Thompson submachine gun facts for kids
The Thompson submachine gun, also known as the Tommy gun, was an early type of submachine gun. It became very popular with soldiers, police, and even regular people. It was invented by John T. Thompson, a general, near the end of World War I. He wanted it to be a "trench-broom" weapon, meaning it could quickly clear out enemy trenches. However, the war ended before the gun could be used in battle.
In 1919, General Thompson's company, Auto-Ordnance Company, changed the gun for people to buy. A submachine gun is a small, fully automatic, hand-held gun that shoots pistol bullets. The Tommy gun is still a famous firearm and is very popular with collectors. It fires powerful .45 ACP caliber bullets, which were good for combat.
Contents
What is the Tommy Gun?
The Thompson submachine gun is known for its unique look and how it works. It was designed to be easy to carry and use in close combat.
- Bullet Size: .45 ACP
- Barrel Length: 10.5 inches (270 mm)
- Total Length: 32 inches (810 mm)
- Weight: 10 pounds (4.5 kg) when empty
- How it Fires: It uses a system called friction delayed gas blowback.
- Bullet Capacity: It could hold 20 or 30 bullets in a stick magazine, or 50 to 100 bullets in a drum magazine.
How the Tommy Gun Was Made
John T. Thompson joined the United States Army in 1882. During the Spanish–American War, he became known for making sure ammunition reached the soldiers, even when army supplies were very messy. He later helped create two important American military weapons: the M1903 Springfield rifle and the M1911 pistol.
In 1916, Thompson started Auto-Ordnance Company, owning most of it. He first called his new gun "The Annihilator I" and nicknamed it a "trench broom." It could fire 20 bullets every second! The first guns were ready to be shipped on November 11, 1918, which was the same day World War I ended.
Since the war was over, Thompson and his company started making the gun for people to buy. In 1921, the first model, called the M1921, was produced.
The Tommy Gun After World War I
In 1921, the Colt's Manufacturing Company made 15,000 Thompson submachine guns for Auto-Ordnance. Each gun cost $38.25. This model was called the "Model 1921A." It weighed 10.25 pounds (4.65 kg) and could shoot accurately up to 164 feet (50 m).
General Thompson tried to sell his gun to countries in Europe, but he didn't have much luck. Sales were also slow in the United States. In 1926, he finally got orders from the United States Postal Service and the United States Marine Corps. The Marines used the guns during conflicts in Central America, where they were good for fighting against surprise attacks by local fighters.
The Irish Republican Army also used them in 1921 during the end of the Irish War of Independence. However, they weren't very impressed because the guns only hit about 32% of their targets. Other buyers included law enforcement agencies and ranchers. Criminals quickly found ways to use the gun too. Later, the United States Navy ordered 1,500 of them.
The Tommy Gun in World War II
The US military started using the Thompson in 1938 and continued to use it throughout World War II. Two main versions were used:
- The M1928A1 model could use both stick and drum magazines. It had a muzzle brake (a part to stop the gun from rising when fired) and Cooling fins (to keep the barrel from getting too hot).
- The M1A1 model was simpler. It had no cooling fins, could only use stick magazines, and had a simpler sight.
The Thompson was used by all the Allied forces during the war. Its main problems were that it was complicated and expensive to make. It was also heavy, weighing about 14 pounds (6.4 kg) when loaded. It also had to be kept very clean, or it would misfire (fail to shoot).
Despite these issues, soldiers liked the weapon. It was a favorite of British and Australian soldiers. In the US military, squad leaders and officers often carried it. In the thick jungles of the Pacific War, the Thompson's sound was similar to Japanese machine guns, which sometimes caused confusion.
When the US created the M3 submachine gun, also called the "grease gun," it was much lighter, cheaper to make, and fired slower. However, most soldiers who had Thompsons were slow to give them up for the less popular grease gun.
The Thompson was also used during the Korean War and later in the Vietnam War. The Thompson submachine gun was officially stopped from service in 1971, after 33 years of use.
The Tommy Gun Around the World
The Thompson was used in many other conflicts, including the Arab–Israeli conflict, the Cuban Revolution, and the Northern Ireland conflict (from 1969 to 1998). Even today, the gun is still made, and some countries around the world still use it. More than 1,700,000 Thompson submachine guns have been made in total.
Images for kids
-
General John T. Thompson holding an M1921
-
Thompson Model 1921AC with a Police Model hard case
-
A British soldier equipped with a Thompson M1928 submachine gun (drum magazine), November 25, 1940
-
A soldier of the 4th Indian Division armed with a Thompson SMG, North Africa, 21 June 1941.
-
Drum and box magazines
-
Australian soldiers equipped with Thompson submachine guns at Tobruk, September 8, 1941
-
U.S. Marine Sgt. John Wisbur Bartlett Sr. fires on a Japanese position using an M1 Thompson submachine gun during an advance on Okinawa in 1945.
-
German Fallschirmjäger troops in Tunisia with a captured M1928A1 Thompson submachine gun
-
Thompson M1928A1, field stripped
-
Thompson 1921, field stripped
-
Thompson M1921 submachine gun with Argentine Halcon compensator
-
Colt address on Thompson 1921 SMG
-
Thompson Autorifle (top, upright) and SMG Model (bottom, inverted) of 1921
-
Fire Controls on an M1928A1 Thompson. Front lever is the selector switch, set for full auto.
-
Auto-Ordnance 1927A5 DOJ BATFE Firearm Classification Letter
-
Firing the 1921 Thompson
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Subfusil Thompson para niños
