Weapons of gangsters of the 30s. Thompson machine gun: photo, tactical and technical characteristics

Tommy gun, Thompson submachine gun, Thompson submachine gun, "Chicago piano", "trench broom", "devilish death machine" and even "engine of trade" - all these are the names of the most "gangster" in the world, which has become a symbol of American gangster warriors and proved itself well on the battlefields of World War II. At the same time, the birth of the legend was almost an accident. Creator so famous weapons became retired Colonel John Toliver Thompson - an expert in the field of weapons, military supply and experienced businessman. As a military expert, he was once invited to Russia and participated in testing the Mosin rifle. Even then, Thompson understood that the future belonged to automatic weapons and was going to develop an automatic rifle for further sale to the military department.

To realize his goal, he acquired a patent for a bolt for automatic weapons (which was issued to inventor John Blish in 1915), assembled a team of like-minded people, and began development in 1916. During two years of testing, it was possible to establish that the shutter, main part which had a bronze retarder in the shape of the letter H, quickly wears out under the influence of the recoil of a powerful rifle cartridge. The only cartridge with which this design worked quite reliably was the .45 ACP pistol cartridge manufactured by Colt. Taking into account that even then the .45 ACP was the standard army pistol cartridge, Thompson decided to focus all his attention on developing weapons specifically for it.

Thompson M1921

The first reliably working sample was manufactured in 1918. The submachine gun was named “Annihilator” (destroyer) and was handed over to the military for testing on the last day of the First World War. During the tests, the commission noted the high rate of fire (up to 1500 rounds per minute) and the reliability of the design as advantages. The disadvantages mentioned were: heavy weight(just a fully loaded 100-round magazine weighed more than 4 kg) and the high price of the weapon ($225, while the price of a passenger car was approximately $400). The high cost was explained by the fact that all parts were made on precision metal-cutting machines from solid blanks, and the barrel of the submachine gun was coated with silver to protect against corrosion.

The first industrial batch of Thompsons was produced in 1919. Due to the lack of in-house production, the first 15,000 copies were produced at Colt factories. In 1921, a modified batch of M1921 was released, which received improved characteristics: the rate of fire was slowed down (up to 800 rounds per minute), and concentric ribs appeared on the barrel for faster cooling. In order to increase the accuracy of firing, a muzzle compensator was installed at the end of the barrel. It was at that moment that the weapon was named “Tommy Gun” to increase the advertising effect. Subsequently, it became virtually a household name for all models of the Auto-Ordnance Company, created by John Thompson to produce his submachine guns.

Taking into account the wishes of the military, in 1923 the “military” model M1923 was introduced with a flat forend instead of an additional handle (in order to reduce costs), with a box-type magazine for 20 rounds (for ease of reloading and weight reduction), with the ability to install a bayonet, as well as a bipod for support when shooting. This model could also be used with the “old” Payne system drum magazines for 50 and 100 rounds. But the military never showed interest in this species weapons. For wider distribution, this model was sent for testing to Europe, but no buyers could be found there either.

English soldier armed with Thompson M1928

By this time, Thompson's company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to find a way out of this situation, the inventor tried to push his light machine guns into the police, calling the advertising campaign"Anti-bandit gun" (anti-bandit weapon). Initially, the police showed no interest in this weapon. And as it turned out later, in vain!

The adoption of Prohibition in the United States led to unprecedented smuggling of alcohol. Alcoholic drinks were supplied to the country mainly from Canada, where there were no prohibitions on production and sale. Illegal trade alcoholic drinks became a fabulously profitable underground business. By the time the market was somewhat saturated, it was Tommy Gun who became the “engine of trade,” one of the “most reliable companions,” as well as a means to eliminate competitors and the most curious police officers. Ultimately, in order to adequately counter well-armed organized crime groups, the Thompson submachine gun was adopted by the police. It was also armed with FBI agents, the Postal Service and the US Coast Guard, and the FBI was in service with the submachine gun until 1976, after which it was declared obsolete and removed from service.

