Star Z45: Spain's Improved MP40 Submachine Gun
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- Опубліковано 18 тра 2024
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The Z45 was a submachine gun designed during World War Two by the Start firm in Eibar, Spain for export sale to Germany as well as domestic Spanish use. It was heavily based on the MP40, including the same stock, telescoping mainspring guide/cover, and disassembly method as the MP40. To this, however, Star engineers added a progressive type trigger mechanism, a detachable barrel, and a moving firing pin to improve safety. No sales were actually made to Germany, but the gun was adopted by a variety of Spanish military and security organizations in 9mm Largo and also sold for export in 9mm Parabellum, .38 ACP, and .45 ACP. It remained in production into the early 1960s, when it was replaced by Star's new Z62 submachine gun.
Many thanks to Movie Armaments Group in Toronto for the opportunity to showcase this Spanish SMG for you! Check them out on Instagram to see many of the guns in their extensive collection:
/ moviearmamentsgroup
www.moviearms.com
Contact:
Forgotten Weapons
6281 N. Oracle #36270
Tucson, AZ 85740
"And like the MP-40 stock, it wobbles."
And thus, he looked upon it, and touched it. And behold, it wobbled indeed.
It's a feature, not a bug...
Star firearms: it looks german but we swear it isn’t
hey we saw the oportunity an tried to take it lol
@Jonas the good old Spanish "CAMBIASO" (switcheroo)
@@abyssus9304 Spanish cannons and swords were the best up until the XIX century, not exploding like many German, British and French guns.
@@zaikolebolsh5724 😂😂😂😂 The spanish "CAMBIAZO"!!!😂😂😂😂 AHHH!!! What old memories of "Mortadelo & Filemón", and their "CAMBIAZOS" (Changes).
@@abyssus9304 so it looks like a german made, but won't malfunction if handled by anyone without a doctorate in engineering?
I believe "ET" stands for "Ejército de Tierra" "Land army".
Unfortunately for you the internet will see it the other way.
@@Tankliker he is wright. ET= Ejército de Tierra (the army) as a Spanish i garante that it's true
@@jorgeguanche5327 yes ET the movie. I mean outside of Spain and mexico not many speak Spanish and also know military shortages XD
ET Phone home.
@@Tankliker You do know Spanish is the second most spoken native language in the world after Chinese?
Hi Ian, I am from Spain. The "ET" letters with the numbers mean "ejercito de tierra", meaning this particular unit belongs to the Spanish army, specialised in ground operations. Even nowadays "ET" letters appear in Spanish Army vehicle's license plates.
*Star:* “Hey can we copy your homework?”
*Germans:* “Yeah, but change some answers so it’s not obvious.”
*Star:* Z45
*Germans:* “I don’t know you.”
its like this, the german designers comes to spain and work for Franco, after this, they do the CETME
@@joanmora4410 joan, German engineers didn't make their way over to Spain until AFTER the war, this was designed during the war, it's pretty clear the STAR design team used a couple of MP 38s probably left by the Kondor Legion during the Spanish Civil War as a blueprint.
@@panzermacher
Considering the alliance between Nazi Germany and Fascist Spain, it is quite likely that Spain did not make a copy in secret, but got permission and maybe even help from Germany.
@@joanmora4410 and the rockets for the apollo, atomic bombs, cargo ship motors, etc.
Dolophyne = lilly
Germany: So when can we get these?
Spain *staring at landing ships on the beach*: One sec I gotta get something out of my car. Brb i promise
German Engineers: "Oh, little Spanischer, zat ist a gut effort...vait ein minuten, WASS DER FUCH HAFF YOU DONE TO MEIN TRIGGER!"
@Avantgardist it's a meme
@Avantgardist it's a joke , just like you.
"Laughs in French"
The trigger might not have been a great idea in practice, but you've got to admit the idea is uber clever.
Yeah but in the heat of the moment I can see someone getting seriously frustrated (and dead) when he keeps yanking single rounds and expecting full auto.
It looks like a gun that can be fired with thick gloves, which is a bit surprising for Spain.
@@edi9892 i don't think you could fit two fingers with thick gloves
@@edi9892 Saying this clearly shows you have no fucking idea about spain.. Just for your information, spain isnt a tropical country... It is fucking cold in winter and you gonna need gloves if you are at -10 C... so.. how can be that surprising?.. or you are just some american who believes spain is in south america?...
@@Trikipum so..... You're saying that Spain doesn't have mangos or monkeys...? 🤔
“I left my mp40 in the Spanish kid’s room!”
“Eh, I’ll pick it up tomorrow, what’s the worst that can happen?”
