Editing M2 Browning (section)

=== .50 Browning AN/M2 ===
[[File:12,7 mm automatkanon m45.jpg|thumb|.50 AN/M2 aircraft machine gun]]
[[File:P-47 040315-F-9999G-029.jpg|right|thumb|A P-47 Thunderbolt firing its eight AN/M2 machine guns]]

The M2 heavy machine gun was widely used during World War II, and in later postwar conflicts, as a remote or flexible aircraft gun. For fixed (offensive) or flexible (defensive) guns used in aircraft, a dedicated M2 version was developed called the ".50 Browning AN/M2" or the "12.7 mm AN/M2".<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Beskrivning över 12,7 & 13,2 mm akan m/39 & m/45 |trans-title=Description of 12.7 & 13.2 mm akan m/39 & m/45 |language=sv |publisher=Svenska flygvapnet [Swedish Air Force] |year=1949 |location=Krigsarkivet [Swedish Military Archive]}} (The 12.7 mm akan m/45 was the Swedish designation for the 12.7 mm AN/M2, as its described in the book.)</ref> The "AN" stands for "Army/Navy", since the gun was developed jointly for use by both services. The [[AN/M2 (disambiguation)|AN/M2]]<!--intentional link to DAB page--> designation was also used for other aircraft guns and therefore it is important to write the caliber before the designation.

The 12.7&nbsp;mm AN/M2 had a cyclic rate of 600–800 rounds per minute, with the ability to be fired from an electrically operated remote-mount solenoid trigger when installed as a fixed gun.<ref name=":0" /> Cooled by the aircraft's slip-stream, the air-cooled 12.7&nbsp;mm AN/M2 was fitted with a substantially lighter {{convert|36|in|cm|adj=on}} length barrel, reducing the weight of the complete unit to {{convert|61|lb|kg}},<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://browningmgs.com/AirGunnery/01_50cal.htm |title=Aircraft Gunnery .50 Cal. |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=BrowningMGs.com |access-date=9 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110100127/http://browningmgs.com/AirGunnery/01_50cal.htm |archive-date=10 January 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> which also had the effect of increasing the rate of fire. The full official designation for this weapon was "Browning Machine Gun, Aircraft, Cal. .50, AN/M2" (Fixed) or (Flexible).

The 12.7&nbsp;mm AN/M2 was used on many aircraft during [[WWII]], as it served as the main aircraft armament in the US military. Most US fighter aircraft were armed with four, six or eight AN/M2 MGs mounted in the wings. Some examples being the [[Curtiss P-40]], [[Republic P-47 Thunderbolt]], and [[North American P-51 Mustang]] for the [[USAAF]] and the [[F4F]], [[F6F]], and [[Vought F4U Corsair]] for the [[US Navy]]. For bombers, the AN/M2 was used in both flexible and fixed positions for both offensive and defensive use. In flexible defensive positions, the [[Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress variants#B-17G|Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress]] heavy bomber was armed with 13 AN/M2 guns in both turreted and flexible positions. In fixed offensive configurations, like on the [[North American B-25 Mitchell]], commonly carried 6 to 12 fixed guns for strafing.

In foreign use the AN/M2 is often just referred to as the M2 Browning. In Sweden it was re-designated '''''12,7&nbsp;mm automatkanon m/45''''' (short ''12.7mm akan m/45'') meaning 12.7&nbsp;mm autocannon m/45.<ref name=":0" /> The [[Swedish Air Force]] used a different designation system which recognized the incendiary rounds as grenades, thus it was called autocannon.<ref name=":0" /> The AN/M2 was also produced in Finland under the export name '''Colt MG 53-2'''.