A descendant of Browning's 1917 HMG, the development of the M2 was first prompted by the emergence of armored aircraft among German forces in World War I, calling for a greater level of firepower to bring down enemy aircraft. Development continued after Browning's passing in 1926, and in 1933 it was adopted by the U.S. armed forces. One of the most versatile weapons of the 20th century, air-cooled variants of the M2 have been used in a wide spectrum of roles on sea, air and land, from as fundamental as an infantry heavy machine gun, as rarified as the main armament of top of the line fighter aircraft, to as oddball as being used as a sniper rifle; the famed Carlos Hathcock used a scoped M2 to set a confirmed kill record in Vietnam that wouldn't be beaten until the War on Terror, and still holds a spot on the top 10 as of this writing. The M2's final day has yet to arrive, and as of this writing is nowhere in sight; it remains a best-in-class weapon in use around the world. This example was manufactured by Fabrique Nationale, bearing their address and Browning patent markings on the left sideplate, and appears configured for use in a flexible vehicle or aircraft mount, with no fixed sights, a heat shielded barrel, reversible feed hardware, hardwood charging handle, hardwood spade grips and a butterfly trigger.