[MG1918]

Yes I know in the ‘water cooled’ section and not ‘air cooled’ but I am hoping the vast majority of maxim owners operate here 😀. Looking to identify who might be a collector/knowledgable on WWI Air MGs and possibly linked to trophies and trench art? Thanks
Mark

 

[MS Collector]

Yes I know in the ‘water cooled’ section and not ‘air cooled’ but I am hoping the vast majority of maxim owners operate here 😀. Looking to identify who might be a collector/knowledgable on WWI Air MGs and possibly linked to trophies and trench art? Thanks
Mark

These are the markings on an LMG 08/15 that I acquired out of the Rock Island Auctions sale in May, 2021; it appears to have been a presentation from a French unit comprised of colonial troopes from Morocco. The recipient appears to be "I.G. Johnson & Co." in New York (USA). Also attached is a .pdf with some information about the "Isaac G. Johnson & Co." (a/k/a "Johnson Iron Works") that operated in the New York City area during WWI and was reportedly involved in making AA shells, among other ordnance items. I have no proof that the Johnson Iron Works detailed in the .pdf was the recipient of this war trophy gun, but it was the only candidate for such presentation that I could find after many hours of on-line research. As to the circumstances of a French colonial unit fighting in France (near the Hindenberg Line c. September, 2018), I have no idea what possible connection such French unit might have to a manufacturer of ordnance items located in the USA and/or what might trigger such presentation. Any ideas/speculation/conjecture would be much welcomed!

 

[redroth]

I think IMBLITZVT and MG34_DAN would be pretty knowledgeable on Maxim aircraft guns.

 

[MG34_Dan]

I think IMBLITZVT and MG34_DAN would be pretty knowledgeable on Maxim aircraft guns.

The only thing I know is what I can see on my LMG 08/15. Here is what I have.

(I got this front sight from Dolf)

(Obviously not original to the weapon)

 

[MS Collector]

Dan: I can't see your photos.

Also, here is another photo of the name of the recipient of the French capture presentation gun. What frustrated my research is that the "G" in the Johnson & Co name (as-engraved) looks a lot like the letter "C" as used in the engraving . . . the differences are very slight. When researching, however, the differences in the "G" vs. "C" were quite substantial, as I found no "Johnson" company that was a possible match when using the "C" interpretation of the engraving, whereas using the "G" interpretation of the engraving I got a solid hit.

The only thing I know is what I can see on my LMG 08/15. Here is what I have.

(I got this front sight from Dolf)

(Obviously not original to the weapon)

 

[MG34_Dan]

Dan: I can't see your photos.

Also, here is another photo of the name of the recipient of the French capture presentation gun. What frustrated my research is that the "G" in the Johnson & Co name (as-engraved) looks a lot like the letter "C" as used in the engraving . . . the differences are very slight. When researching, however, the differences in the "G" vs. "C" were quite substantial, as I found no "Johnson" company that was a possible match when using the "C" interpretation of the engraving, whereas using the "G" interpretation of the engraving I got a solid hit.
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.
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I'm sorry you cannot see my pictures.

My LMG has no engravings on it other than the original German WWI markings.

I got my LMG from one of Dolf Goldsmith's friends. He lived very close to Fort Hood, which is where the put-together tripod came from.

 

[IMBLITZVT]

Alan, is that you?

Its a great gun and very cool inscription. However its going to be tough to research. I would file a freedom of info request on it and see if you can figure out who first registered the gun. That might tell you something.

Can you type out exactly what is said on each line?

Its also interesting that the top cover has a hole drilled in it. I wonder want that was for?

 

[MS Collector]

I don't have the LMG 08/15 in hand yet . . . I am about half-way through the NFA transfer process; hopefully I will have the gun in a few months and can take good photos (outdoors in natural light) so as to clearly depict the French language inscription. In the interim, here is a link to the RIA auction page for the gun - it details the presentation inscription and offers a rough translation.

War Trophy Spandau 1908/15 Aircraft Machine Gun | Rock Island Auction

Historic World War I Spandau Model 1908/15 Maxim Machine Gun Modified for Aircraft Use, War Trophy Inscribed for the Highly Decorated Colonial Infantry Regiment of Morocco, Class III/NFA C&R Fully Transferable Machine GunA variant on the Maxim machine gun, the 1908/15 was a go-to standard for...

www.rockislandauction.com

Here is an April, 1918 photo of the potential recipient of the gun . . . you can clearly see the company name on the side of the building. Ag

 

[IMBLITZVT]

Here are my two LMG parts kits.

 

[Mike Duke]

Matt your gun room is starting to look like my gun room.
The 08/15 I have has 4 holes drilled on top. I think it was a tag from a museum or something.

 

[IMBLITZVT]

Mike, your four holes were for a plate the German put over it to tell when it up upgraded. I have seen this done several times. The single hole in the top cover is not likely for the same thing.

I know I have been enjoying the gun room!

If you look below it, you can see my T-Gewehr and the "lady of the night" gun... my largest and smallest guns together.

 

[IMBLITZVT]

Another LMG Trophy... kind of.