| Tgunner | 26 Jul 2018 8:30 a.m. PST |
Rather old apparently.
Recent research into the history of the venerable Ma Deuce shows that it actually dates back to the Roman legions where it was used as mobile artillery to support front line cohorts. A typical gravibus apparatus gun century was organized as a typical century with ten squads of eight operating each weapon. Each of the Ma Deuce M2s were mounted on a four wheeled salsissimus vir consilii generalis with a centurion leading the first squad. In this particular plate we see the centurion directing the plumbum machina LIBRITOR's fire on what appear to be advancing Briton chariots somewhere near Londinium, circa AD 60, during the Boudiccan Rebellion. Now if I could just get one in 15mm! |
ZULUPAUL  | 26 Jul 2018 8:41 a.m. PST |
Good until they run our of gas! |
| Cyrus the Great | 26 Jul 2018 8:50 a.m. PST |
I have it on good authority that they ran on alcohol! |
| RedLion281 | 26 Jul 2018 8:50 a.m. PST |
Serial number 324 was still in service 90 years after being manufactured. link |
| Tgunner | 26 Jul 2018 8:53 a.m. PST |
Ah, 324 is practically brand new!!!! |
| Tgunner | 26 Jul 2018 9:05 a.m. PST |
Other research has further revealed that the Romans were the first to develop camouflage fatigues (the modern BDU or battle dress uniform) and the general purpose machine gun.
I wonder if they invented the MRE too????
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| Oberlindes Sol LIC | 26 Jul 2018 9:30 a.m. PST |
The taxpayers -- our grandparents -- got their money's worth on the M2. |
| Chalfant | 26 Jul 2018 9:59 a.m. PST |
With a .50, all of your enemy phalanx worries are over. Chalfant |
| Rogues1 | 26 Jul 2018 10:13 a.m. PST |
Ok, so who wins? Guys with pointed sticks and bows on the top of elephant or a jeep full of Romans with a Ma Deuce arguing which way to go. |
| Lion in the Stars | 26 Jul 2018 11:33 a.m. PST |
My friend in the Strykers said there was a .50cal with a serial number from Korea still in use at Stryker School. |
| Tgunner | 26 Jul 2018 11:49 a.m. PST |
Ok, so who wins? Guys with pointed sticks and bows on the top of elephant or a jeep full of Romans with a Ma Deuce arguing which way to go. One does NOT ARGUE with a Centurion. You do what that bloke says or he clocks you with his vitis!!! |
| Andy ONeill | 26 Jul 2018 12:18 p.m. PST |
Is the dshk still in service? |
| emckinney | 26 Jul 2018 12:47 p.m. PST |
No. The blueprints for the DShK were destroyed in the sack of Carthage |
Wyatt the Odd  | 26 Jul 2018 1:31 p.m. PST |
Never mind the Deuce. The Romans had a Testudo at Carthage:
This photo is actually mine, taken in 2007. The Romans in both photos are Legio IX and I know the Centurion. Wyatt |
| FABET01 | 26 Jul 2018 4:28 p.m. PST |
You know the Centurion who was at Carthage? You may be as old as the M2. |
| Tgunner | 26 Jul 2018 5:36 p.m. PST |
No, Carthage would have been during the M1 era. The M3 would have been used by Caesar during the Gallic Wars.
As you can see the M1 was used clear through 39 AD. |
