Warbird Information Exchange

http://www.ima-usa.com/u-s-m2-browning-50-caliber-resin-display-machine-gun.html

Configured as a ground flexible gun with spade grips. Not exactly right for aircraft flexibles, but at under $300 it would make a great place to start at filling up open positions. Also 20lb lighter than the real thing.

No connection to the seller beyond the occasional purchase

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Lest Hero-worship raise it's head and cloud our vision, remember that World War II was fought and won by the same sort of twenty-something punks we wouldn't let our daughters date.

Now, if I could win a few million dollars on the lottery.......

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"What young man could possibly be bored
with a uniform to wear,
a fast aeroplane to fly,
and something to shoot at?"

What are the major differences between an Aircraft M2 and a tripod mounted one (besides spade grips and tripod mount.)? Were looking to re-gun our corsair (wth dummies) and this looks like a possible start price wise.

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Andrew King
Air Museum Director with no Museum to Direct
Open to Suggestions

The M2 was designed to be a pretty much universal package. For aircraft flexible use it got a shorter lighter barrel which increased rate of fire. For Fixed use,the spade grips are removed and the charging handle is replaced with a solenoid or actuator.

The pintle for tripod or flexible use bolts into the forward end of the receiver, using two of the same holes you'd use for fixed or buffered flexible mounting. The replica here has the bolt holes, but doesn't come with the pintle.

To adapt this replica to a wing mounted gun, it looks like you would have to cut off the spade grips, the charging handle, the sights and the barrel shroud at the front of the receiver. Fit your actuator and barrel/blast tube and there you are. Bit of work, but still easier than starting from scratch.

If there were enough interest, I wonder if they could be persuaded to run off a batch of ready made AN/M2 'Fixed' and 'Flexible' guns

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Lest Hero-worship raise it's head and cloud our vision, remember that World War II was fought and won by the same sort of twenty-something punks we wouldn't let our daughters date.

We were discussing doing it in house, all we need is a set of M2 blueprints. The bugger is the 12 ammo cans need for the corsair since they are special units. Anyone interested in donating a spare to the project let me know.

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Andrew King
Air Museum Director with no Museum to Direct
Open to Suggestions

Doesn't AeroTrader have a deal with cast aluminum M2's?

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Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

that 50 looks 1st class!! i wonder if i could mount a gunsight on it with out ruining it!! my 50th birthday is approaching..... great gift hint for the wife!!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

You only become a pentagenarian once in life. Perhaps if you aimed a little higher...

http://www.ima-usa.com/militaria/machin ... mount.html

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

I think Aero Trader wants about $1200-1400 for their replicas....I need two barrels with the extended cooling jackets, and if I remember, I was quoted $300 each for those....

That doesn't seem too bad considering what a genuine one sells for..

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

I e-mailed IMA's customer service yesterday with the AN/M2 question. The response:

So far we have not had much interest in having the aircraft versions of the browning machine guns made in resin replica. As far as I know, none are in the works presently.

Anyone interested in flooding IMA's e-mail with interest? Seems to me a nice resin copy would save considerable time and expense--especially with static aircraft and turret displays.

Just in case you want to let the folks at IMA know how you feel:

http://www.ima-usa.com/contacts/index/

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.