Machine Guns; 14th Century to Present

Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2002. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Trade paperback. Very good. 336 pages. Oversized book, measuring 11 inches by 8-1/2 inches. Illustrations, including a color insert. Topics covered include Mechanical Machine Guns, The First Automatic Guns, World War I, Between the Wars, World War II, The Cold War Years, Machine Gun Color Gallery, and The Automatic Cannon. Also includes Appendices on Strange-Sounding Names; Machine Gun Data/Alphabetical Order; Machine Gun Data/Caliber Order; Cannon Data/Alphabetical Order; Cannon Data/Caliber Order; and Ammunition Data. Also includes Glossary and Index. This presents a detailed history, organized chronologically, tracing the international development of rapid-fire arms from the late 1300s to the present, emphasizing development, history, and specifications. This book provides unique coverage of the subject,. The author delivers a well-rounded, interesting mixture of history, personal perspective, and technical information. Ian Vernon Hogg (1926 - 7 March 2002) was a British author of books on firearms, artillery, ammunition, and fortification, as well as biographies of several famous general officers. During his career he wrote, co-wrote, edited, or co-edited about 150 books. Ian V. Hogg enlisted in the Royal Artillery of the British Army in April 1945. During World War II he served in Europe and in eastern Asia. After the war he remained in the military. In the early 1950s, he served in the Korean War. Altogether he served in the military for 27 years. Upon retiring in 1972, he held the appointment of Master Gunner at the Royal Military College of Science, where he taught on the subjects of firearms, artillery, and their ammunition and use. Hogg also had an interest in the subject of fortification and was one of the founding members of the Fortress Study Group in 1975. His first books were published in the late 1960s while he was still an instructor. After retiring from the military, he pursued the career of military author and historian. He was editor of Jane's Infantry Weapons from 1972 to 1994. He worked with a skilled artist, John Batchelor, to ensure that his books were well illustrated with cutaway diagrams. He contributed articles to a variety of journals, and his books have been translated into a dozen languages. Hogg was a frequent guest on the History Channel's Tales of the Gun and a contributor to the A&E channel's 1996 series The Story of the Gun, as well as other military-related television programs. He was described as being "one of the most objective researchers on firearms and their origin. Follow the development of the machine gun from its earliest beginnings and discover its influence on warfare as retired Master Gunner Ian Hogg narrates a chronological history. Explore the various designs, mechanisms, strengths and weaknesses and employment of machine guns made around the world. Learn the history behind Germany s general-purpose machine gun and why countries all over the world copied it. Includes detailed specifications and background information on each model with a 16-page color section of historically significant guns. -Chronological history of the machine gun based on careful research -A study of the various designs, mechanisms, strengths and weaknesses and employment of the machine gun -Lists most current designs -Most comprehensive machine gun book available.