept. 18 and its first Chief of Staff named on Sept. 26. 

To salute the 75th birthday of the USAF this week, I took a deep dive into the small arms of the organization over the years, including some rares.

Cold War-era Colt survival gun prototype
A Cold War-era Colt survival gun prototype on display at the USAF Armament Museum (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Remington XP-100 survival gun
The Remington XP-100 survival gun concept. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Bushmaster Arm Pistol in 5.56mm
The Bushmaster Arm Pistol in 5.56mm was another planned Air Force survival gun that made it about as high as a lead balloon. Bushmaster did, however, put it in limited commercial production. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

More in my column at Guns.com.

 

Going Loud

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You just gotta love a fiddy. Because 761-grains of armor-piercing incendiary tracer can send just the right message sometimes when folks get too close for comfort. 

Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Mackinze Hallhanna fires a .50-caliber machine gun during a live-fire exercise aboard USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 21, 2021) Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Mackinze Hallhanna fires a .50-caliber machine gun during a live-fire exercise aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), Sept. 21, 2021. Kearsarge is conducting surface warfare advanced tactical training (SWATT). SWATT provides the fleet opportunities to complete the reps and sets required for increased lethality and tactical proficiency. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jesse Schwab) 210921-N-MZ836-1025

The Navy’s third Pascagoula-built Wasp-class amphibious assault ship and the fifth to carry the name, the WWII aircraft carrier-sized Kearsarge relies on her escorts for principal defense but has twin Sea Sparrow and twin RAM launchers for taking care of close-in missiles and aircraft, as well as a pair of CIWS and four Mk 38 25mm cannons as a last-ditch along with the weapons of her embarked Marines. Oh yeah, and up to 8 pintel mounts for Ma Deuce .50 cals.

Didn’t shoot it all? Bury it!

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One common thing that happens all the time in the military is being issued too much ammo, such as on a live fire exercise, and intead of returning it which is a whole pain in the ass, it gets disposed of via E-tool.

Well apparently in 1945 when a B-24 unit was leaving England to return home, they left a few belts of .50 cal behind in the dirt of their borrowed RAF airstrip. Fast forward 70~ years and some aviation buffs dug up about 1,500 rounds of still very live tracer and ball ammo just three feet below the surface.

Heck, I am surprised they didn’t find a whole B-24!

More in my column at Guns.com.