Thompson machine gun: photo, performance characteristics. Favorite weapon of American gangsters Mafia weapons

Thompson submachine gun(Tommy-gun) - American submachine gun, developed by the company Auto-Ordnance in 1920 and actively used during the Second World War.

History of creation and production

The designer of this submachine gun is usually considered to be American General John Toliver Thompson. However, Thompson himself acted more as a businessman, who in 1916, together with Thomas Ryan, who provided funding for the project, founded the company Auto-Ordnance with the aim of developing an automatic / self-loading rifle based on the patent they repurchased on the original design of a semi-free shutter issued by John Blish in 1915. The direct developers of the weapons were the engineers hired by Thompson and Ryan Theodor Eickhoff(English) Theodore H. Eickhoff), and Oscar Payne(English) Oscar V. Payne) And George Goll(English) George E Goll).

By 1917, however, it turned out that the Blish bolt, acting due to the friction force of the bronze liner moving inside its core, does not fully lock the bore at the time of the shot, as provided for by the patent. The liner only slowed down the retreat of the shutter to the extremely rear position, slowing it down at the moment of the shot. This significantly limited the power range of cartridges that could be used in weapons, which immediately put an end to the original project of an automatic rifle - the only cartridge adopted by the United States that worked normally with a Blish bolt turned out to be unsuitable for this type of weapon in terms of ballistic qualities the comparatively underpowered .45 ACP Colt pistol ammunition.

However, a way out of this situation was quickly found - instead of developing a rifle, it was decided to switch to the creation of a small-sized light machine gun suitable for use by one person under a pistol cartridge, designed for close range combat and storming trenches and other fortifications, which was a very urgent task in the First World War going on at the time. Thompson called this weapon submachine-gun- that is, literally "sub-machine gun", "a lighter type of machine gun". This term has established itself in American English and is used in it to this day to refer to hand-held automatic weapons chambered for a pistol cartridge, which in Russian terminology is called submachine gun.

In 1918, a working prototype was ready, which was given a sonorous commercial designation - "Annihilator I"("The Annihilator"). According to legend, the first batch of these weapons, intended for testing at the front, arrived at the New York docks on November 11, 1918 - just the day the war ended.

From design features, "Annihilator" had a massive milled square-section receiver with a cocking handle on top, a round perforated casing completely covering the barrel (on later models replaced by fins that improve barrel cooling), a pistol grip instead of a rifle butt with The neck of the butt is part of the weapon lodge, somehow the paradise is connected with the barrel of the weapon. When conducting fire, it serves to hold the weapon with the right hand (for arrows). Depending on the shape of the neck, the lodge can be straight mine (or English, someone has the lower line of the neck owls-pa-yes-et with the lower-her-no-her-kla-yes), pi-hundred-year-old and in-lu-pi-hundred-year-old."> neck, as well as a second vertical fire control handle under the barrel to facilitate weapon control when firing in bursts, while there was no butt or any shoulder rest. In addition, it had an "open" magazine receiver in the form of a transverse cutout in the lower-front of the receiver, which allowed it to accept both box-shaped (for 20 rounds) and Payne drum systems (for 50 rounds) magazines. All the main parts of the weapon were made on metal-cutting machines with minimal tolerances, which made it very low-tech.

The first production model appeared in 1921. Thompson M1921 received its final, familiar design: a barrel with transverse cooling fins at the base, two pistol grips for fire control, a removable wooden butt, a sector sight with Diopter - a special variety of aper-tour-no-go-pri-la, in this vari-an-te whole-face half-no-stu-pe-re-roof-va- there is an overview of the eye of a spe-re-di, and sa-ma aper-tu-ra is very small in diameter (with a human-lo-ve-che-sky pupil) ra- bo-ta-et like a ka-me-ra-ob-sku-ra, projecting an image of an arrow on the pupil with greater contrast. This type of target gives the highest accuracy of all possible mechanical le-niy, ras-pay-toy for this serves a lot of time at-a-go-li-va-niya and labor-no-sti with on-ve-de-ni-em in condition-vi- yah su-me-rek and no-chi, it’s precisely for these reasons that we are given a given view at-tse-la it’s worth pract-ti-che-ski only on screws for target shooting would be for large distances, and it also requires special-ben-but right-vil-no-go-so-ba at-tse- li-va-nia."> diopter entirely, rated for firing up to 600 yards (548 m). Shops - box-shaped for 20 and 30 and drum - for 50 and 100 rounds. This version of the submachine gun was offered on the civilian arms market, although the cost was very, very high ($ 200 - despite the fact that a car Ford brand cost about $400) did not contribute to mass sales. It should be noted that the design and ergonomics of the Thompson had a great influence on the further development American weapons and subsequently copied many times in whole or in part.

