Automatic machine "Schmeisser" - weapons of the eastern campaign

Historically, thanks to the Soviet cinema, the Schmisser, the same MP-40, became the same integral symbol of the "fair-haired beasts" as its antipode of the Soviet-era warriors-liberators. This myth was strongly supported and cultivated throughout the post-war decades. In fact, the machine "Schmeisser" was never the most massive, nor the most popular weapons of the Wehrmacht in the Second World War. Moreover, the very talented German designer Hugo Schmeisser had not the slightest relation to the creation of the MR-40. Being an engineer of the armory company Henel, he created earlier models - MP-18 and MP-28. A machine "Schmeisser" - this is the common name of all the modifications of this submachine gun.

As in many other areas of applied mechanics, German designers have always been on the leading roles in the world in creating the newest types of light weapons. Until now, it is commonly believed that it was in Germany that they were the first to develop and organize the serial production of such revolutionary small arms as machine guns. The beginning was laid back in 1917, when the little-known at that time designer Hugo Schmeisser created the world's first example of such small arms - MP-18. After several minor improvements, he went into mass production. Surprisingly, its design was so successful that the machine "Schmeisser" remained in service until 1928. The only significant and fairly large improvement in the MP-18 is the replacement of the originally installed drum magazine with a spiral-shaped feed type on the box clip.

German machine gun "Schmeisser" became the most revolutionary small arms of the First World War. And the end of his mass production was defeated in the war and the subsequent signing of the Treaty of Versailles. All subsequent modifications of this submachine gun, the Germans were forced to mask under police weapons. And with the coming to power of the Fuhrer of the German people, the machine "Schmeisser" got a new life. MR-38 and МР-40, so familiar to us on Soviet art films about the war, were developed at the armory firm "Erma" with the direct participation of its director B. Heinel and the talented designer Volmer. MR-38 or "Schmeisser" is an automaton whose technical characteristics are the result of the secret improvement of weapons technology for two decades.

It also took into account the experience of the bloody Spanish war. Mechanics MP-38 was built on the principle of free return of the shutter, and a large enough mass did not allow it to shake when firing, so that it had excellent stability. Other advantages of this submachine gun consisted in its simplified design, in the successful layout and design of the hull, as well as in plastic or aluminum elements for forearm and hilt. In addition, the automation of the shock-trigger mechanism, which earlier allowed only continuous fire, was changed.

Now, some decrease in the rate of fire allowed to fire with single shots. The MP-38 was equipped with a folding frame butt, which made the weapon more compact and convenient to handle. This contributed to its rapid spread among tankmen and in the amphibious divisions. And the next model - the MR-40, which has already become the weapon of the eastern campaign itself, has undergone some changes in order to further reduce the cost of its production and simplify the design. Many details, especially in the conditions of a protracted war in the east, were produced with the help of stamping and welding operations. Of the structural innovations, one can single out the smoothed case of the shutter box, change the recharge arm and strengthen the walls of the magazine.

The result was a weapon that harmoniously combined in its design the simplicity of the system and its strength with survivability and ease of maintenance in difficult combat conditions. The MP-40 can rightly be considered one of the most successful submachine guns of the Second World War. And the confusion in the names began when the real "Schmeissers" began to fall into the hands of the guerrillas, that is, obsolete models that were often used in the rear units of the Wehrmacht. In addition, Hugo Schmeiss constructed in 1941 not the most successful MP-41, which was branded "Schmeisser's patent" and which outwardly resembled the MP-40.

For all the war years, about thirty thousand copies of MP-41 were produced. Probably, thanks to this model, all the German submachine guns in the Western literature began to be called "Schmeissers". And such a mistake quickly spread to domestic publications and publications.