@manuel heredia this is what we call a ZASCA!
Mi penè ès mucho grandè
Looks like an MP40 with a Suomi KP/-31 barrel shroud.
Sexy, right?
They sent Suomi-smg´s to Waffen-SS volunteers, don´t recall how many. They had some hot....erm...action. The Blue Division obviously adopted the offspring, while Finns and Germans were silent out of embarrasment.
@@Taistelukalkkuna muutama sata oli se Wiking divisioonalla
@@no-nonseplayer6612 Can I ask what that means?
@@ArcturusOTE it means that wef hundred finnish Suomi smgs were used ss Wiking division
1:40 When you realize that STAR was trying to sell submachineguns to WW2 Germany, and the logo includes a Star of David.
Cocky sons of a gun
Germany: 👀
The Franco's Spain never hate jews. The Spain if 1940-1945 saves 15.000 jews with her embassies in France and Poland. More of these jews live actually in Spain, but the Spanish Socialists and Communists deliberately hide it to insult him, since his current political supporters are Hitler's former friends. (PNV)
erick breslin frost This is simply not true. Franquist Spain had a huge problem with Judaism and, weirdly enough, masonry. Maybe not to the extent of Germany but definitely serious enough.
@Eric Ferguson How does not liking Judaism make someone a nazi sympathizer? That's like saying disliking beef makes you a vegetarian.
ET goes for 'Ejército de Tierra'
Must be the Army "Ejercito de Tierra" serial number of the weapon, not the production number.
@@morm608 yes, that's correct, the last two numbers are 63 that corresponds to the year the weapon was given to the army
I was hoping that ET stood for extraterrestrial. I can just see ET running around Hollywood waving one of those blasting all the nasty government agents out of his way.
@@Equiluxe1 that should be AWESOME
Are you from a spanish speaking country?
These guns were often used as standins for Mp40s in 60-70s war movies! ( Cause many of them were filmed in Spain.)
Rat Patrol
One major exception was Kelly's Heroes, which was shot in Yugoslavia and had masses, absolutely masses of MP-40s.
Like the Horrible "A bullet for Rommel" with Jack Palance
The recoil spring reminds me of the spring for a toilet paper holder😂
I was thinking of a collapsible baton. But now I'll see a toilet paper holder. LOL
lifes too short to be inspecting toilet roll holders...
@@CeltKnight this is going into the dark hole of garand thumbs channel....
Germany "we've made a simple machine gun, nothing can be done to overcomplicate it"
Spain "hold my beer..."
So finally! After 50 years I found out what it was that I saw that policeman with. I saw this gun at Police Headquarters in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1970, and it really caught my attention as the armed forces had all US WWII surplus. Besides it looked like a MP 38/40 but the barrel shroud didn't match. For many years I thought it could have been a gun made in Argentina. Now I know. I remember seeing Astras in service with the Police also, besides the .38 Special revolvers. Thank you.
Thanks Ian. Reminds me of the type of gun Hergé sometimes drew in some Tintin cartoon books which would make you question as a child if he drew an MP40 incorrectly or had made up a gun or if it was indeed an obscure gun he had drawn correctly. :) It seems a good design. Thanks for seeking it out and the excellent presentation as usual.
I love this comment
But Herge was French... Why drawing a STAR?
@@plasmagunwh40k91 Belgian
@@Olde1Fortran thanks for the correction. But that makes me wonder more..
@@plasmagunwh40k91 maybe he just liked it?
I used several of those while in the Air Force, just for fun. They were obsolete and with the fame of being unsafe. The service SMG at my time was the Z62.
The mark ET391663 means EJÉRCITO DE TIERRA (Army) and serial number for that armed force.
Interesting, how could they be unsafe? Deterioration during service perhaps?
Hauptmann Sturm deterioration, poor maintenance, who knows...also when the army have a new gun they trend to call the previous one “unsafe” or “obsolete” while they still be usable like the CETME C or the Z63. Now they’re just trying to bullshit on the G36 for purchasing the 416 while the Spanish version of the G36 doesn’t have the same problem of the German version
They served in a couple of European War movies shot on location in Spain in the mid 1960´s when they had not enough MP40´s or Italian Berettas, most famous one "Play Dirty" wirth Michael Caine, but also a couple of really bad ones...
I can not stress how much I love your channel content because it's not only informative, but historical. My college son who was an obsessive Demolition Ranch, Hickock45 watcher is hooked because he is a history buff. Fyi...it would be awesome of you could give him a shout out (Nico) and say "Go Greyhounds" in one of your videos? He's 19, refused to walkout his senior year against firearms, is playing football in division 2 college, while getting his pre veterinarian classes in. Keep up the great content sir and congrats on a job well done.