A small number of M1921 Thompsons were acquired by the US Marine Corps, as well as by some police departments, on a private basis. They were used to a limited extent in local conflicts of those years in Latin America(the so-called "Banana Wars"), during which it quickly became clear that at close range, a unit of 4 submachine gunners armed with submachine guns in terms of firepower can easily be compared with a full squad of 9 shooters with rifles. At the same time, the excessive mass of the weapon, the low efficiency of fire beyond 50 yards (~ 45 m) and the relatively low penetration ability of the bullet caused complaints.

In 1924, the USSR purchased a batch of M1921 through Mexico, which entered service with the OGPU troops and border troops. "Thompsons" were actively used on the southern borders of the USSR during the battles with the Basmachi. In the official documentation, it was referred to as "Thompson light machine gun".

In 1923, Thompson created a paramilitary version of the weapon - M1923, which had a long barrel, a bayonet and a slightly simplified design, as well as using a special more powerful 45-caliber cartridge. However, in the Army, the idea of ​​such a weapon for a long time remained unclaimed.

Also noteworthy is the acquisition of a fairly large batch of Thompsons by the IRA - they were used in the Irish War of Independence, though without any special effect.

However, the most famous during this period - the era of "Prohibition" - "Thompson" acquired nevertheless as a weapon of American gangsters. Even the state control over the sale of the company's weapons, introduced in 1928, could not prevent the Thompsons from falling into their hands. Auto-Ordnance.

In the same 1928, the command of the US Marine Corps, which participated in the intervention in Nicaragua, purchased several thousand modified submachine guns to reinforce its units. Thompson M1928. It differed from its prototype (M1921) by the presence of a muzzle brake - a compensator for the Cutts system and a reduced rate of fire. The limited use of M1928 submachine guns in the armed forces did not make it possible to identify all the potential capabilities of the weapon. In 1921-1939, only 20,000 units were produced, and most of them were for export orders.

In 1933, after the high-profile murder by gangsters from the Vernon Miller gang of four policemen on railway station in Kansas, the Thompson was adopted by the FBI in order to adequately counter well-armed gangs of criminals.

Since the beginning of the Second World War, great changes have taken place in the armament of the US Army. The rapid increase in the number of armored vehicles and motorized infantry made it necessary to re-equip the crews with small automatic weapons. "Thompsons" quite approached these requirements. In the same year, a submachine gun was adopted by the American army. "Thompson" М1928А1. It differed from the M1928 model by the presence of a wooden forearm instead of an additional pistol grip. In early 1942, the designers of the Auto-Ordnance Corp. began to upgrade the Thompson submachine gun. Already in the spring of that year, the US Army was armed with a submachine gun Thompson M1, which was distinguished by a different system of automation (recoil of a free shutter), as well as the absence of a muzzle brake-compensator. The bolt handle in this version was not on the top of the receiver, but on the right. The weapon was only equipped with magazines for 20 and 30 rounds. To simplify production, some parts began to be produced by forging with further processing on metal-cutting machines. The barrel was produced without cooling ribs, with a smooth outer surface. Simplification of the design of weapons made it possible to bring the total production of "Thompsons" to 90 thousand pieces. per month. At the end of the year, the submachine gun underwent another upgrade and then an option appeared M1A1. M1A1, unlike the previous version, had a fixed drummer in the bolt cup, and its trigger mechanism could only fire continuously. Aiming device diopter, constant, simplified type, designed for shooting up to 100 yards (91.4 meters).

Major modifications

• Model 1919- the earliest version, only about forty units were produced, the weapon had a very high rate of fire, about 1500 rounds per minute. This model was demonstrated in 1920 and closely resembled the late model M1921. The New York Police Department ordered a small batch of these weapons.
• Model 1921- the first production model. It has a vertical forward fire control handle, a partially ribbed barrel, and a high rate of fire. The Model 1921 was quite expensive, retailing for approximately $225, due to the high quality woodwork and difficult-to-manufacture mechanisms. Some models were used by the military in limited quantities.

  
  
  

• Model 1923- commercially unsuccessful attempt to create suitable for military use weapon modification, increasing the effective range due to the new, more powerful .45 Remington-Thompson cartridge. The M1923 had a longer barrel, bayonet lug and, in some variants, a bipod. The Model 1923 was designed to expand the production of automatic weapons and also to replace the Browning M1918 heavy rifle. The army did not arouse interest.
• Model 1927- self-loading version of the M1921. The barrel is equipped with a muzzle brake-compensator, by changing a few details it could be converted into an automatic model.
• Model 1928- also known as navy model(rus. naval model) is the most successful model. It has two modes of fire, a finned barrel with a muzzle compensator, and a reduced rate of fire. It was produced with both a vertical forward grip and a wooden horizontal handguard. Was the first model to be widely used naval forces and the US Marine Corps. At the beginning of World War II, contracts for the supply of this model to France and Great Britain saved the company from bankruptcy.