In technical terms, Thompson submachine guns are weapons made according to a scheme with a slow-down recoil of the free bolt (the so-called semi-free bolt). The deceleration was realized by friction of the H-shaped bolt liner, which interacted with the inclined bevel in the receiver. The drummer is made movable. The bolt cocking handle is located on the top cover of the receiver. The manual safety and fire mode selector were made in the form of separate levers located on the left side of the receiver. Sights consisted of a front sight and a combined rear sight - a folding-up adjustable diopter sight and a fixed sight with a V-shaped slot (firing range 100-150 meters). Thompson submachine guns could be used with magazines of various sizes - double-stack box magazines with 20 and 30 rounds or drum magazines with 50 or 100 rounds. At the same time, the mass of a 100-cartridge magazine was almost 4 kg, which, together with its high cost and complexity, practically excluded its military use. Drum magazines were inserted and slid into the receiver from the side, which made it possible to secure them more securely in the weapon, while box magazines were traditionally inserted into the receiver from the bottom up.

Thompson M1, disassembly

All Thompson submachine guns were distinguished by good reliability and high quality workmanship. At the same time, the high steepness of the bullet’s flight, together with the high mass and significant manufacturing cost, limited the military use of this weapon.

Main modifications of Thompson submachine guns

M1921 - the first production model. It has a vertical front fire control handle, a partially finned barrel and a high rate of fire.

The M1923 was a commercially unsuccessful version of the military submachine gun that attempted to increase the effective range by using a new, more powerful .45 Remington-Thompson cartridge.

M1927 - semi-automatic variant of the M1921. The barrel was equipped with a muzzle brake-compensator.

M1928 - also known as the "Navy model" (naval model). The submachine gun had 2 fire modes, a finned barrel equipped with a muzzle compensator, and a reduced rate of fire (up to 700 rounds per minute). It was produced with both a wooden horizontal fore-end and a vertical front handle. In the American army it was in service under the designation M1928A1; submachine guns from military production may not have had a finned barrel, and were also equipped with a completely simplified design.

M1 - A simplified version of the M1928 model, it was developed to reduce the cost of production in war conditions. The model was released in 1943. It features automatic blowback action, a charging handle on the right side of the receiver, a wooden fore-end, a barrel without a compensator or fins, and the ability to be used only with box-type magazines. An even more simplified version of the submachine gun, designated M1A1, had a non-adjustable diopter sight instead of a reversible one.

An American soldier fires a Thompson at a training base in Hawaii, 1944.

In the USA, as in many European countries, for a long time they did not see submachine guns as powerful military weapons. Only in 1928, the command of the Marine Corps, which took part in the intervention in Nicaragua, acquired several thousand M1928 Thompsons to strengthen its units. The limited use of the new product in the armed forces did not allow us to reveal the true capabilities of this weapon. Only with the beginning of World War II did significant progress occur in the American army's weapons system. The rapid development and growth of armored forces and motorized infantry led to the need to arm their crews with compact automatic weapons; the Thompson submachine gun was quite suitable for this role. It was then that the Thompson M1928A1 appeared in service with the US Army, differing from the 1928 model only in the presence of a wooden fore-end instead of an additional pistol grip. To organize their mass production, the capacities of Auto-Ordnance Corp and the avage Arms Sogr enterprise, connected by Thompson under a subcontract, were used.

Despite their heavy weight and bulkiness, Thompson submachine guns were widely used on all fronts of World War II. Thanks to its high service and operational properties, it has gained popularity among rangers, paratroopers and military intelligence. The US industry, as a result of significant costs and efforts, was able to establish mass production of these weapons. Between 1940 and 1944, 1,387,134 Thompson submachine guns of all models were produced (M1928A1 - 562,511, M1 - 285,480, M1A1 - 539,143).

Characteristics:

Description of MMG Denix Thompson M1 assault rifle, DE-1092:

Layout Thompson submachine gun M1928, DE-1092 is a copy of the famous Tommy gun, namely the Thompson M1928A1 submachine gun, which was in service with the US army and police, but it became much more famous as a gangster machine gun.

