USAF Baby Browning

[simonrichter]

Several web sources claim that the Baby Browning was used by the USAF in the 1960ies, supposedly as part of the pilot survival kit. Can anybody here substantiate (or debunk) that story?

http://oldschoolguns.blogspot.com/2011/11/browning-baby-25-acp.html?m=1

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_Baby_Browning

 

[Bill DeShivs]

I have never heard this.
It would be hard to imagine a worse survival pistol, unless weight and size were factors.

 

[simonrichter]

Exactly my thoughts - I reckon this is some kind of misinformation that was simply copied from source to source, but one can never be sure...

 

[TxFlyFish]

That would be interesting but you’d see a few of these floating around on the surplus market like the 22 survival rifles

 

[ifithitu]

I can't say it wasn't,but it's hard to believe it was part of the USAF survival kit.

 

[RJay]

I have read quite a bit about the Air Force survival kits, and never a mention of the baby Browning. There is a lot I don't know but I;m betting against it

 

[RC20]

Agreed. Jame Bond yes, USAF, no

 

[FireForged]

It would be hard to imagine a worse survival pistol, unless weight and size were factors.

he did say it was aircraft related

 

[Aguila Blanca]

My uncle was a bomber pilot in WW2. He died several years ago so I can't ask him, but I'm pretty certain he carried an M1911A1.

And there is the (verified) story of the pilot who was strafed by a Japanese Zero after he had bailed out of his aircraft, and he shot down the Zero with an M1911A1.

https://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/gun-nuts/2011/06/best-shot-1911-ever?cmpid=enews060311

https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/this-pilot-shot-down-an-enemy-fighter-with-his-1911

 

[USNRet93]

Several web sources claim that the Baby Browning was used by the USAF in the 1960ies, supposedly as part of the pilot survival kit. Can anybody here substantiate (or debunk) that story?

http://oldschoolguns.blogspot.com/2011/11/browning-baby-25-acp.html?m=1

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_Baby_Browning

NOT USAF but USN aviator from early 70s thru early 90s and the 'issued' handgun, if we got one, was a S&W Model 10, .38 revolver..same handgun we 'qualified' with for that teeny ribbon. My first squadron 'open purchased' about 30 S&W model 39s but had to turn those back in.
Main point was the 'handgun' also came with tracers, for signaling, not necessarily for shooting enemies.

Sea story, my last squadron cruise, second CV to go north of Libya's 'line of 'death', after we shot down 2 Libyan Migs..we were allowed to bring our own handgun and carry if we had a 'green ink' day..Most had small revolvers(1989), lots had Model 39s..one guy had an Uzi..

 

[pkevinb]

Sea story, my last squadron cruise, second CV to go north of Libya's 'line of 'death', after we shot down 2 Libyan Migs..we were allowed to bring our own handgun and carry if we had a 'green ink' day..Most had small revolvers(1989), lots had Model 39s..one guy had an Uzi..

What ship and squadron? I was VA-35 on board Nimitz, and I think that might have been our cruise.

 

[USNRet93]

=pkevinb;6662494

What ship and squadron? I was VA-35 on board Nimitz, and I think that might have been our cruise.

VF-31 onboard USS Forrestal...

 

[raimius]

It might have originated from a pilot carrying a non-issue pistol. There are plenty of stories from Vietnam where guys carried something odd or a backup. (One pilot managed to escape after shooting an enemy with a .22 revolver during a CSAR event)

 

[4V50 Gary]

Never heard of a Baby Browning being issued by the USAF. They'd disappear muy pronto.

 

[dogtown tom]

The easiest to find reference to Baby Browning's use by the USAF was on this Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_Baby_Browning

Service history
Used by French Resistance, USA Air Force
Wars World War II

AND a few articles:
https://www.idahostatejournal.com/the-baby-browning-is-a-pretty-simple-pistol/article_bf492282-782e-5b41-b8b5-7ed42e4c1ce9.html

https://steemit.com/technology/@darthnava/strange-guns-fn-baby-browning

http://www.gunsopedia.com/Baby_Browning

Notice that its always "French Resistance and the US Air Force"?
Seems to just be a pattern of inadequate research getting repeated by writers for decades.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Respectfully, Tom- none of those references are very convincing. Anyone can write a Wikipedia article.
2 of them were written by someone who knows nothing about the Browning .25.
None of them give any references to the USAF use, except mentioning it.
I still don't think they were ever USAF issue.

 

[amd6547]

It wouldn’t surprise me if they kept a few for special situations. Just like they issue a suppressed 22 on occasion.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...James Bond yes..." Jimmy carried a Walther, but preferred a Beretta 418.
Air Force types would not have the skill required for a .25 ACP. Don't believe anybody would issue a .25 ACP to anybody either.

 

[simonrichter]

Even for a last-ditch backup, a Baby Browning would perform laughably weak. The High Standard HDM makes more sense, and even that was CIA and not USAF issued...

Btw, here is what the USAF is in fact fielding as an Air Crew Self Defense Weapon!

 

[walnut1704]

I was a couple of years too young for Vietnam, but I was around, and I know the survival kit was a vest. The firearm was carried separately and was not really part of the kit.

Ammunition was included in the kit. The standard firearm was a .38 revolver. Of course most pilots being officers had the option for a personal firearm and I knew pilots (fathers of friends) who did carry personal weapons. I suppose there was probably a pilot somewhere who had a Baby Browning but I promise you there wasn't a combat pilot carrying one unless it was a second gun. My best friend's dad carried a Browning HiPower and a S&W lightweight .38 (Model 37) because there was .38 ammo in the vest.