Machine Gun Prices

[Barrett]

In reading Bill Haibler's new book I came across the following info for a squadron's TO&E, c. 1918. Makes you yearn for the Good Old Days of WW I. Anybody have an inflationary conversion table for these prices?

Vickers MG $842.20
Lewis LMG $731.56
BAR $126.00
rifle $ 19.50 ('03 or M1917 isn't specified)
M1911 pistol $14.50
MG ammo 6 cents/round

Generic cost for an airplane with engine ran around $7,000. Today the USAF *admits* that a B-2 stealth bomber costs around $2.1 Billion, but there are many ways of computing such things.
Personally, I think a SPAD is a much better buy--and a whole lot more fun.

[PeterL]

Barratt, cost per dead German/Allied soldier, cost of machine guns, a while back the price of a Camel. Are you by any chance the war correspondent for the Wall Street Journal?

Peter L

[Barrett]

Peter:

You sly devil, you. About 15 years ago I was set to undertake a combat field assignment for Soldier of Fortune but it fell thru when the subject weapon failed to materialize. Hmmm. Maybe I really WILL hit up WSJ as a fortune-of-war correspondent! Will provide my own ammo, but not at 6 cents per round...

The price paid by the army for a 08/15 Spandau was Mk.650. I understand that those are Gold Marks, and much more than a Deutsche Mark.
Best,
Dave

[Shooter]

Barrett:

I recently attempted to negotiate a transfer of a late-production "cherry" M1918A2, with bipod, cleaning kit, and assorted bric-a-brac....the asking price, not to include the $200 ATF "transfer tax" was almost three thousand clams!!!! And, I am told, it was a very fair price. Needless to say, the deal did not go through.

For those of us who have the means to clear their platinum VISA each month, regardless of the balance, and who would like a legal transfer of a "Title II" weapon, I have a good source. I do not have the assets to play in that league yet.

BTW, Barrett, he also has two WWI vintage Vickers MG's....interested?

[stephen]

I have a better idea, Shooter. Why not just get rid of the BATF?

[Barrett]

Shooter: incredible as it may seem, I have all the firearms I need and most of those I want!
Stephen: Ooh-rah!

[Shooter]

Barrett:

Yeah, well I didn't think you would. Feeding automatic weapons is like feeding a pet dragon...it gets REALLY expensive within a New York minute!

I still would love to have aquired that BAR, though. Gene Duncan says the the BAR was the grand piano of the small arms symphony.

[Kirby]

Barrett

That "subject weapon that failed to materialize" wouldn't have happened to have been a Hind, would it?

VBR
Kirby

Dear Peter L: Barrett is historically correct to site the cost of military equipment, and to extrapolate the cost per casualty. I did this in the September Rampage (see page 142). When you get to assess who "won" this or any war, the answer is no one really wins a war, because the cost to humanity is the cumulative cost of all casualties...But since historians like to express which side won, we can only calculate the casualties separately and the money cost and come up with a cost/casualty. Page 142 indicates that the Allies lost more in KIA, MIA, Civilian casualties, and physical damage. We lost 2 million more KIA than the Central Powers, as an example, and so on across the board...As I wrote in the book: Sherman said, "War is Hell!" and Sartre said, "Hell is other people!" and I said, "War is other people!" We are doing this to ourselves, as a form of mutual suicide. Can anyone out there answer this: Why did we have to pay for our own life insurance, when it was the Government who sent us to places where we could and did get killed? EOM/BillH/7.9.99