The model is made of metal, and the butt and two handles are wooden. The dimensions of this model of the Thompson are the same as those of the combat original; it is cocked and the trigger mechanism is activated, which adds to the ambience of the model.

Model of the Thompson M1 DE-1092 assault rifle - full-scale copy military weapons American company Auto-Ordnance, created in 1920. The weapon was named after General Thompson, although he did not actually participate in the development of the weapon, being a successful businessman who founded a company in 1916 to develop an automatic rifle based on the patent he purchased for the Blish blowback action.

The authors of the machine are three talented engineers hired Thompson, they worked on creating weapons for three years, as a result, instead of a rifle, a small-sized light machine gun for pistol ammunition was created. Such a weapon was supposed to solve the problem of effective close combat, and was also intended to storm enemy fortifications. History says that the first batch of Thompson assault rifles was ready to be sent to the front almost on the day the First World War ended.

After the war, the Thompson assault rifle was modernized several times; one of its most successful modifications is the “naval model” of 1928, actively used by the US Navy and Marine Corps. On the eve of World War II, the largest importers of the “naval model” were Great Britain and France. Based on the 1928 model, a simplified modification of the Thompson was developed already in 1942 - during the war, there was an urgent need to make the machine gun production process cheaper.

Thompson M1 had a barrel without ribs and a compensator, a forend made of natural wood and automation with a free shutter. This machine was used only with a box-type magazine. This modification was bulky and heavy, but had excellent performance characteristics. By the end of World War II, almost 290,000 units of such weapons were produced. Despite the fact that this submachine gun was developed for the army and police, it gained great fame as a weapon gangsters, under the name Tommy gun.

Model Thompson M1 assault rifle DE-1092 It differs from the Denix brand not only in its complete external resemblance to the original, but also in the mobility of a number of elements - you can cock the shutter, press the trigger or remove the magazine. The dimensions and weight of the model correspond to the original; the material used is a special metal alloy and natural wood.

The model is suitable as a spectacular theatrical prop, can be used in filming, historical reconstructions or as room decoration. Every gun lover will gladly accept such an original gift.

Video review:

Information about the characteristics, configuration, appearance and color of the product is for informational purposes only; they are subject to change by the manufacturer without notice.

In the online store website you can buy a Model Thompson M1 assault rifle, gangster version (USA, 1928) DE-1092 with convenient delivery throughout Russia by courier, transport company or Russian Post. We also deliver to Kazakhstan and Belarus. You can check the price and order the product on the website, by phone or write an e-mail.

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

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Model:	M1921	M1928	M1, M1A1
Manufacturer:	Auto-Ordnance Corp.	Auto-Ordnance Corp. Savage Arms Corp.
Cartridge:
Caliber:	.45 inches
Weight without cartridges:	4.69 kg	4.9 kg	4.78 kg
Weight with cartridges:	n/a
Length:	830 mm	852 mm	811 mm
Barrel length:	267 mm
Number of rifling in the barrel:	6 right-hand
Trigger mechanism (trigger):	Hammer driven by trigger		Impact type
Operating principle:	Semi-blowback		blowback
Rate of fire:	800 rounds/min	700 rounds/min
Fuse:	Flag
Aim:	Front sight and combined rear sight
Effective range:	100 m
Sighting range:	150 m
Initial bullet speed:	n/a		330 m/s
Type of ammunition:	Detachable magazine
Number of cartridges:	20, 30, 50, 100		20, 30
Years of production:	1921–1928	1928–1942	1943–1945

History of creation and production

The developer of this submachine gun is usually considered to be American General John Toliver Thompson. Auto-Ordnance However, Thompson himself acted rather as a businessman, who in 1916, together with Thomas Ryan, who provided financing for the project, founded the company in order to develop an automatic/self-loading rifle based on the patent they bought on the original semi-free bolt design, issued 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 Theodor Eickhoff George Goll).

