Is This A Maxim??
 

I can upon a WW1 postcard that is facinating!

Might be! What do we think the doo-jigger stuck onto the muzzle in the post card pic is--maybe an impromptu dust cover/cap?

It's an MG 08 the German machine gun based on Maxim's patent.

George is correct. It is mounted on the pressed steel mount, which had a wide arch of vertical adjustment for trench use.

I found another!
 

What is this?

What Are These Bad Boys
 

What are these and what were they used for? ~~Eric

Found a few more!

A great grouping!
 

A whole group of Germans outfitted! Looks like an artillery up front! Can anyone please translate?

The thing normally found on the muzzle is a booster. Without it they are basically single shots. Increases blow-back to operate the mechanism. However the top photo is curious. They did issue trench armour plating, including a disc for the front of the gun, however that looks like a coffee can.
That first one is on a sled mount, a very versatile and adjustable mount. Also very heavy, and moving one around was the job for the big guy in the platoon.
The mounts in the last photo are interesting. They look like the wheel mounts that the Russians used in WW2, but on legs.
I'm an old Maxim gun enthusiast so these photos are fun. Dolf Goldsmith's "The Devils Paintbrush" is a great book on the subject. I'll have to get mine out and freshen up a bit.
dju

Eric:
Are those Germans or Turks?
dju

Sorry I don't remember my German! The site is"German World 1 Photographics Postcards 1914- 1916" I'm sorry I don't know how to post! It has 2 part, a gold mine and free to save! Maybe someone could attach the site! ~~~~Eric

Hi David, The card says " The Turkish Crown Prince and his staff on an inspection tour of Gallipoli"
Regards, Norm

Cirelaw
Very interesting website.
Lots of postcards of the various German and Turkish leaders.
Here is the link
http://www.allworldwars.com/German-W...ds-Part-I.html

Take care
Bob

Still look like MG08's that are being used for anti-aircraft with those high arc swivel mount bases!

I Found This One Interesting
 

German spotters!

The "anti aircraft" photo is the same pressed steel sled mount placed onto wooden saw horses for more elevation. The Russian style wheeled mount was called a "Sokolov" mount. All the guns pictured are Maxims with different mounting options.

The muzzle device in the first photo might be the issue filling cup for the water jacket, (it looks very similar). It looks like it is doing yeoman service as a muzzle cover to keep out debris.

Besides the Germans were there any other armys using these? Could they be used on German aircraft? Is this a Vickors

Cirelaw
I also thought that was a very cool picture.I had no idea the Germans where using portable search lights in WW1. That horse drawn caisson must have the generator in it. :)
It was also fascinating to look at various scenes from the German Eastern front.
I never realized how much Poland had been devastated in WW1.
Then the Germans allowed Vladimir Lenin safe passage back to Russia. That little train ride changed the course of history for millions of people and the consequences reverberate to this day!:crying:

Bob

The Austrians used them as well. Most German WW1 Aircraft used Spandau machineguns. Initially modified ground guns then specifically designed aircraft machineguns.

The Maxim also fielded the MG08/15, which was meant to be a portable "light" MG, but was barely adequate for the role. It consisted of a standard MG08, but with a bulky pistol grip and buttstock added, along with a front bipod on the waterjacket. Even more unwieldy was the spool type "Drum" added to the side to keep ammo out of the dirt and more or less coiled on the side of the gun.

This ones for You!

Yes, the gas mask photo is a Vickers.

I've told this story before. My Great Uncle managed to acquire a Maxim in the oddest way. He was a soldier in the First Army in WW1. As he was lounging with his company at a railroad depot outside Paris at the end of the war, he spotted a number of tripod mounted machineguns on the station platform. Out of curiosity he walked over and realized that each gun had a hanging tag on it with individual US officer's names and addresses on them. Finding this luxury souvenir collecting highly unfair, he picked a gun and crossed out an officers name and address on one side of the tag and filled his in, (with adequate rank, of course) on the other side as a joke.

Imagine his utter surprise to find the gun waiting for him at home when he returned from Europe.

A real wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love a chance to shoot a few hundred rounds!!

Heres a spandau Mounted on a Biplane!
 

Great shot!!

They are a lot of fun to shoot. I have several friends who owned them and unbelievably, for many years, (and to some extent still today) they were the ugly stepchild of the beltfed world, usually bringing about half of what a comparable gun, (like a Vickers) was bringing. Up until recently you could still buy one for under $10K and Turkish 8mm for them was dirt cheap.

Your my hero! Maybe some day! What rounds did it shoot and how fast??

I Found Your Turks
 

Great subject

Alan:
Don't you agree that those are wheeled Sokolov mounts which are somehow mounted on top of another MG mount? I have a Russian Sokolov mount downstairs. I may need to go drag it out to have a closer look at it. Never heard of propping one up like that.
Maxim guns really are a facinating bit of history. The NRA made a documentry film counting down the 10 most historically important firearms of all time, and the Maxim was numero uno. They changed history.
It was Belloc who wrote: "Whatever happens, we have the Maxim gun and they have not..."
dju

Cirelaw:
Standard 8mm Mauser cartridge, same as their rifles.
I forget the speed, but it was somewhat adjustable by tightening the fusee spring on the left side. The first few shots are always slow or semi, then as you adjust the spring, and the gun warms, the cyclic rate got faster.
dju

About 650 RMP. They sort of chug along. And David is correct that you could somewhat adjust this via the Fusee spring on the left hand side. The charging handle on the right side also whacks back and forth in an arch while firing, making it a very animated experience.

David, the Russians also had their own Maxims, so those may very well be captures. Early Russian Maxims were just like the German version. Later versions had the "Snow Cap" water jacket filler, which was a large filler cap through which you could just shove snow into the water jacket for cooling. Imagine living someplace where this was a practical feature.

Here is a good, general primer on the Maxim:

http://browningmgs.com/Maxim/Maxim.htm

I think I found one!
 

Impressive!

Yep, Russian infantry with their Maxim on a Sokolov mount. It is an older model without the "snow cap" feature. Russian Maxims can be easely identified by the peculiar ammo can, if it is present, which has virtually not changed to this day.

The link I posted above shows this "snow cap" modification to good advantage in the red line drawing of a Russian Maxim and the photo just below it.


David, The other Sokolov photo does indeed show a German modification, which allows the mount to be raised.

Great photos!!

Are You Referring To This?
 

Best I could find!

Good photo showing the snow cap to good advantage.

The larger opening also allowed one to easely pee into the jacket under summer water shortage conditions!!

I hope not while its' fireing!!! It is an awesome weapon! Obviously a Class three AT ITS FINEST!!!