Johnson LMG 1944E/1945

[CurtK 0]

I noticed that Bob Lanoreaux stated that the Julia Auction Johnson LMG 1944 was really a 1944E/1945 and that the 1944E/1945should have an "E" preceding the serial number. However, the Julia Auction does not have an "E" in front of the serial number. Were there some that were not marked with an "E"? Could it be possible that since the Julia Johnson apparently went to the Winchester Museum , and as referenced on page 224 of the book that the Julia LMG was just not so marked? Does anyone actually know how many 1944s were made, and were there just 10 of the 1944E/1945s that were made? With the ten that went to the trials were those eventually returned and then made their way in to private hands? I have also seen a reference to a Model 1946, would that be in error and they really meant a 1944E/1945? I also note that on the Julia LMG that it says Model of___ and then it is ground off, from what appears to have been from the factory. Any significance to that? CurtK

[Bob Lamoreaux 0]

I noticed that Bob Lanoreaux stated that the Julia Auction Johnson LMG 1944 was really a 1944E/1945 and that the 1944E/1945should have an "E" preceding the serial number. However, the Julia Auction does not have an "E" in front of the serial number. Were there some that were not marked with an "E"? Could it be possible that since the Julia Johnson apparently went to the Winchester Museum , and as referenced on page 224 of the book that the Julia LMG was just not so marked? Does anyone actually know how many 1944s were made, and were there just 10 of the 1944E/1945s that were made? With the ten that went to the trials were those eventually returned and then made their way in to private hands? I have also seen a reference to a Model 1946, would that be in error and they really meant a 1944E/1945? I also note that on the Julia LMG that it says Model of___ and then it is ground off, from what appears to have been from the factory. Any significance to that? CurtK

I must have had one too many Diet Pepsi's if I wrote that the s/n should have an "E" in front of it on the 44E/45 l.m.g. The Julia Catalog indicated that the weapon was a '44 (that is, made without the gas-assist) rather than a '44E or '45. These were probably assembled from '41 or '44 receivers by JAMCO. Saw only one at Quantico, years ago and can't remember the lettering details. I suspect that only a handful of the '44E/45s were made (make that two-handfuls ). There was a '46/'47, at least in blueprint form and I doubt that any were fabricated. This looks like the '44 but had a rotary mag and the long bayonet mounting attachment under the barrel jacket like the prototype JSAR that mounted the sword bayonet. These were intended to capture the foreign market, namely those countries liking the sword bayonet: such as those in the mid-East and South America.

Hope this clarifies things!

Bob