America’s M45 Quadmount—four — Four 50 Cals That Ruled the Low Sky WWII

Описание: The M45 Quadmount was a U.S. towed anti-aircraft mount that paired four .50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns around an open-top gunner’s position, using electrically powered traverse and elevation.
Although designed to fight aircraft, it was also used against ground targets and became famous for its sheer volume of fire.
It was introduced in 1944 and continued to see service beyond WWII, including later use in Vietnam-era roles.

In Europe, mobile AA units using the Quadmount helped protect advancing forces and artillery positions from low-level strafing attacks, acting as a serious deterrent to enemy aircraft runs.
Crews could tune the four guns to converge fire at a chosen distance, and standard practice often alternated upper and lower pairs to manage barrel heating during sustained action.
The same brutal close-range firepower also made it valuable for convoy and perimeter defense when aircraft were not the main threat.

Technical specs (quick facts)
Armament: 4 × .50 cal M2 Browning machine guns.

Traverse/elevation: electrically driven, full 360° traverse, elevation roughly -10° to +90°.

Crew: typically 3 (gunner + 2 loaders).

Ammo chests: “tombstone” style, often cited as 200 rounds per chest.

WWII vehicles/mountings: used on systems including the M16 MGMC and other trailer/vehicle mountings noted in service descriptions.


#M45Quadmount,#Quad50,#MaxsonMount,#M2Browning,#50Cal,#USArmy,#USNavy,#WWII,#WorldWar2,#WW2History,#MilitaryHistory,#AntiAircraft,#AAGun,#AirDefense,#Flak,#WW2Weapons,#HistoricWeapons,#WeaponHistory,#VehicleWeapons,#Halftrack,#M16MGMC,#BattleOfTheBulge,#Normandy1944,#WesternFront,#WarAtSea,#ConvoyDefense,#Cinematic,#HistoryShorts,#DocumentaryShort,#WW2Documentary


M45 Quadmount,Maxson M45,Quad .50,Quad 50 cal,Quad fifty,M2 Browning mount,.50 cal anti aircraft,WW2 anti aircraft gun,US Army air defense,WW2 mobile AA,Maxson turret,M16 MGMC,M16 halftrack AA,M45 trailer mount,gun motor carriage,WW2 convoy defense,WW2 perimeter defense,Western Front 1944,Normandy invasion weapons,Battle of the Bulge weapons,AA battalion WWII,low level strafing defense,heavy machine gun mount,WW2 weapon engineering,history shorts WW2,documentary style WW2,cinematic weapon short,US military weapons WWII,quad mount machine guns,allied air defense

Pinned comment (informative + engaging)
The M45 Quadmount put four .50 caliber Brownings into one powered mount—built for low-level air defense, but feared on the ground for its close-range firepower.
Next: M16 MGMC (half-track), 20 mm Oerlikon, or Bofors 40 mm?