George E. Goll

By 1917, however, it became clear that the Blish bolt, operating due to the frictional force of a bronze liner moving inside its frame, did not provide full locking of the barrel during the shot, as provided for by the patent. The insert only slowed down the movement of the bolt to the extreme rear position, slowing it down at the moment of firing. 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 for service in the United States that worked normally with the Blish bolt turned out to be unsuitable for this type of weapon in terms of ballistic qualities relatively low-power Colt pistol ammunition .45 ACP. However, a way out of this situation was quickly found - instead of developing a rifle, it was decided to switch to creating a small-sized light machine gun chambered for a pistol cartridge, suitable for use by one person, designed for close-range combat and storming trenches and other fortifications, which was a very pressing task in the First World War that was going on at that 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 designate hand-held automatic weapons chambered for a pistol cartridge, which in Russian-language terminology is called.

submachine gun 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. From, "Annihilator" had a massive milled receiver square section with a cocking handle on top, a round perforated casing that completely covers the barrel (on later models, replaced by fins that improve barrel cooling), a pistol grip instead of the rifle butt, typical of weapons of those years, The neck of the butt is part of the weapon stock, which connects the stock with the receiver of the weapon. When firing, it serves to hold the weapon with the right hand (for right-handed arrows). In the distance from the shape of the neck, the stock can be straight (or English, which has a lower line of the neck owl-pa-da-et with the lower li-n-to-cla-da), pi-hundred-year-old and lu-pi-hundred-year-old.">neck, as well as a second vertical fire control handle under the barrel to facilitate control of the weapon 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 part of the receiver, which made it possible to accept both box (20 rounds) and drum systems

Payne (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.

Thompson M1921 submachine gun with a 100-round magazine. (Hmaag) The first production model appeared in 1921. 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 entirely, designed to fire up to 600 yards (548 m). Magazines - 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 passenger 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 further development American weapons and subsequently copied many times in whole or in part.

A small number of Thompson M1921s were purchased privately by the US Marine Corps, as well as some police departments. They have been used to a limited extent in local conflicts those years in Latin America (the so-called “Banana Wars”), during which it quickly became clear that at close range, a squad of 4 submachine gunners armed with submachine guns could easily compare in firepower to a full squad of 9 riflemen with rifles.

The excessive weight of the weapon, the low efficiency of fire beyond 50 yards (~45 m) and the relatively low penetration power of the bullet caused criticism. « In 1924, the USSR purchased a batch of M1921s through Mexico, which entered service with the OGPU troops and border troops. "Thompsons" were actively used on the southern borders of the USSR during battles with the Basmachi. In official documentation it was called as light machine gun.

Thompson" In 1923, Thompson created a militarized version of the weapon - M1923

, which had a long barrel, a bayonet and a slightly simplified design, and also used a special, more powerful 45-caliber cartridge. However, in the Army the idea of such a weapon remained unclaimed for a long time.

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

However, the Thompson still gained greatest fame during this period - the era of Prohibition - 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.. 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 allow us to identify all the potential capabilities of the weapon. In 1921-1939, only 20,000 units were produced, most of them for export orders.

In 1933, after the high-profile murder of four police officers at a railroad station in Kansas by gangsters from the Vernon Miller gang, the Thompson was adopted by the FBI in order to adequately confront well-armed gangs of criminals.

A British Army Ordnance Department corporal carries Thompson submachine guns received under Lend-Lease from the United States for inspection.

