Rifle machine gunner (FM 24/29D)
FM 24/29
Collection Michel Truttmann
This FM, of fortification, has neither the bipod, neither
the crutch, nor the handle hand-shield of the "normal" FM 24/29 which
equips out of standard the troops with the French Army until 1965;
these three accessories are indeed useless in the forts (and
even incompatible with the attachment unit on the crenels).
In front of the triggers, the removal of moignée the
hand-shield leaves apparaitre a protuberance used to fix "normal" FM
on a mounting of vehicle, for example. In the fortification this
protuberance is made profitable to maintain FM on its support.
Here, a SP (On Door).
SF Thionville Shelter of the Bichel-South
Cima Photograph
FM 24/29 in its crenel, on its kneecap RB
SFAM AP Holy Pont Louis
Cima Photograph
FM 24/29 (official name: MAC 24/29) is an automatic light machine-gun built by the munitions factory of Chatellerault. Approved in 1924, the series is launched in 1925, and the Units touch it since 1926. In 1929 it is modified to draw the cartridges 7,5mm 1929 more powerful than the cartridges 7,5mm from 1924 initial.
MAC created an alternative "special fortification" of the 24/29: the 24/29D of which the gun reinforced car the ammunition of 7,5D (heavy ammunition with greater range than the 7,5 normal for infantry). If the 24/29D become the typical weapons of defense brought closer of the Maginot Line (of bell, of crenels under concrete, door), employed in twinnings they are very quickly replaced by famous twinnings of machine-guns MAC 31.