Original Item: Only two available. Next to the U.S. the most important manufacturer of John Browning designed machine guns was FABRIQUE NATIONALE D’ARMES DE GUERRE of Belgium, known worldwide as F.N.
Obtaining their first manufacturing License from Browning in 1897 by the time WW2 arrived, their designs had become revolutionary. In 1932 FN developed a flexible aircraft M.G. fitted with a single spade grip. This was based largely on U.S. Captain Gorton’s experimental design of 1921. This was improved with a greater rate of fire with the Model of 1938 but fell into NSDAP hands with Belgium’s invasion by Germany in 1940.
Resurrected with the postwar model of F.N. 52 this single spade grip design became a ground gun for use with the U.S. type M.2. tripod. Sales were made all over the world and they were extensively used in the Middle East Wars, the Belgian Congo Simba rebellion and just about every other hot spot of the day.
One variant seen in the United States is the Israeli contract FN30. These were made for Israel in the 1950s, and eventually imported into the United States for sale to the collectors market in the form of a parts set.
Here IMA offers an inert non-firing Israeli contract FN30 Browning LMG constructed from original parts set built to BAFT requirements together with a new made M2 Tripod assembly.
Complete with F.N. Markings, something really different and ready to display!