With the outbreak of World War II, great changes occurred in the armament of the US Army. The rapid increase in the number of armored vehicles and motorized infantry has made it necessary to re-equip the crews with small-sized automatic weapons. The Thompsons fit these requirements well. 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 fore-end instead of an additional pistol grip. At the beginning of 1942, designers from Auto-Ordnance Corp. began to modernize the Thompson submachine gun. Already in the spring of that year, the US Army armed itself with a submachine gun "Thompson" M1, which was distinguished by a different automatic operation system (blowback recoil), 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 equipped only 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 fins, with a smooth outer surface. Simplification of the weapon design made it possible to increase the total production of Thompsons to 90 thousand units. per month. At the end of the year, the submachine gun underwent another modernization and then an option appeared- 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 was very similar to the later M1921 model. The New York Police Department ordered a small batch of these weapons.
Model 1921- the first production model. It has a vertical front fire control handle, a partially finned barrel, high tempo shooting. The Model 1921 was quite expensive, retailing for approximately $225, due to the high-quality wood parts and difficult-to-manufacture mechanisms. Some models were used by the military in limited quantities.
Model 1923- a commercially unsuccessful attempt to create a weapon modification suitable for military use, increasing the effective firing range using a new, more powerful .45 Remington-Thompson cartridge. The M1923 had a longer barrel, a 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 heavy Browning M1918 rifle.
The army did not arouse interest. Model 1927
- self-loading version of M1921. The barrel is equipped with a muzzle brake-compensator; by changing several parts, it could be converted into an automatic model. Model 1928 - also known as Navy Model (Russian) Navy model
) is the most successful model. It has two fire modes, a finned barrel with a muzzle compensator, and a reduced rate of fire. It was produced with both a vertical front handle and a wooden horizontal forend. Was the first model to be widely used by the US Navy and 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 model ended. Changes included a horizontal handguard instead of a forward pistol grip. At the start of World War II, the US military's demand for M1928A1 Thompsons, despite new contracts for overseas shipments to China, France, and the UK, was met by only two factories. M1 - a simplified version of the M1928 model, created to reduce the cost of production in. Released in 1943. It had an automatic blowback mechanism, a charging handle on the right side of the receiver, a wooden fore-end, a barrel without fins or a compensator, and was used only with box magazines. The scale of mass production of the new model grew rapidly and by the end of the year 285,000 copies were produced.
M1A1- the 1943 model had a fixed striker instead of a movable one and an improved sight.

The company engaged in mass production of weapons during the war Auto-Ordnance Corp., which in turn involved the company in the production of weapons Savage Arms Corp. American military industry as a result of considerable effort and expense, it established mass production of Thompson submachine guns. In 1940-1944, 1,387,134 Thompson submachine guns of all models were manufactured, of which 562,511 were manufactured. - М1928А1; 285 480 pcs. - M1; 539 143 pcs. - "Thompson" M1.

Moreover, the company Auto-Ordnance Sogr. produced 847,991 submachine guns, and Savage Arms Corp. - 539 143.

An American soldier with a Thompson M1A1 guards German prisoners captured in the city of Anzio, Italy.

Design and operating principle The Thompson submachine gun uses the Blish action, created in 1915 by US Navy officer John B. Blish. This bolt, which can be considered a semi-blowback, uses a special bronze letter-shaped insert to slow down recoil."N" M1, interacting with milled grooves on the inner walls of the bolt box, which, according to the manufacturer, held the bolt in the forward position at the initial moment of the shot (at high pressure of the powder gases in the barrel), and after the pressure in the channel dropped, it rose upward, due to which the bolt self-unlocked. At the same time, a number of authors claim that the retarder insert in this design essentially did not 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 - 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.

C. Corleis

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages
High quality workmanship.
Powerful cartridge.

Large magazine capacity (disc).

Flaws
Complexity of production.
High price.

Large mass, cumbersome.

