The above weapon, the last
version of the PM 1910, was produced in vast
numbers and was widely used by the North Koreans
and the CCF in the Korean War. Still in use in
the 70's, it is probably the longest-lived of
the Maxim variants.
Like most Soviet Maxims, the
above model has the "Sokolov" mounting,
a pair of wheels supporting a large turntable to
allow traversing, and a U-shaped trail. The CCF
and North Koreans frequently were fitted with a
steel shield. It added greatly to the weight, but
did give some protection against the ferocious
counter-fire of UN forces, and also increased the
weapon's already considerable stability. This
was the best gun the CCF had in during the 1st
year of the Korean War.
For winter warfare there was a
sled fitting, and all models could be fitted with
drag ropes, and anti freeze in the jacket helped
give this heavy machine gun great all-weather
reliability.
American forces used the light and heavy machine guns mostly at a
few hundred yards or less, contrary to their
design concepts. This was the nature of the
battles our company and platoon sized forces
faced, which were mostly defensive. The Chinese
used them at greater distances but, at least in
the early phases of the Korean war, used them
sparingly at these distances. Probably because of
the difficulty of transporting the heavy guns and
ammunition over long distances on foot, which was
often their only available method. They would be
most effective in defensive positions, and were
not part of the normal CCF tactic of
platoon-sized assault with grenades and
submachine guns, supported closely by light
mortars.
In 1881 the American inventor,
Hiram Maxim, visited the Paris Electrical
Exhibition. While he was at the exhibition he was
informed: "If you wanted to make a lot of
money, invent something that will enable these
Europeans to cut each other's throats with
greater facility."
