"Bran" - it's better to see it once than read ten …
And it so happened that when I was working on the first material about the Bran machine gun, I had to select information for it. It is clear that 80 or even 90% of what we, journalists, write here, is a compilation. But the compilation is also different. Someone copied the material, well, let's say, from Razin's book, someone from the site of the company "Danske Manufacturing of Arms". And, of course, it is one thing to take “pictures” (illustrations) “just from the Internet”, when, most often, they are not even inserted into the text of an article for VO (they are thrown out by the site's security system!), And quite another thing is to take them from sources that are not very accessible and well-known. This is more interesting, and there is no risk of staying like an old woman at a broken trough, when you have a text with ready-made signatures in your hands, and out of 10 found illustrations, only … two were inserted into it!
Well, the last thing that is also very important is, in fact, the information content of the text. For example, I am always annoyed by materials without signatures - guess what and who is on them, or with "pictures" that do not correspond to the content, that is, that the first place where I found it, I shoved it into the material, and what does it give to its readers - the tenth thing! Although, of course, the search for information, and especially rare photographs, the matter is impossibly difficult. For example, I know for sure a place full of all kinds of weapons, and where I will be allowed to take them off, but … to drag to the other end of the city, to pry into the eyes of any high authorities, to explain that “you are not a camel” and what will be their benefits - well, very troublesome, and it will take time, well, just a lot. Or I have a friend who collects ancient weapons. Well … he seemed to come to his office and filmed everything, but … he has a business, and someone else's business is someone else's time (he, that is, he is not, then he is busy, then he has clients - so theirs …), but I have work and students, and sometimes for a month or even two we cannot meet in a city with a population of only 500 thousand people! That is why I am so happy when there are good and understanding partners abroad who are ready to help with information at any time, be it an Englishman - a foundryman of "ancient bronze" or the owner of interesting photographs, well, say, the same machine gun "Bran ".
Because I would like to give the topic in the most comprehensive way, so that, if desired, a book could be written on it with illustrations - that's how! So in the previous articles there were many photos, including individual parts of this machine gun, but I wanted from all sides that VO readers “could just hold it in their hands,” even if in a virtual way. And I succeeded, although not immediately. I found a website in the Czech Republic, which had a very good selection of photos with this machine gun, contacted the editor to get permission to publish them, he told me who they belonged to, gave me the address, and then I got in touch with their owner, who name is Martin Vlach and he kindly provided me with his photos. Moreover, it should be noted that they depict a machine gun of the Mk I model, but produced in 1944. That is, along with simplified samples of a later time, such earlier models were also produced - more complex and laborious.
So, here in front of you, dear visitors of TOPWAR, a photo gallery with the "Bran" machine gun in all forms. Well, and the text, the text was in the previous three materials.
Photo 1. "Machine gun on the grass." This is what he might have looked like in 1944 in anticipation of the battle.
Photo 2. And this is the same machine gun on a tripod. The fact is that the British had a good Vickers heavy machine gun. But it was heavy, like our "maxim". They did not have a single machine gun similar to the German MG 34 and MG 42. The creation of the "tripod" was an attempt to create such a machine gun, or rather, to bring the characteristics of the "Bran" closer to the characteristics of a single machine gun, first of all, in terms of the effectiveness of firing at long distances. After all, neither from the shoulder, nor even lying, with an emphasis on the bipod, it was impossible to shoot far from the "Bran". That is why this machine was created, which makes it possible to conduct accurate and intense fire over long distances.
Photo 3. "Tripod" was, as you can see, made folding, and easily carried by the soldier over his shoulders.
Photo 4. By the way, for the sake of convenience, the butt of the "Bran" had a spring-loaded butt pad.
Photo 5. At the rear of the butt, the machine gun had a handle, but it could be unscrewed and replaced by a mount that allowed the machine gun to be mounted on a tripod.
Photo 6. Bran's magazine was very simple, but capacious - 30 rounds with a rim. It was not recommended to stuff everything into it. Better 29 or 28, but still it was more than the 20 rounds that the American BAR had in those years.
Photo 7. Mark Mk I, mod. 1944 and sight drive. I must say that this design was reliable, although heavier than a conventional shoe. And it was possible to use it without rising above the machine gun.
Photo 8. Our "Bran" is ready to open fire!
Photo 9. In this photo we are changing the barrel. We lift the locking handle at the top and the barrel is easily removed by the handle, which is on the barrel itself.
Photo 10. Here we see the locking handle with which the barrel is tightly closed, and the technical numbers. And on the barrel, and on the same handle there are two of them at once.
Photo 11. The pistol grip is very simple, one might say, primitive in shape. Three-position fire switch, under the thumb.
Photo 12. The shutter handle is hinged for convenience, but reamed for ease of use.
Photo 13. And this is how the machine gun looked with the barrel removed.
Photo 14. The barrel is removed and lies on a tripod.
Photo 15. The threaded connection between the barrel and the receiver is clearly visible.
Photo 16. Gas regulator for four positions.
Photo 17. Support of one of the "legs".
Photo 18. The corrugation on the "lamb" by the control sight is clearly visible. Even a sweaty hand will not slip and will be able to crank it!
Photo 19. And this is how, using the retractable section of the "tripod", it was possible from the "Bran" to shoot at the planes. Moreover, a bag for collecting shot cartridges could be attached to the machine gun. On tanks, its presence was mandatory.
Photo 20. This is how the machine gunner could shoot from the "Bran", sitting behind the "tripod". The accuracy of shooting increased significantly, although due to the not too high rate of fire, it was necessary to be very careful to drive the machine gun to the left and to the right in order to "mow" the distant group target, because otherwise (with fast movement) the trajectory beams could pass between the targets! In this regard, the German MG 42 with its 1200 shots of a technical rate of fire was out of reach. But the opposite picture was when comparing our PPSh and MR 40. But an experienced, trained shooter could hit a target from several fleeing soldiers from the "Bran".
P. S. The author and editorial board of VO would like to express their gratitude to Martin Vlach for the photographs provided for publication.
