Did the 101st airborne ever have/use the Browning Automatic Rifle? Or is there a definitve answer? The reason I ask, I am currently working on a diorama of the assault on Carentan. There is a figure produced by warriors that is standing with a BAR. I have heard certain people say the praratroopers never had the BAR. I want to know if historically if this figure could be used as is in my dio, or would I lose points for this? There would be no issue to replace the weapon but the belt around the waist is a BAR ammo belt.

Thanks,
Paul

I have done much research on the paratroops, but have never found a definitive answer.

Yes paratoopers did carry and jump with a BAR. People are iffy about it because it was such a heavy weapon. So yes, it was realistic for a paratroop to Carry a BAR. Often did paratroops drop with the .30 cal and with tripod! Imagine that! What a massive weapon. Good luck with this carentan diorama, I cannot wait to see it started!

Paul,

I do know that the Glider Troops of the 101 & 82 ABN used the BAR. If the paras did use them, they would have been dropped in equipment containers/bundles. However Carentan, being a "few" days after the initial invasion, it is possible that some squads were outfitted with a BAR from ordnance co. The BAR was too long to fit in a standard Griswold bag. I do not remember if the Riggers made special pouches/bags for them or not. Its possible due to the fact that they made special pouches for ammo etc. A good refrence would be the book "America's Finest". Mine is UA at this time, I don't remember if I loaned it or not. Cheers!

Chief

As far as the Normandy Campaign The Airborne NEVER used BARs. There are only two documented cases (ie modified) of any soldiers carring BARs. as far as 30 cals. yes that is very common...later on in the war it became more prevalent but still very rare to carry BARs...SO if you want it to be correct it shouldn't be there....I don't know where these other posts got there info but an airborne carring a BAR is just FARB.

Page 20 of Squadron's US Airborne in Action shows a glider troop of the 101st with a BAR. While he is not actually jumping, it's reasonable to assume they (BAR's) were jumped. I've jumped heavier weapons, exposed, as did they. My experience, and from photos, is that your bundles contain stuff that's nice to have, but mission essential items, like a bullet launcher, stay on your person.

I can't really say either way about the BAR, but remember that airborne ops were quite different from what they are now, and heavier weapons may not necessarily have been carried by the jumper. For insatance, when the SAS did their first operational jump in Libya, they ended up fighting with pistols because all their rifles and SMGs were in equipment containers which were lost. This was of course a lesson learned, but weapons like Brens continued to be dropped in containers.

Sure you can jump a 70lb ruck today, but they didn't do that back then.

I would assume that if .30-cals were dropped in containers and then used by the 82nd and 101st, they'd have stuck some BARs in too.

Well, I can't say for sure either, but it's fun to speculate. Weight wise, not a problem. It only weighed slightly more than the M9A1, which was jumped. The length might have presented a bit of a problem for shorter jumpers. The BAR would certainly have been better for securing the DZ than a rocket launcher. Additionally, I think the T-5 was no less capable than the T-10.

As for NATO308's question though, I think it's very possible, as from the photo we know they were used during the initial invasion. It would stand to reason they were available days later.

As an aside, I had posted a request for some 1/48 scale weapons a few weeks ago as I'm recreating Shep Paine's old C-47 dio, with the addition of a Bandai Jeep. I'll end up purchasing the Tamiya infantry set, and just for S&G's, probably arm at least one jumper with the BAR.

From previous rummages on the Internet, I remember seeing something about BARs and the airborne.

Returning to the ‘scene of the crime’ (namely: http://www.cwgcuser.org.uk/personal/lifrance/lifday05.htm), I recall seeing a photo of one of the Sainte-Mere-Eglise US Airborne Museum’s displays, oddly enough the display featured a BAR in it.