Planned Hotchkiss M1914 replacement?

[C. A. Fleischer]

The French army still used the venerable 8mm Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun in 1940. Was there no plans to replace this? I have not found any indications, which seems strange as this was largely replaced by most (even less wealthy) nations by then, and as the French had lots of plans to introduce new equipment (ATG, tanks, aircraft, AIFVs etc), and even decided to introduce semi-auto MAS40 rifles(!) Was the 7,5mm derivative of the Browning M1919 dubbed "FN-Browning mle 1938" for aircraft use ever considered for army use?

[Carl Schwamberger]

Often wondered this myself. Dont have a big interest in small arms so never researched it. Hope a expert will answer this.

[Loïc]

Hello, I am not at all an expert but Stéphane Ferrard [† 2015] was one
http://atf40.forumculture.net/t718-hotc ... -et-essais

so the MAC* model 1936 7.5mm was planned to replace them

50 prototypes made for a testing before may 1940, the industrialization not before...1941

*for Manufacture d'Armes de Châtellerault

Regards
Loïc

[C. A. Fleischer]

Loïc, thanks,

Indeed interesting, but can't find more hints on the web about this. No other sources than another (French) history forum? Photo would be very interesting

BR
Fleischer

[Carl Schwamberger]

I'm not fluent in French, but it looks like some sources are mentioned in the closing posts of the link discussion thread. Perhaps those will lead somewhere.

[Loïc]

yes it was for that reason, Stephane Ferrard was, still is, a renowned author about Armament topics
I don't have this mentioned source, actually a special issue, published many years ago (1979) but I assume this following picture comes from this one


Regards
Loïc L.

[archiveruk]

On 12.01.39 the Army Staff ordered fifty 7.5mm MAC Mle 1936 with ten to be delivered by the start of October 1939 and the other forty by the end of December 1939. In addition fifty 9mm MAC Mle 1937 were ordered to be delivered by the same schedule as the 7.5mm version.
Both guns were to be mounted on a modified Mle 1916 mounting. During January 1940 it was decided to send these guns for experimentation to the infantry training battalions with an initial six four-gun sections being formed at the Cours Pratique de Tir de l'Infanterie at Granville. Three were for the type Métropolitaine, one for type Coloniale, one for type chasseurs and one for type Nord-Africain bataillons.

The first section was to leave Granville on 15.02.40, however due to delays it was not until 21 April 1940 that the first section left (for XXI/5e RI).On completion of its training it was sent to 44e DI. This was far too late for any proper evaluation.

Regards

Lee

[Loïc]

Thank you Lee,
the XXIst (Training) Battalion of the 5e RI is the GHQ guard Battalion at la Ferté-sous-Jouarre, ~65 km from Paris, ours great commanders had this new machine-gun before their eyes