Most iconic U.S. military weapon

[Glider]

Army
Has to be the Browning M1911. Standard issue from 1911 to I admit to not knowing when, but must be late 80's. Still in use in huge numbers in various places around the world.

Navy
The big aircraft carrier. The backbone of US force projection since WW2 till the present day

Airforce
B52 - need I say anything to support the B52?

 

[drgondog]

Glider - Uncle Sam's Misguided Children just ditched the girly girl's 9mm in favor of good 'ol 1911 (modified). The mastodon reawakened and realized it could stomp the crap out of its enemies with fewer shots but Much bigger feet.

 

[Timppa]

Colt Single Action Army

Winchester Model 1873

There is much more than WW2 and yes, I'm a fan of Westerns.

 

[Glider]

At the rifle club I used to go to there were a couple of people who had Winchesters and it was the one rifle everyone wanted to try.

 

[drgondog]

For the post War of Northern Aggression days, the Henry and Spencer rifles may have been the most important versus the Colt Peacemaker and 1873 Winchester carbine - particularly in the Southwest...

 

[davparlr]

No doubt, Willys MB, Jeep. In every movie where land forces were shown in WWII and Korea, Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force.

From web "The hero of World War II. Willys produced 335,531 units and they served in every theater of war, in every conceivable role and with every Allied army. This vehicle changed the way Americans looked at the automobile and added a new word to our vocabulary: Jeep. " May or may not be true but close enough.

I learned to drive on the civilian version.

Second place, M-1 Garand.

 

[Procrastintor]

The P-40 with the Shark Mouth and checkertail. Or perhaps the F-4 Phantom. Non airforce Jeep

 

[tyrodtom]

The P-40 with the Shark Mouth and checkertail. Or perhaps the F-4 Phantom. Non airforce Jeep

What's the difference between a air force Jeep, and all the rest ? Unless you're talking about the short wheelbase Jeeps converted to tow aircraft.

 

[evangilder]

The P-40 with the Shark Mouth and checkertail. Or perhaps the F-4 Phantom. Non airforce Jeep

As much as the P-40 with the checkertail and the shark mouth looks neat, the 325th never flew them with the shark mouth.

 

[parsifal]

USS Enterprise, both the CV and the CVAN. Both were symbol;s of American power and resistance and served their countries with a great deal of distinction. in their own ways, both were pivotal ships that changed the view of naval warfare

And of course, it inspired a generation to boldly go where no man had been before....

 

[tyrodtom]

As much as the P-40 with the checkertail and the shark mouth looks neat, the 325th never flew them with the shark mouth.

I've seen a painting of a 325th FG P-40 with a shark mouth, looked like a model box painting, but that proves nothing.

 

[altsym]

I've seen a painting of a 325th FG P-40 with a shark mouth, looked like a model box painting, but that proves nothing.

I havn't seen ANY MTO USAAF P-40's with the shark mouth. Only RAF P-40's.

 

[Glider]

Glider - Uncle Sam's Misguided Children just ditched the girly girl's 9mm in favor of good 'ol 1911 (modified). The mastodon reawakened and realized it could stomp the crap out of its enemies with fewer shots but Much bigger feet.

I hadn't realised and for me only confirms the choice. Off the top of my head the only other front line weapon that served longer without any serious modification would be the Longbow!!

 

[tyrodtom]

I think they went to 9mm because of some of the poorly trained women shooters had such a poor grip on the 45 that the recoil action wouldn't fully work.
Try it one day, instead of resisting the recoil, bring your hand back with the recoil, on some automatics, the slide won't go back far enough to feed the next round.
With proper training this could have be avoided, but they didn't want to mess up training schedules with extra training mostly for the females.

Though i've seen this happen with a man. The instructor called it limp-wristing.

 

[glennasher]

Limp-wristing is MUCH more prevalent with the new "plastic" framed pistols, not quite so much with the good old 1911. Any of the newer plastic frames have some "flex" in the frames which exaggerate the "limp-wrist" effect even more.
I've spent about 15 years as a range-officer for IPSC/USPSA matches, and we never had issues with limp-wristing until the Glocks and other plastic wonderguns started showing up in matches.
Then, all of a sudden, those issues started cropping up, showing how poor some folks techniques really were (not a bad thing, now they had something to work on, bettering their technique!).
I'll be a 1911 guy until I die, and when I DO die, I hope they bury me with my Colt in my fist. I'm not immune to the CZ-75s and Browning Hi Powers, but my heartm, hands and head belong to the 1911.

 

[drgondog]

I think they went to 9mm because of some of the poorly trained women shooters had such a poor grip on the 45 that the recoil action wouldn't fully work.
Try it one day, instead of resisting the recoil, bring your hand back with the recoil, on some automatics, the slide won't go back far enough to feed the next round.
With proper training this could have be avoided, but they didn't want to mess up training schedules with extra training mostly for the females.

Though i've seen this happen with a man. The instructor called it limp-wristing.

I'm pretty sure it was because of the overall commitmentfrom DoD to align with NATO and the Beretta 92 as agreed pistol and ammo... ditto the 7.62x51.

The Marines hated it and finally got permission to bring the .45 back to 'my Beloved Corps". SEAL and Special Forces went their separate way some time ago..

I am definitely with Glen.. I have three 1911's at the moment but have been as high as six and never less than three since 1969.

I'm often wrong but rarely uncertain.

 

[GrauGeist]

One of the "issues" raised by NATO regarding the 1911, was the .45 caliber was "over kill".

Much like the New Jersey was "an unfair advantage" against the North Koreans during the Korean war.

 

[drgondog]

Well the 9mm keeps the medics busy while the .45 keeps graves registration occupied.

I have long been a proponent of Elmer Keith with respect to the question "big bore = overkill"? in his words, Dead is Dead.

My favorite rifle is a 338-06 and I have killed a lot of things with eyelashes with it over last 50 years. I even hunt Texas whitetail deer, not listed on Most Dangerous lists, simply because I love the rifle and it is absolutely familiar to me. Just change the bullet type to minimize meat destruction.

 

[Thorlifter]

Well the 9mm keeps the medics busy while the .45 keeps graves registration occupied.

I have long been a proponent of Elmer Keith with respect to the question "big bore = overkill"? in his words, Dead is Dead.

I agree

My favorite rifle is a 338-06 and I have killed a lot of things with eyelashes with it over last 50 years. I even hunt Texas whitetail deer, not listed on Most Dangerous lists, simply because I love the rifle and it is absolutely familiar to me. Just change the bullet type to minimize meat destruction.

Do a head shot and you don't have to worry about that! haha. Dang it, now you have me wanting some venison.

 

[drgondog]

I agree



Do a head shot and you don't have to worry about that! haha. Dang it, now you have me wanting some venison.

Just finishing the last of my venison salami from last year..