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

USA- submachine guns of the M1 and M1A1 models, despite their bulkiness and heavy weight, have received the widest distribution and popularity on all fronts. Thanks to its high service and operational characteristics, the Thompson became popular among rangers, paratroopers and military intelligence.
Great Britain- adopted into service in British Empire, including dominions and colonies, was purchased and supplied under the Lend-Lease program.
Teaching students in one of the English schools how to use small arms, a boy holding a Thompson M1928
Greece- a certain quantity was purchased.
Used by the armed forces and resistance fighters. China - Chinese unlicensed copies of the Thompson submachine gun were produced, interacting with milled grooves on the inner walls of the bolt box, which, according to the manufacturer, held the bolt in the forward position at the initial moment of the shot (at high pressure of the powder gases in the barrel), and after the pressure in the channel dropped, it rose upward, due to which the bolt self-unlocked. At the same time, a number of authors claim that the retarder insert in this design essentially did not 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 - Shansiysky Taiyuan Arsenals from late 20s to mid 40s. They had a shorter forend with grooves for fingers (there were variants with a forend American type
or with a front handle), were in service until the 50s and took part in the Korean War. Italy
- captured samples, some were supplied to resistance fighters. USSR - a number of Thompson submachine guns were supplied to the USSR as part of the Lend-Lease program, including as additional equipment to a diverse military equipment (tanks, airplanes, and so on), but they did not become widespread, especially since in the USSR there were large quantities
their successful models of this type of weapon, such as the PPSh produced in 6 million copies. Rare photo
Soviet tankers with M3A1 Stuart tanks, in American headsets, with a Thompson M1928A1 submachine gun and an M1919A4 machine gun. American equipment was left fully equipped under Lend-Lease - with equipment and even small arms for the crew. Third Reich - at the initial stage of the war, together 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 Thompsons captured on the Eastern Front were in service under the designation MP.769(r) . These same submachine guns captured by the Wehrmacht on the Western Front under the designations, MP.760(e), interacting with milled grooves on the inner walls of the bolt box, which, according to the manufacturer, held the bolt in the forward position at the initial moment of the shot (at high pressure of the powder gases in the barrel), and after the pressure in the channel dropped, it rose upward, due to which the bolt self-unlocked. At the same time, a number of authors claim that the retarder insert in this design essentially did not 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 - (j)(English, Yugoslav and American, respectively), were used mainly by the German security police. In addition, the occupation units of the Wehrmacht in Western Europe were armed with (under the symbol MP.761(f)) more than 3,000 11.43 mm Thompson M1921 submachine guns purchased by France from the United States in 1939–1940.
France- a certain amount was purchased in the period before 1940. During World War II, they were used by Free French forces.
Yugoslavia- a certain amount was supplied to resistance fighters.

Video

Shooting from a Thompson, handling weapons, etc.:

Thompson M1A1 submachine gun (in English)

Legendary machine!

Controller, trench broom, Chicago typewriter or Chicago piano, sprinkler, interpreter - these were all names for the same object - a Thompson submachine gun. He was national pride USA of the 20s of the last century.

A little history

The designer of this weapon is considered to be American Army General John Taliaferro Thompson, after whom the machine gun was named. But some military historians call him only a successful businessman who created a joint company with financier Thomas Rhine, the Auto-Ordnance company. And the true developers are the talented engineers Theodor Eickhoff, Oscar Payne, George Gall, who were hired by Thompson. Also among the authors of weapons can be considered the developer of the semi-blowback, John Blish.

But without Thompson, this famous weapon would still not exist. Everyone admits this. And it all began with an understanding of the results of the First World War, when almost all the warring parties came to the conclusion that the rifles available for service could not cope with the increased mobility of combat operations. And therefore it is necessary to have weapons with an increased rate of fire and a lower mass.

The company produced the first prototype in 1919. The resulting specimen was distinguished by a high rate of fire and reliability for a prototype. For example, during testing it fired at a rate of fire of 1000 rounds per minute, and there was only one delay for 2000 rounds. But by this time the war had already ended and the United States decided that they did not need new weapons, citing the reason for their high cost. Judge for yourself: the average salary in the USA at that time was about 50-70 dollars, and the price of a Thompson submachine gun was about 225-230 bucks apiece.

The 1921 modification became approximately half the price, but army commanders still did not need it. And then Thompson with his Tommy gun decided to interest law enforcement agencies. And with the slogan “On the side of Law and Order,” the owner went on a tour of the country. But, alas, from law enforcement Only FBI employees were interested in the machine gun.

And the young Soviet Republic purchased a small batch of weapons for the border troops. It was successfully used in the fight against Basmachi detachments. After all, as they showed combat tests 3-4 people armed with Thompson submachine guns were equal in combat power to 9-11 people armed with rifles.

In service with the mafia

It would seem that, financial company Thompson-Rhyne collapsed, but then the “Prohibition Era” began in America and gangsters became interested in weapons, who, unlike the state, perfectly appreciated all the capabilities of automatic weapons. And even the 1928 law “On State Control of Arms Sales” could not prevent large quantity"Thomson" into their hands.