  
  

• Model 1928A1- This variant entered mass production before the attack on Pearl Harbor, when production of the M1928 ended. Changes included a horizontal handguard instead of a front pistol grip. At the start of World War II, the US military's needs for M1928A1 Thompsons, despite new contracts for overseas shipments to China, France, and the UK, were supplied by only two factories.

  
  
  

• M1- a simplified version of the M1928 model, designed to reduce the cost of production in wartime. Released in 1943. It had an automatic blowback, a loading handle on the right side of the receiver, a wooden handguard, a barrel without fins and a compensator, and was used only with box magazines. The scale of serial production of the new model grew rapidly and by the end of the year 285,000 copies were produced.
• M1A1- Model 1943 model had a fixed drummer instead of a movable one and an improved sight.

  
  
  

  During the war, the firm took up mass production of weapons Auto-Ordnance Corp., which, in turn, connected the company to the production of weapons Savage Arms Corp.. The American military industry, as a result of considerable effort and expense, has established mass production of Thompson submachine guns. In 1940-1944, 1,387,134 submachine guns of the Thompson system of all models were manufactured, of which 562,511 pcs. - M1928A1; 285 480 pcs. - M1; 539 143 pcs. - M1A1. Moreover, the company Auto-Ordnance Comp. produced 847,991 submachine guns, and Savage Arms Corr. - 539 143.

  
  american soldier with a Thompson M1A1 guarding German prisoners captured in the city of Anzio, Italy.

Design and principle of operation

The Thompson submachine gun uses a Blish action designed in 1915 by US Navy officer John B. Blish. This bolt, which can be considered semi-loose, uses a special bronze insert in the form of a letter to slow down the rollback. "N", interacting with milled grooves on the inner walls of the bolt box, which, according to the manufacturer, kept the bolt in the forward position at the initial moment of the shot (at a high pressure of powder gases in the barrel), and after the pressure dropped in the channel, it went up, due to which the bolt self-unlocked. At the same time, a number of authors claim that the retarder insert in this design did not actually work, or had only a slight effect on its operation, which is partly confirmed by the fact that the later army modifications of the Thompson - M1 And M1A1 - they did not have it at all, which did not affect their performance. In addition, if the insert was installed incorrectly (upside down) during assembly, the weapon did not work.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

• High quality workmanship.
• Powerful cartridge.
• Large magazine capacity (disk).

Flaws

• The complexity of production.
• High price.
• Big weight, bulky.

Operation and combat use

The Thompson submachine gun, due to its reliability, was widely used by both the police and gangsters, and was also popular in the civilian market.

• USA- submachine guns of models M1 and M1A1, despite their bulkiness and big weight, received the widest distribution and fame on all fronts. The Thompson, due to its high service and operational characteristics, has become popular among rangers, paratroopers and military intelligence.
  
• Great Britain- Adopted in british empire, including dominions and colonies, was purchased and supplied under the Lend-Lease program.
  Teaching students of one of the English schools to speak small arms, the boy is holding a Thompson M1928
• Greece- a certain amount was purchased. Used by the armed forces and resistance fighters.
• China- Chinese unlicensed copies of the Thompson submachine gun were produced Shanxi And Taiyuan arsenals from the late 20s to the mid 40s. They had a shorter handguard with notches for the fingers (there were variants with an American-style handguard or with a front handle), were in service until the 50s and took part in the Korean War.
  
• Italy- captured samples, some were delivered to the fighters of the Resistance movement.
• USSR- a number of Thompson submachine guns were supplied to the USSR as part of the Lend-Lease program, including as additional equipment to diverse military equipment(tanks, aircraft, and so on), but they were not widely used, especially since the USSR had large quantities of its own successful models of this type of weapon, such as the PPSh released in 6 million copies.
  A rare photo of Soviet tankmen with M3A1 Stuart tanks, wearing American helmets, with a Thompson M1928A1 submachine gun and an M1919A4 machine gun. Under Lend-Lease, American equipment was left fully equipped - with equipment and even small arms for the crew.
• Third Reich- on initial stage of the war, along with Soviet weapons, the Germans also received a number of American Thompson M1928A1 submachine guns, transferred to the Red Army under Lend-Lease, as trophies. In the Wehrmacht, captured Thompson captured on the Eastern Front were in service under the index MP.769(r). The same submachine guns captured by the Wehrmacht on the Western Front under the designations MP.760(e), (j) And (A)(respectively - English, Yugoslav and American), were used mainly by the German security police. In addition, in service with the occupation units of the Wehrmacht in Western Europe was (under index MP.761(f)) more than 3,000 11.43 mm Thompson M1921 submachine guns purchased by France from the USA in 1939–1940.
  
