Band of Brothers is the 2001 HBO World War II miniseries produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. Based on the best-selling book by the late historian Stephen Ambrose, the 10-part miniseries followed the men of "Easy" Company of the 101st Airborne Division from their basic training, through D-Day and up until the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest. HBO, Spielberg, and Hanks would also chronicle America's involvement in the War in the Pacific in 2010's The Pacific.
The following weapons can be seen in the miniseries Band of Brothers:
The M1911A1 was the standard sidearm of US Forces during World War II. Issued to officers, NCOs and those in positions where a rifle or carbine was not desirable, the pistol quickly became a favored item among Allied troops because of its stopping power. The M1911A1 is seen in various episodes of Band of Brothers. In "Currahee" (Ep.1), Capt. Herbert M. Sobel (David Schwimmer) can be seen running with one during training exercises. David Webster (Eion Bailey) threatens a baker with one in "Why We Fight" (Ep.9). In "Points" (Ep.10), Capt. Ronald Spiers (Matthew Settle) uses his M1911A1 to threaten both the doctor and the drunk American soldier who shot Chuck Grant. Joe Leibgott (Ross McCall) shoots a German officer in "Points" with a 1911.
Floyd "Tab" Talbert (Matthew Leitch) is given a Colt New Service revolver as a gift on June 4th 1944 in "Currahee" (Ep. 1), he is seen armed with it in "Carentan" (Ep.3).
Also known as the "Tommy gun" or "Fast gun", the M1A1 Thompson was the standard issue submachine gun for US Forces in WWII. As such, many of Easy Company's officers and NCOs are shown carrying the Thompson as their standard weapon. Notable paratroopers who carry the weapon include Lt. Ronald Speirs (Matthew Settle), Lt. Harry Welsh (Rick Warden), Lt. Lynn "Buck" Compton (Neal McDonough), Sgt. William "Wild Bill" Guarnere (Frank John Hughes), and Sgt. Johnny Martin (Dexter Fletcher). The M1 Thompson was too expensive and complex to produce by the Normandy invasion and the M1A1, which simply incorporated a fixed firing pin as part of the bolt, made it far easier for mass production and less expensive. 50 round drum magazines were never issued by the United States Army, being too bulky and unreliable, and the M1A1 was not designed to use a 50 round drum due to a cost-saving redesign of the magazine well. This fact is accurately represented through the series, with the Thompsons always using 30-round "stick" magazines.
The M3A1 "Grease Gun" was the cheap, inexpensive replacement for the Thompson Sub Machine Gun; It is only shown in the hands of Roy Cobb (Craig Heaney). The use of the later M3A1 variant as opposed to the original M3 is anachronistic for the earlier episodes where they are fighting in France and Holland, as it was not introduced until December 1944.
Pvt. "Smokey" Gordon is seen carrying an M1903A3 Springfield along with a Browning M1919A4 at the beginning of "Carentan" (Ep.3). This is prominently seen when Blithe joins them to find the remnants of Easy Company. The rifle is clearly not a captured Kar98k because of a shorter barrel, and different front sights. The Springfield seen later in the episode in the hands of a paratrooper who has his fingers shot up during the counter attack.
Standard issue rifle of the US military during WWII, many of Easy Company's paratroopers are shown carrying the M1 Garand as their standard weapon. Most notable are Lieutenant (Later Captain/Major) Richard "Dick" Winters (Damian Lewis), Shifty Powers (Peter Youngblood Hills) and Joseph Liebgott (Ross McCall). The Garand can be seen with and without a bayonet.
The M1 Carbine is carried by 2nd Lt. Henry Jones (Colin Hanks) in the episode "The Last Patrol" (Ep.8). It is also seen carried by several US marines fighting in Okinawa in newsreel footage.
Originally issued to non-combat personnel or those who needed a compact weapon, the M1 Carbine was never meant to be a front-line weapon, nevertheless it was ideal for Airborne troops for its small frame and its compactness. The paratrooper version of the M1, identified as the M1A1 Paratrooper Carbine has the distinct collapsible buttstock and handgrips, is shown extensively throughout the series most notably in the hands of Donald Malarkey (Scott Grimes), Carwood Lipton (Donnie Wahlberg), Warren "Skip" Muck (Richard Speight, Jr.), Lt. Norman Dike (Peter O'Meara), George Luz (Rick Gomez), and Lt. (Later Capt.) Lewis Nixon (Ron Livingston).
The Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk.I rifle is shown briefly being carried over the shoulder of a British sentry in "Carentan" (Ep.3). French soldiers are seen with the rifles when German prisoners are rounded up in "Why We Fight" (Ep.9).
Error creating thumbnail: File missingLee-Enfield No.4 Mk.I - .303 British. This was the main battle rifle of British and Commonwealth forces during World War II, however, it was supplemented heavily with the older Lee-Enfield No.1 MK.III.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Lee-Enfield carried by a British sentry in "Carentan" (Ep.3).Error creating thumbnail: File missingA French soldier holds the Lee-Enfield rifle as German prisoners are rounded up and shot in "Why We Fight" (Ep.9).
Machine Guns
M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle
The Browning Automatic Rifle, or 'B.A.R' was the standard Squad Automatic Weapon for U.S. rifle squads in WWII. It is shown being primarily used by Cpl. Heron.
The Browning M1919A4 .30 caliber machine gun is shown extensively in the hands of Easy company being used in both the defensive and offensive roles. The primary M1919A4 machine gun team of Easy Company in the series consisted of Smokey Gordon and Alton More. The 1919A4 is also shown being mounted on jeeps.
