Thompson M1A1 submachine gun
History, technical sheet and photo
Thompson M1A1 submachine gun history
Confronted during the First World War with close fighting in the trenches, the American army wants to equip itself with a new model of submachine gun.
The first prototype, designed by the American engineer John T. Thompson, was manufactured in 1920 and its production on an industrial scale begins at the end of the same year. Initially ignored by the army which does not seem convinced of its capabilities, the submachine gun Thompson is very quickly ordered in the course of the year 1940 by the army of Earth and the American Marines.
Heavy and unclear, the Thompson M1A1 lacks power. But it resists all weather conditions and appears as a reliable weapon. It is used during the wars of Korea and Vietnam.
Thompson M1A1 submachine gun specification
Creator/User: United States of America
Denomination : Thompson M1A1
Number built: 2,000,000
Produced: 1921–1945
Fire mode: Automatic / Semi-automatic
Caliber: .45 ACP (11.43×23 mm)
Feed system: 20/30 round-magazine
Effective firing range: 150 m
Rate of fire: 700 rounds/min
Weight: 4,78 kg
Length: 813 mm