• France- a certain amount was purchased in the period before 1940. During World War II, they were used by the Free French forces.
  
• Yugoslavia- a certain amount was supplied to the fighters of the Resistance movement.

Video

Shooting a Thompson, handling weapons and more:

…This man is irresistible. When he enters the "tea" - speakeasy, restrainedly elegantly touches the edge of the hat, the beating of ladies' hearts drowns out the eternal jazz longing for the unearthly..

Here he is, as if he had descended from the cover of a fashion magazine or the pages of gossip columns: a double-breasted blue flax suit, black patent leather shoes, a silk tie, a snow-white shirt and a pearl-gray felt hat. A stingy gesture of the hand - the gold of the watch flashed, sparks of the diamond splashed: a long coat was casually deftly thrown over the arm, his gaze glided over the tea-cocaine twilight ...

So, with slight variations, looked like a "very bad guy" from Chicago in the 30s of the twentieth century. Gangster. Bootlegger. Gentleman Killer. They created a distinctive style that is still unsurpassed in terms of elegance, sexuality and masculinity. Maybe the mystery is not at all in the flawless cut and expensive fabric? And not even in the innate taste of Italian mafiosi, who consoled the residents of Chicago and other cities during the Prohibition period with strong alcohol?

The mystery lies in the heroes of the American "Cosa Nostra" themselves - cruel and desperate romantics who inherited from their distant ancestors a "wolf" flair for beauty and brought up a wolf's grip on life.

They preferred a double-breasted jacket of dark noble shades, with wide long lapels - to the waist, straight tails without cuts. In such a jacket, the figure seems athletically slender. And also: under the double-breasted "Kent" (the jacket was named after the younger Prince of Wales), you can hide not one, but two Thompson submachine guns - the cult weapon of Chicago gangsters; the absence of cuts helps not to detect holsters under the jacket by others; blood is hardly visible on dark fabric.

Al Capone - the godfather of the "Chicago gentlemen" - wore single-breasted jackets made of thin fabric: he did not need to shoot so often - there were always young elegant people in suits made of dense, very dense fabric nearby ...

When Al (Alphonse) Capone got to Chicago and became right hand the then mafia leader Torrio, the latter taught Capone to speak, behave and dress like an aristocrat. For what? Torrio already then perfectly understood that appearance and excellent manners can fool and create a decent reputation better than an ancient bloodline. He was not mistaken: today this law is 100% fair.

A special mockery of the gangsters over the public were white gloves, which not only completed the chic look, but seemed to symbolize the "clean hands" of the bandits. Gloves, and to them white shirts and a light-colored hat - these are, perhaps, all the bright details of the Chicago style of the 30s. Everything else is soft and deep dark shades. Restrained, expensive and extremely presentable.

…They always hit the target. In the heart of the enemy - from Thompson. In the heart of a woman - with a look. The legendary and monstrous heroes of Chicago pierce even time with their eyes and bullets, forcing them to look at photographs admiringly and try on an ambiguous image for themselves today.

There have always been those who break the law. Some cross the road in the wrong place, others do things that are much more dangerous for society. "Seasoned" bandits are found in every corner of our planet. And many of them have real weapons behind their shoulders or in their pockets. This review will focus on pistols, shotguns and rifles, which are preferred by criminal elements.

"Tommy Gun"

There is no more charismatic submachine gun in this world than the M1928 or the Thompson submachine gun. It was created in 1916 by American gun designer John Thompson. In the 1920s and 1930s, guns were really incredibly popular with gangsters, but they weren't the only ones they used. "Tommy" gained fame throughout America after the "Massacre on Valentine's Day", when Al Capone's people shot seven competitors from a neighboring group in the garage. Some bodies had 22 bullet wounds.

Intratec TEC DC-9

The assault pistol came about due to numerous weapon restrictions. In essence, this is still the same submachine gun, often shortened and lightweight, and without the function of automatic fire. It is difficult to imagine a soldier in battle with such a person, but in the criminal world they have found their recognition. One of the most popular in the US was and remains the Intratec TEC DC-9, which is strongly associated with black gangs. The creation of Intratec was not the most reliable and absolutely not outstanding. It failed to interest the military. But it looked menacing and was “frighteningly” cheap.

