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Post Info TOPIC: Lawrence and Turkish MGs


Legend

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Lawrence and Turkish MGs
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Final reference to the Festive Season. Sat through "Lawrence of Arabia" again over Xmas - can't remember what day, obviously - and observed a couple of MGs in Ottoman hands that didn't look right. I'm sure one was a M1914 Hotchkiss, and the other appeared to be some sort of air-cooled arrangement. I have my doubts about both. Sorry no pics - haven't got time to watch it again.

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Major

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I'd imagine they would have used German machine guns?

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Rob


Legend

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Yes - I don't know if the Turkish employed captured MG's at all though, in which case a Hotchkiss would not be impossible, captured at Gallipoli

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Legend

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Films will feature whatever equipment can be found - how many WW2 films are there with Shermans or Pershings posing as panzers?

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Legend

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Rob wrote:

Yes - I don't know if the Turkish employed captured MG's at all though, in which case a Hotchkiss would not be impossible, captured at Gallipoli


I remember reading something about captured MGs in Turkish Service though I think it was the Hotchkiss LMG

Found it rather easily here: http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/index.blog?topic_id=1106158

"Apart from being an excellent weapon, it was in much demand by the Turkish forces who considered the capture of a Hotchkiss Gun well worth any risks involved in the process"

Unfortunatly dont know anything more the line lodged somewhere in my memorysmile 

however I do believe the turks actually had some Hotchkiss HMGs didnt they, frequently seen mounted on pre-war light patrol cars...

 

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Legend

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Aha. Just as there is an IMDB for motor vehicles, there's one for firearms: http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Lawrence_of_Arabia It is a Hotchkiss, and therefore possible, if not probable. I'll let the other one be a surprise.

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Rob


Legend

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Oh dear! Seems to be quite a few weapon anomalies, with the Turkish soldiers using SMLEs. Also, the Rolls Royce armoured car replica has the 1924 pattern louvres on the radiator doors.

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Legend

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And there's more . . . A movie mistakes website offers the following: "There are a number of mistakes with the Vickers guns used by the Arab forces in the film. Quite a few of them are smooth jacketed guns, not introduced until October 1918. Secondly, the one on Colonel Brighton's armoured car not only has the smooth jacket but has a blank fire adaptor very prominently at the front." The SMLEs are partially excused as being captured weapons from Gallipoli.

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Rob


Legend

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I thought the bit on the muzzle of the Vickers guns looked quite like the muzzle of a Maxim gun which the RNAS and Army were using in early WW1 and would have a smooth jacket, so could have been intended to look like a Maxim or even been one (without seeing the rear hard to confirm)

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Corporal

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Hello,

Regarding the Hotchkiss MG the answer is more prosaic: many scenes were shot on location in Spain and this is Spanish MG you can see (in 7mm caliber if my memory is right..) And about SMLE in Turkish hands other scenes were shot in Jordan where this British rifle was still in use at the begining of the 60's. Dont forget that Lawrence of Arabia was shot in Jordan, Spain and Morocco. Strangely enough I dont understand why  the Spanish army did not lend its Mauser 1893s very similar with Turkish Mauser.  It did it well for some "spaghetti "westerns treating about the Mexican Revolution confuse



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