Germany's New Light Howitzer: the 7.5cm le.IG 18

This review details the Krieghoff prototype for the FG42 paratrooper rifle, a unique design that competed against Rheinmetall's winning entry. Key features include a bizarre wire stock for weight reduction and recoil absorption, a gas trap system instead of a traditional gas port, and a cable-operated charging handle. Despite its innovative elements, the Krieghoff design was ultimately not selected for production.

The Steyr-Solothurn S2-200, known as the MG30 in Austria and 31M in Hungary, was a German-designed machine gun produced via Swiss and Austrian partnerships to circumvent post-WWI arms restrictions. Designed by Louis Stange, it featured a recoil-operated rotating collar lock and a slim profile due to lathe-turned parts. Adopted in 8x56mmR, it utilized a distinctive curved 25-round side magazine.

This review covers a reproduction of the Rheinmetall VG-45K, a German Volksgewehr designed for late-WWII production. It highlights the rifle's stamped sheet metal receiver, bolt-action operation, and use of 8mm Kurz ammunition with Sturmgewehr magazines. Despite crude construction, the rifle demonstrated surprising accuracy and reliability during range testing.

The M79 'Bloop Tube' was a post-WWII development intended to provide infantry with a portable, accurate grenade launcher, replacing the bazooka. Its core innovation was the 40x46mm low-pressure system, adapted from German Rheinmetall High-Low pressure technology, enabling a lightweight design. Despite its success in Vietnam, its single-shot nature led to the development of under-barrel launchers like the M203.

This video provides an in-depth look at an extremely rare pre-production Type C FG-42, highlighting its unique features compared to later models. Key differences include a drum-style rear sight, milled receiver, smooth aluminum buttstock, and the use of converted MAS-36 bayonets. The segment also touches upon the FG-42's development timeline, design influences, and the political delays it faced.

The MG-15, originally a Luftwaffe flexible aircraft machine gun, was adapted for infantry use due to late-war shortages. Its unique recoil-operated mechanism uses a rotating locking collar, and it feeds from a 75-round double drum magazine. The infantry conversion kit added a bipod, shoulder stock, and ground sights, transforming it into a ground support weapon.

This video details the unique 'French Finger Trap' issue with the MAS-36 rifle's bayonet, where two rifles can become unintentionally locked together. A 1951 French arsenal memorandum identified this problem, proposing a simple modification to the bayonet handle. Drilling a small hole allows a tool, like a firing pin, to depress the internal spring, enabling the separation of locked rifles.

The M134 Minigun is a scaled-down 7.62 NATO rotary cannon, requiring 24V DC power and consuming 1.5 kW. Its high rate of fire (3,000+ RPM) is essential for aircraft engagement windows. The complex delinker mechanism is critical for feeding ammunition, and practical hand-held use is impossible due to weight and recoil. Live fire demonstrates rapid ammunition consumption and the need for indirect aiming.

The H&K G11 is a revolutionary prototype assault rifle designed in the late 20th century, notable for its caseless ammunition and unique rotating drum bolt mechanism. Despite advanced features like a 2000 RPM burst fire rate and integrated optics, its development was ultimately halted by geopolitical shifts and cost concerns.

This video demonstrates the assembly and live-fire of the German 1936 pattern light mortar (L.Gr.W.36). It highlights the mortar's leveling mechanism for accuracy and the difficulty in visually tracking its 50mm projectiles after firing. The content showcases historical military hardware and its operational use.