Ingram MAC10

Another submachine gun that has found recognition in the criminal world is the Ingram MAC10. It was created by the American Gordon Ingram. This miracle began to be produced in the 70s of the last century. The weapon turned out to be simple, reliable and very compact. But most importantly, it fired 20 rounds per second with .45 ACP cartridges. Of the minuses of the MAC10 was a small mass, which caused a strong shaking of the weapon when firing. The gun also did not have good ergonomics.

Mossberg 500

The Mossberg 500 pump-action shotgun in various modifications is the barrel that accounts for the lion's share of all crime in the United States. Simplicity and reliability of design, excellent ergonomics, 12-gauge cartridge - all this will make a smooth-bore gun an ideal killer and a constant defendant in criminal cases from domestic to gang warfare. This miracle has been produced since 1961. Along with it, the Remington 870 and Winchester 1300 and their derivatives are popular.

Raven MP-25 and Lorcin L380

Small pocket pistols, which are among the top ten sad leaders in terms of the number of crimes committed in the United States. The reason for this is simple and obvious - weapons can be easily hidden. Despite their small size, they use an impressive 9x19 Parabellum military cartridge.

By the way, it is these pistols that are responsible for the increased nervousness of the US police. Every now and then, the ongoing incidents with the injury or murder of some poor fellow, who did not stretch his hands out of his pockets too successfully, are connected precisely with the love of the bandits for these kids. Moreover, it is these pistols that account for the majority of police killings in America.

Smith&Wesson

The .38 five-shot revolver has been repeatedly named the deadliest weapon in the United States. The Smith & Wesson revolver has killed more people in the US than any other handguns. It is worth noting, however, that Smith & Wesson has been making revolvers since 1899. During this time, the design and design of weapons have changed several times. The most popular model among bandits is the Smith & Wesson M60.

The Thompson submachine gun (Tommy-gun) is an American submachine gun developed by Auto-Ordnance in 1917 and actively used during World War II.

The American general John Toliver Thompson is usually considered the developer of this submachine gun. However, Thompson himself acted more as a merchant, who in 1916, together with Thomas Ryan, who provided funding for the project, founded the Auto-Ordnance company with the aim of developing an automatic / self-loading rifle on the basis of a patent they repurchased on the original design of a semi-free shutter, issued to John Blish in 1915. The direct developers of the weapon were the engineer Theodor Eickhoff hired by Thompson and Ryan, as well as Oscar Payne and George Goll.

In 1918, a working prototype was ready, which was given a sonorous commercial designation - "Annihilator I" ("Annihilator"). According to legend, the first batch of these weapons, intended for testing at the front, arrived at the New York docks on November 11, 1918 - just the day the war ended.

The first production model appeared in 1921. The Thompson M1921 received its final, familiar design: a barrel with transverse cooling ribs at the base, two pistol grips for fire control, a removable wooden butt, a sector sight with a full diopter, designed for firing up to 600 yards (548 m). Shops - box-shaped for 20 and 30 and drum - for 50 and 100 rounds. This version of the submachine gun was offered on the civilian arms market, although the very, very high cost ($200 - despite the fact that a Ford car cost about $400) did not contribute to mass sales. It should be noted that the design and ergonomics of the Thompson had a great influence on the further development of American weapons and were subsequently copied many times in whole or in part.

A small number of M1921 Thompsons were acquired by the US Marine Corps, as well as by some police departments, on a private basis. They were used to a limited extent in local conflicts of those years in Latin America (the so-called "Banana Wars"), during which it quickly became clear that at close range a unit of 4 submachine gunners armed with submachine guns could easily be compared in terms of firepower with a full squad of 9 shooters with rifles. At the same time, complaints were caused by the excessive mass of the weapon, the low efficiency of fire beyond 50 yards (~ 45 m) and the relatively low penetration ability of the bullet.

In 1923, Thompson created a paramilitary version of the weapon - M1923, which had a long barrel, a bayonet and a slightly simplified design, as well as using a special, more powerful 45-caliber cartridge. However, in the Army, the idea of ​​such a weapon remained unclaimed for a long time.

However, the most famous during this period - the era of "Prohibition" - "Thompson" acquired nevertheless as a weapon of American gangsters. Even the state control over the sale of weapons by Auto-Ordnance, introduced in 1928, could not prevent the Thompsons from falling into their hands. Having received the unofficial name Tommy-gun, the machine turned from an anti-gangster one into a weapon of gang wars, becoming their main hero and having established itself with the best side. "Tommy Guns" were used during the "Valentine's Day Massacre" that thundered all over the States, which took place on February 14, 1929 in Chicago.

