Browning cal. .50 question

[bob lamoreaux]

I feel like I am taking advantage of all the expertise out there while trying to get my head wrapped around some puzzling photographic "evidence" that I've come across that has to do with the Tucker Tiger "combat car". (NO! I AM in the right forum, just read on!)

 

It appears that the Tucker went through three different configurations, and I'm trying to determine the order of those configurations from determining the armament placed on the vehicle.

 

There is a film clip on YouTube of the Tucker painted solid O.D.and mounting twin cal. .50s in a powered, open turret. The cal. .50s appear to be M-3 aircraft guns or whatever version of the cal. .50 that was used on PT boats. That is, the barrel jacket, with round ventilating holes -- not "slots" -- extends to the muzzle of the gun and there appears to be uncoated (not parkerized, blued, or painted) "cans" -- flash hiders(?) -- affixed to the muzzles. This suggests that the Tucker was "operational" (at least for demonstration purposes) after 1940 or '41.

 

I tried to ID the gun through "Semper Fi FIFTY!" by Iannamico and Goldsmith but wasn't very successful. Can any of you cal. .50 experts ID this version, described above, of the Browning cal. .50 and provide a suggestion as to when the particular version was introduced?

 

Many thanks!

[Linedoggie]

Wouldnt it be a Standard M2 AC with a muzzle fitting?

[Sabrejet]

[Sabrejet]

[Sabrejet]

[Sabrejet]

[bob lamoreaux]

Those are the photos of the Tucker with the American Armament 37-mm automatic cannon (Model M). There are photos on Google image as well as a clip on YouTube of the Tucker in solid paint mounting a twin cal. .50 machine gun (open) turret. The cal. .50s look very much like those mounted on PT boats but I don't think they are Ma Deuces (M-2) but have the aircraft type barrel jacket.

[AAF_Collection]

I just watched the youtube clip. In the first scene the silver barrel ends can be seen, and no flash hiders are fitted.

 

The next seen shows a twin. 50 mount with what appear to be either flash hiders, or combined flash hiders/boosters fitted, whatever they are I don't recognise them as an AAF item. The guns are fitted with standard AN electric solenoid triggers.

 

All the guns are basic Aircraft .50 M2's, the M3 didn't appear until late in WWII.

 

Sorry this doesn't add much.

 

Matt.

[bob lamoreaux]

Thanks, Matt! It was that long barrel jacket that had me puzzled, plus the "cans" on the ends of the barrels. Just found what I was looking for in "Semper Fi FIFTY!" and the guns mounted on the Tucker may have been modified "M2 Turret Type" guns adopted in September, 1942. They have the aircraft type long barrel jacket but were mounted with heavier barrels than the a/c guns. That helps me guess as to the date of the "solid paint" Tucker and makes me suspect that the film was taken when Tucker and Higgins were in partnership. . .the vehicle possibly being demonstrated in Louisiana. . .