[Javlin]

Nice video on the take down and how easy it IS!Leave it to German engineering

 

[GunGeek]

The manufacture of the MG34 is immensely complex, yet the Germans were just damn good at curtailing costs. The MG34 wasn't nearly as reliable as a BAR or a BREN, but it's flexibility ran circles around our squad autos so much that it took essentially 3 guns for the Allies to do what one gun did for the Germans. When you get to "total cost of ownership", that's a MASSIVE savings in money. We would have been wise to just drop the BAR, STEN, M1919/1917 Brownings and just flat out copy the '34 and eventually the '42.

Look at the costs

MG34 - $131.00
MG42 - $100.00

Now either of those LMG's could be a squad auto, fixed MG, or Anti-aircraft MG. And they both weighed just a little more than a BAR or BREN and a LOT less than the Brownings

Allies costs
BAR - $319 (over triple the cost of a MG42)
BREN - $180 (just more evidence that the BREN was better than the BAR)
M1919A4 - $579

 

[shep854]

M14/15 and M60 GPMG...

 

[Diamondback]

The manufacture of the MG34 is immensely complex, yet the Germans were just damn good at curtailing costs. The MG34 wasn't nearly as reliable as a BAR or a BREN, but it's flexibility ran circles around our squad autos so much that it took essentially 3 guns for the Allies to do what one gun did for the Germans. When you get to "total cost of ownership", that's a MASSIVE savings in money. We would have been wise to just drop the BAR, STEN, M1919/1917 Brownings and just flat out copy the '34 and eventually the '42.

Look at the costs

MG34 - $131.00
MG42 - $100.00

Now either of those LMG's could be a squad auto, fixed MG, or Anti-aircraft MG. And they both weighed just a little more than a BAR or BREN and a LOT less than the Brownings

Allies costs
BAR - $319 (over triple the cost of a MG42)
BREN - $180 (just more evidence that the BREN was better than the BAR)
M1919A4 - $579

Granted, having worked-to-death slave labor will do wonders for your production costs... just ask any company that has its crap made in Communist China today.

 

[Javlin]

Granted, having worked-to-death slave labor will do wonders for your production costs... just ask any company that has its crap made in Communist China today.

And that is partly true in the later years of the war.It can be said though that it applies today like you said DB when I hear people complain about what we spend on defense compared to Russia or China or labor is way more than theirs thus the higher cost/expenditure.

 

[Diamondback]

Javlin, in re the Commies: when you have mandatory conscription and your K-rations are made by Alpo, it has a certain way of dramatically reducing your operating costs compared to Free World volunteer militaries...

LOL

 

[Javlin]

That's Right I have read such as with N.Korea of late and not to stray to far and really is another thread in of itself what's going on in Japan?The Abe government is taking further control wanting to do away with Article 9 and maybe even tear up their constitution down the road?The Abe from what little I have read hark ens back to 1910-20's Japan with some having ancestry.The article below kinda explains why Japan has been trying to move us out but yet Okinawa lost it's Abe supporter :dunno:

Bit of a read but found the article when researching the dastardly N.Korean subs
The Religious Cult Secretly Running Japan - The Daily Beast