During the Prohibition era, the tabloid press dubbed this weapon the "Devil's Death Machine," the "Great Aid to Business Prosperity," and the "Chicago Typewriter." Newspapers were full of notes about showdowns in the bootlegging business:
On September 25, 1925, Frank McErland and Joe "Polak" Saltis gunned down O'Donnell's crew in Chicago. On February 14, 1929, Jack McGurn, Fred Burke and other associates of Al Capone staged a massacre of 7 people from the Moran gang in the North Clark Street garage (Valentine's Day Massacre). On June 17, 1933, Charles Arthur Floyd (Pretty Boy) and two gangsters shot down four police cars at the Kansas City station in half a minute. On November 27, 1934, two FBI agents were shot and killed by Nelson. The next day, the body of Nelson himself was found, with 17 .45 caliber bullets.

In order to fight gangsters on an equal footing, the Thompsons were armed with police officers, FBI agents, as well as the US Postal Service and the Coast Guard.

During World War II, Tommy guns were armed Marines, subversive units, paratroopers, military intelligence. Tommy Gun fought not only on all fronts where the Americans fought, but also in the USSR, where weapons were sent under Lend-Lease.

War is over. Stocks of weapons from warehouses are sold out. It seemed it was time for old Tommy to retire. But no! Handy and reliable Tommy-gun served in the FBI until the early 80s of the 20th century. Thompson machine guns during Vietnam War both American intelligence units and the South Vietnamese police were armed.

The M1 Tommy Gun was produced in small batches until 1971. However, given the huge demand among collectors, its production was resumed in 1975.

The Tommy gun was widely used in the 90s of the XX century in wars in the territory of the former Yugoslavia.

And what about today, because the 21st century is already in the yard? Tommy gun is one of the most popular weapons in all kinds of gun shows!

The release of Tommy-gan's replicas is also quite profitable business. Demand among collectors is still not satisfied. The cost of serviceable US-made Tommy guns starts at $ 10,000, Chinese replicas are slightly lower, but also not a penny ...

The very name "Tommy gun" has already become part of American history. So called songs, movies, computer games, fashionable shops, bars by the road... There is even a movie studio in Hollywood with this loud name.
So, old man "Tommy", I think, will live for quite a long time!
And the name, I believe, is even longer!

Tommy gun in cinema:
- The Thompson submachine gun is used by the protagonists of the films Bonnie and Clyde, Johnny D., When the Fanfare Is Silent, The Mask, The Damned Road, Saving Private Ryan, it is also used by Christopher Walken's character in the film The Lone Hero.
- The pseudonym Tommy Gunn was taken by porn actor Thomas Joseph Strada.
- The Thompson submachine gun is present in the films American Fight, Deja Vu, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, Miller's Crossing, Only Girls in Jazz.
- The Thompson submachine gun is present in episodes of the film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?", where the action takes place in Hollywood in 1948.
- In the animated series Futurama, in many episodes (for example, in Bender Gets Made and Xmas Story) there is both an old and a laser version of the Thompson submachine gun.

The Thompson submachine gun became the basis for the creation of the futuristic M-41A weapon from the movie Aliens.
- The Thompson submachine gun is featured in the movie "Sahara" with James Belushi.

Tommy gun in computer games:

As the protagonist's weapon, the Thompson submachine gun is present in the following games:
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth,
Battlefield 1942,
Battlefield: Bad Company 2,
bioshock,
Bioshock 2,
blood,
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30,
call of duty,
Day of Defeat,
fallout 2,
Hidden & Dangerous 2,
Mafia: The City Of Lost Heaven,
Mafia II,

Medal Of Honor: Pacific Assault,

nocturne,
No One Lives Forever 2,
Peter Jackson's: King-Kong,
resident evil 4,
Return to Castle Wolfenstein,
Serious Sam,
the ship,
The Suffering,
The Suffering: Ties That Bind,
vietcong,
shanghai dragon,
as well as in the series of games Alone in the Dark, Behind Enemy Lines.

Thompson submachine gun, the legendary Tommy gun, you can buy or rent for wedding events, theme parties, photo and video filming:

Thompson submachine gun 1928A1. Gangster version. It differs from the military in a round high-capacity magazine and a handguard with a handle. Full size copy. The shutter is cocked, the trigger mechanism works, the magazine is disconnected. Weight over 4 kg.

Production: Spain

Composition: wood, metal
Size: 86.5 cm

Rent - 1500 rub. per day,
sale - 9000r.