Newspapers jokingly called the machine guns in the hands of gangsters “great helpers in the prosperity of business.” It was the Thompson submachine guns in the hands of the mafia and the desire to fight them on equal terms that prompted the police, FBI, postal service and Coast Guard to also adopt this weapon.

World War II

And only the beginning of the Second World War forced the US government to begin rearmament of its army. So the American motorized infantry received the Thompson M1928A1 submachine gun. It differed from the 1928 model in that instead of an additional pistol grip it had a wooden fore-end. But still, this model was much inferior in reliability in field conditions to similar weapons in the armies of the USSR and the Wehrmacht in 1943 american army received the M1 model.

Exactly latest model was recognized as the most successful and was produced until 1976. Afterwards it was declared obsolete and was removed from production and service. Although last used These military machine guns were recorded during the Balkan conflict at the end of the 20th century.

But the civilian version of the machine gun was produced until 1999. True, it was produced not as an automatic machine, but as a “ self-loading carbine Thompson, model 1927A1."

TTX Thompson submachine gun 1928

Caliber – 11.43 mm. The machine gun was chambered for the 45 ACP pistol cartridge.

Machine weight: without magazine – 4.54 kg. A 20-round box magazine added 0.85 kg. A 50-round disc magazine increased the weight by another 2.2 kg, and if the machine gun was equipped with a 100-round disc magazine, the weight of the weapon exceeded 8 kg. At the same time, the machine gun had a solid rate of fire of 600-700 rounds per minute, depending on the model. The sighting range was about 100-150 meters.

By the way, the popular name in Russian transcription “submachine gun” is somewhat incorrect. Thompson himself called his brainchild somewhat differently: “submachine-gun,” which, if translated literally, would mean “submachine gun” or, in another way, “a lighter type of machine gun.” Americans still use this term to refer to hand-held automatic weapons that use a pistol cartridge.

Video: Thompson submachine gun

...This man is irresistible. When he enters the “tea room” - speakeasy, he restrainedly and elegantly touches the edge of his hat, the beating of ladies’ hearts drowns out the eternal jazz longing for the unearthly..

Here he is, as if he stepped off the cover fashion magazine or pages of gossip columns: a double-breasted blue scalloped suit, black patent leather shoes, a silk tie, a snow-white shirt and a pearl-gray felt hat. A meager gesture of the hand - the gold of the watch flashed, sparks of the diamond splashed out: a long coat was casually and deftly thrown over the hand, the gaze slid across the tea and cocaine gloom...

So, with minor variations, it looked “very bad guy"from Chicago, circa 1930s. Gangster. Bootlegger. Gentleman killer. They created a special style, still unsurpassed in terms of elegance, sexuality and masculinity. Maybe the mystery is not at all in the impeccable cut and expensive fabric? And not even in the innate taste of the Italian mafiosi, who consoled the residents of Chicago and other cities during the Prohibition era 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’s” sense of beauty and cultivated in themselves a wolf’s grip on life.

They preferred a double-breasted jacket in dark, noble shades, with wide, long lapels - up to the waist, straight tails without slits. In such a jacket, the figure appears 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 iconic weapon of Chicago gangsters; the absence of cuts helps people not to detect the holster under the jacket; Blood is difficult to see 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 nearby in suits made of thick, very thick fabric...

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

The gangsters’ special mockery of the public was the white gloves, which not only completed the chic look, but seemed to symbolize the “clean hands” of the bandits. Gloves, and with them white shirts and a light hat - these are, perhaps, all the bright details of the Chicago style of the 30s. Everything else is soft and deep dark shades. Discreet, expensive and extremely presentable.

...They always hit the target. In the heart of the enemy - from Thompson. In a woman's heart - with a glance. The legendary and monstrous heroes of Chicago pierce even time with their gaze and bullets, forcing us even today to look at photographs with admiration and try on an ambiguous image for ourselves.