The Browning M1919A6 variant with stock and bipod is seen carried and used primarily by Burton 'Pat' Christensen (Michael Fassbender). It is incorrectly a post WWII model fitted with the conical flash hider/muzzle booster.
The Browning M2HB heavy machine gun can be seen throughout the series. The weapon is usually mounted on vehicles such as M4 Sherman tanks as seen in "Carentan" (Ep.3) or the M8 Greyhound Armored Car in "Why We Fight" (Ep.9). Also making a prominent appearance, especially in "The Last Patrol" (Ep.8) is the M51 Quad Mount which, though designed primarily for anti-aircraft use, had a devastating effect on ground targets and was available in either the towed or vehicle mounted versions (designated the M16 Quad Mount). In real life, Easy Company actually 'liberated' a M16 Quad some time after Bastogne which they took with them into Germany.
The M1 Rocket Launcher, affectionately known as the "Bazooka", was the standard anti-tank weapon for the US military during WWII. The Bazooka was excellent against bunkers and buildings, though its effectiveness against the more heavily armored German tanks is debatable. The weapon primarily seen in the series is the M1A1 variant, noted by the single grip. General Eisenhower remarked that "the Atom Bomb, Jeep, C-47 Sky Train and the Bazooka were the four weapons that won the war". The bazooka was copied by the Germans as the 'Panzerschreck' launcher from a M1 Bazooka captured in North Africa. Generally operated by a two man crew (one gunner, one loader) crews quickly figured out that they needed to hit the side, rear or belly armor of armored vehicles, as shown in the episode "Carentan" (the episode also shows how the bazooka rounds would simply deflect off the heavy frontal armor). The bazooka makes notable appearances in the series, being used by Sgt. Charles E. "Chuck" Grant (Nolan Hemmings) in the episode "Replacements" taking out a German machine gun and by John McGrath (Stephen Walters) and Harry Welsh (Rick Warden) in the episode "Carentan" disabling a German StuG III assault gun.
The Mk II Hand Grenade is used by several paratroopers in the series. Lt. Harry Welsh (Rick Warden) is seen using one to take out an MG42 team during the battle of Carentan. Paratroopers are seen piling Mk II Hand Grenades onto a enemy-made rock slide in an attempt to blow a hole in the roadblock.
In "Points" (Ep.10), the Airborne paratroopers watch newsreel footage of the war in Pacific. In the footage, a US Marine is seen using an M2 Flamethrower.
A standard sidearm of German Forces during WWI and still in use in WWII, the Luger P08 was a prized and coveted souvenir for Allied forces because of its elegant design. Malarkey is seen hunting around for one notably in "Day of Days" (Ep.2). In "The Breaking Point" (Ep.7), Corporal Hoobler (Peter McCabe) kills a German officer who has one, and then, later in the episode, it discharges in his pocket, which makes a fatal wound by hitting his femoral artery. It is later given to Sergeant Malarkey (Scott Grimes), who wanted one to bring home to his little brother. The real gun Hoobler found is a Belgian .32 and was not given to Malarkey. The Walther P38 was the standard issue during WWII, with many Lugers left over from WWI being re-used by some Germans as a sidearm. Though replaced officially by the P38, Mauser would continue producing the Luger until 1943; Evidence can be found on many Lugers with 30's and 40's markings as well as swastikas and eagles.
In the Band of Brothers companion documentary "We Stand Alone Together", the real Maj. Winters displays the Walther PP pistol he received from a surrendering German officer. Winters discovered the gun had never been fired, and said that it would remain that way. Richard Winters passed away on January 2, 2011.
The MP40 was the most common submachine gun used by the German Army during WWII. Popular culture has portrayed the MP40 as the most common weapon in the hands of WW2 German soldiers; this is actually incorrect, as the bolt-action Kar 98 was more common. This is correctly depicted in the show, not being put in the hands over every German soldier. In "Day of Days" (Ep.2), Sgt. Carwood Lipton captures one and caries it briefly in the episode.
A main battle rifle for the German forces is the Karabiner 98k. In addition to the German forces, Lt. Winters is seen using it in "Day of Days" (Ep.2). A German sniper is also seen using a scoped Kar98k against advancing Easy Company men during the battle of Foy in the episode "The Breaking Point" (Ep.7).
During the siege of Bastogne in "The Breaking Point" (Ep.7), German soldiers are seen using the new Sturmgewehr 44. A Sturmgewehr 44 is also seen on a German-weapon familiarization wall in "Curahee" (Ep.1), which is anachronistic being that the Sturmgewehr 44 would not have been encountered until two years later.
In the mini-series, the MG42 is seen multiple times, being fired from window openings in towns, and in stand-offs with the German armoured vehicles in the advance into France. Most notably, the mini-series did not fail to demonstrate or imply the demoralizing effect of the gun on U.S. troops, and this is a notable achievement for the film-makers, who added this realistic view, which before, had never been seen in such vivid detail in any previous war-film, barring of course, documentaries with actual war-time footage.
In "Day of Days" (Ep.2), Lt. Winters is seen using a German Model 24 Stielhandgranate "Potato Masher" in order to spike an enemy artillery gun at Brecourt Manor. One lands next to Joe Toye and Popeye Wynn nearly blowing them up, during the same battle.
A later-model Panzerschreck is seen discarded in a pile of of debris in "Bastogne" (Ep.6); Bernard J. 'Doc' Ryan and Pvt. Edward 'Babe' Heffron walk past it while headed to Third Battalion's position in search of medical supplies.