Other gangster party accessories are also available: a suitcase of dollars, pistols, handcuffs, hats (male and female), suspenders, ties, boas (red and yellow), pearls, women's gloves.

The experience of the First World War showed that several dozen people with rifles and a couple of machine guns, who sat in cover, create an almost impenetrable defensive line. Only a massive artillery strike helped to take it, which practically "dug" the enemy's positions. Without artillery support, even a multiple advantage in manpower did not help the attackers. The reasons for this were seen in the low density of fire of the rifle chain. Repeating rifles and rare light machine guns could not completely suppress enemy firepower, which practically knocked out the first ranks of soldiers.

The way out of the impasse was the introduction of light automatic weapons into the troops - light machine guns, automatic rifles and submachine guns. One of the first successful examples of this weapon was the American Thompson submachine gun. Note that in the twenties there was no division into machine guns and submachine guns, therefore these concepts are considered equivalent in the article, although the creator of the weapon, General John T. Thompson himself, used the term - submachine-gun (SMG), translated something like " sub-machine gun", or "under-machine gun".

How the legendary Thompson was created

The creator of the submachine gun is considered to be General John Toliver Thompson, although in fact the submachine gun was developed on the basis of the Blish bolt group by a team of several American engineers: Oscar Payne, George Goll and Theodor Eickhoff.

But first things first. In 1915, John Thompson lights up with the idea of ​​​​issuing an automatic infantry weapons. To this end, he acquires a license for a semi-free shutter, the famous engineer Blish at that time. In 1916, the Auto-Ordnance manufacturing company was created. Hired designers get to work.

Since it turned out that the use of high-power cartridges is poorly suited for the Blish bolt group, it was decided to use the “pride of America” - cartridge .45ACP.

In 1918, the company released its first SMG "Annihilator I". But this machine was already too late for the war.

In addition to the fact that the army purchasing commissions were somewhat stagnant after the end of the war, the cost of the Thompson submachine gun was very high and it was not about the appetites of the creators. For the manufacture of the Thompson assault rifle, metal machining was required - a milled bolt group and trigger, receiver, turning and planing. This increased the number of labor hours and increased the overall cost of weapons.

However, the machine began to be produced in small batches for sale to civilians and supplies to the armies of other countries. Interesting fact: in the mid-20s, a batch of Thompson's SMG was purchased Soviet Russia. They were intended for the troops Political Administration and border guards. In the hands of the latter, they participated in battles with the Basmachi in Central Asia, where they showed themselves simply superbly.

How the machine gun served in service with the mafia

The “prohibition” that broke out in the United States in 1920 could not stop people from drinking alcohol who wanted to take a dose of intoxicating, but it had a very beneficial effect on smugglers. The profits of illegal immigrants who delivered alcohol from Canada (there was no ban on drinking alcohol there) reached sky-high heights.

Where there is a lot of money, there will always be people who want to “protect” such “hunters”. This led to a sharp increase in organized crime and, inevitable in such a situation, bloody redistribution of spheres of influence.

Bandits quickly and appreciated the advantages of rapid-fire hand weapons. Armed with revolvers and pistols, the police could not resist automatic weapons. In their showdowns, the mafiosi also preferred to use the reliable and rapid-fire Thompson submachine gun, which by that time had received the new name “Tommy Gun” for advertising purposes.

The introduction of this weapon into the life of the mafia was so great that it found a place in the great works of American cinema and literature.

The famous Bonnie and Clyde from the film of the same name were armed with Thompson weapons, like theirs. real prototypes, in the film “Only Girls in Jazz” this particular weapon is used in mafia showdowns.

Finally, in The Godfather, Mario Puzo don Corleone and his son Santino suffered from the same machine guns. In reality, there were so many murders committed by this weapon that the tabloid press excitedly talked about its next use.

Here are some excerpts from famous murders:

• 09/25/1925, the shooting of the “cool” O. Donnel by the competitors of the gang, the city of Chicago;
• 02/14/1929, Al Capone's people shoot 7 people of Bugs Moran, also Chicago. This shooting became known as the "Valentine's Day Massacre";
• 06/17/1933 "Handsome" Charles Floyd with a couple of mafiosi shoots four police cars at once, it was in Kansas City;
• On November 27, 1934, Nelson killed two FBI men. On November 28, security officers shot Nelson himself during the arrest. The list goes on and on.

In 1933, after the shooting in Kansas, Thompson's SMG entered service first with the FBI and then with the police department. The guards of law and order were now able to at least adequately shoot back.

How Thompson Works

The principle of operation of the mechanics of the Thompson submachine gun is based on the semi-free shutter of the original design.

When fired, the recoil slows down not due to the inertia of the massive body of the bolt, as in a free one, but due to the friction that occurs between the walls of the receiver and the processes of the Blish bronze insert.

The cartridge is fed into the chamber from the magazine when the bolt is retracted and sent forward, at the moment the trigger is cocked, when the trigger is pressed, the trigger is released from the cocking and the drummer hits the cartridge primer.

The shutter begins to slowly roll back, as it is slowed down by the liner, which rests against the walls of the grooves of the receiver.

Ejector tooth remove spent cartridge case, a cartridge from the magazine takes its place, cocked percussion mechanism. At the end of the rollback, the return spring returns the bolt forward, sending the cartridge into the chamber.

The use of the machine during the Second World War

Although the combat use of the Thompson submachine gun was limited by its large weight, even despite the appearance of a box magazine with a reduced number of rounds, as well as bulkiness, he left a certain mark in the fighting.

From 1940 to 1944, the US industry produced almost 1,400,00 Thompson submachine guns.

In combat, it was used on almost all fronts where the Americans fought. It was applied in North Africa, quite a few copies of this weapon were in the troops that landed in Europe.

In battles against Japan, its use was noted after a turning point in the course of hostilities. There are widely known footage of paratroopers in Okinawa armed with “Tommy guns”. The machine entered the British army as part of the Lend-Lease program.

The USSR received about 75,000 assault rifles, mainly as part of the heavy weapons package. The British sought to saturate their units with automatic weapons as much as possible (due to the relatively small population of the country, the divisions needed maximum strike power), so they were happy with all the machine guns.

The USSR, on the contrary, did not express much enthusiasm. Soviet machine guns were not inferior to them in terms of characteristics, and there were many of them. The industry alone has produced more than 6 million. Nevertheless, the footage of North Sea sailors with Thompsons in their hands is quite widely known.

China produced unlicensed Thompson submachine guns in the twenties and thirties and used them against the Japanese invaders.

Besides, Chinese army received several batches of machine guns under the Lend-Lease program. resistance movement in different countries was armed by the allies, Thompson submachine guns were also supplied among the weapons.

Germany had several thousand of these machine guns captured in 1940 from the British and French and later from the Resistance fighters.

How was the machine used after the war

Although the Thompson submachine gun proved to be somewhat outdated in World War II (large mass, technological complexity of processing), a lot of automata were made, and there was no full-fledged replacement.

This weapon fell in love with ordinary soldiers and intelligence officers. Therefore, the Tommy Gun remained in service until the mid-1970s, the final replacement took place with mass production.

It was actively used in the Korean War of 1950-53. During civil war in Vietnam, the Thompsons were armed, mostly by South American soldiers, in American units it was used by groups special purpose.

The last real use of "Tommy-Gan" in combat conditions by army units was recorded during the Balkan troops of the nineties of the last century.

However, one should not think that the machine is no longer used in combat - it is still found in local civil conflicts in third world countries.

What civilian options did the machine have

As you know, citizens of the United States of America have the right to freely carry weapons.

Nevertheless, civilian weapons should have lower characteristics than military ones, so manufacturers have released several options for sports and civilian machine guns. True, they were renamed self-loading carbines.

Among them, the following models should be noted:

• М1927A1- Thompson's self-loading carbine, has undergone changes in the shutter, as a result of which it has lost the ability to fire bursts;
• М1927A3- a self-loading sports carbine for firing twenty-second caliber. The weapon became lighter and was successfully used at the shooting range;
• М1927A5- a self-loading carbine chambered for a standard Colt pistol cartridge. Some of the steel parts were replaced with aluminum, and the barrel was shortened by half (to 5 inches) to make the carbine meet US requirements for conventional pistols;
• Thompson 1927A It was produced in 2008 in a small batch, without a stock, with a barrel length of 266 millimeters, but with a disc magazine for fifty rounds.

What were the main modifications and their performance characteristics

Despite a significant number of different modifications, Thompson submachine guns had a lot in common. First of all, this is the bolt group, which has not changed much during numerous alterations and simplifications.

The second is the caliber. SMG Thompson - for army units, it was produced only in .45 caliber.

During the release, the barrel length, finish, magazines changed, from 100-cartridge "pancakes" to short 20 local magazines. The receiver also changed, its production was simplified, and sights.

Conclusion

Although the Thompson submachine gun did not become the most famous weapon on the fronts of World War II, its footprint in the fighting is undeniable, and for the US Army it turned out to be the best way to increase the density of infantry fire.

The Tommy Gun became a landmark for the American mafia, whose fighters we are used to seeing from the screen armed with this particular automatic weapon.

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