Eibar based "Star" made some successful designs, particularly the "Modelo B" and "Super B", both copies of the 1911 chambered in 9mm Parabellum of "Pulp Fiction" fame(It was Jules Winfield sidearm) it was ordered by Germany for the Reichspolizei(IIRC) to use. I learned to shoot with one of those. It was old, the barrel rifling was almost gone but all in all was reliable and I wasn't going to shoot far anyway.
As for the Z45, it was still in service with the Spanish Legion at the time my great uncle was XO of the Sexta Bandera(Sixth Company) during the Saharaui uprising in 1957.
Side note: I would take 9x23mm over 9 Parabellum everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.
I remember these from "The Rat Patrol" when they filmed in Spain.
I think that is one of the more beautiful sub guns from ww1 up to the 90’s. There is ones that are super nice but this is a mix of the super machined and the super simple. It’s right in between and a perfect example of just how much work goes into building a sub gun. Just beautiful
Just when I thought the MP40 couldn't get any more art deco sci-fi...........
That’s such a good way of describing the MP40
I seem to recall these were used in the film Tobruk which makes sense as it was filmed in Spain
Also used for both sides in the early days of the Rat Patrol.
@@USSEnterpriseA1701 Is that a tv show?
@@General.Longstreet Yep. I blame my dad for introducing me to most of the shows from his childhood. I'm partial to Combat! and Hogan's Heroes myself, but the Rat Patrol wasn't too bad.
I loved that show!
@@General.Longstreet think on UA-cam
I remember seeing these in early episodes of "The Rat Patrol".They had problems getting Thompsons at first.
The ET number stands for Ejercito de Tierra (Spanish Army). IT's the spanish Army inventory serial number
I know Ian films a bunch of videos on each trip he makes and doesn't release them in the same order he films them, but the order he DOES release them in makes it look like he's racking up some SERIOUS airline miles...
Interestingly, these were used by the Allied soldiers in the 60s TV series 'The Rat Patrol". From Wikipedia: "The submachine guns used by the squad were unusual. Because the first season had been filmed in Spain, the producers obtained several fixed wood-stock versions of the Spanish Star Z-45 (9x23mm Largo) submachine gun[6] from the Spanish Army, in an apparent attempt to imitate the look of the WWII .45 Thompson submachine gun. This was changed in later first-season episodes when Thompsons were finally made available.
In 2009 my grandfather saw me playing Call of Duty World at War in the living room, I was playing with the MP40 and he saw me and told me that he had that weapon when he was a Guardia Civil (spanish military police), I thought he was getting confused, that What he said didn't make sense and then many years later I searched for it on the internet out of curiosity and I found this weapon. He died a few years ago but since then it makes me happy to see that weapon, whether it's the German one or the Spanish version, I know It sounds strange but I miss him and I regret not having talked to him while I could.
Hello, the words "ET", and followed by a serial number printed over the magazine, stands for: Ejercito de Tierra, which means Land Military. My father was in the Spanish military in 1965 in Africa (Morroco), and used to carry one of Star Z45. Thanks for the channel. Great videos.
Thanks Ian!,i emailed you asking for a review on this one a year ago or so,I see you got your hands on one,👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
4:06 turn on caption
Nice catch. Hahaha!
Well worth turning captions on 🤣😂
Thanks, take the like and leave
The sixties action show "Rat Patrol" was filmed in Spain (for the first season) and used Z45 full stocked guns as props replacing unavailable Thompsons.
"Battle of the Last Panzer" used them, I was wondering what what the SMGs in the movie where, thanks Ian. (worst WWII movie ever)
This is a pretty great weapon, definitely has a place in my heart in my firearms heaven from now on
Cool gun Ian thanks for showing it off
I didn't note the Thompson type firing pin when this video was released. Another gun to hall of guns like Thompson, PPD40, Orita, MP35, Welgun, Z62, Z70 and Beretta 1938.
This weapon was used in several WW2 movies that was filmed in Spain, and was used in The Rat Patrol season 1,but had a wooden shoulder stock.
Thought so, thank you
One of the best looking submachine guns I’ve ever seen.
Saw this in the Spanish film Valley of the Dead. I think in Spanish it is called Malzinados. It's on Netflix.
First I thought it was an FNAB 43, and then an MP40 mocked up as an FNAB 43.
But then I noticed it had the charging handle on the right side. The MP40's charging handle is on the left side.
I finally figured out it was a Spanish Star Z45, which makes sense as it's a Spanish movie.
Kind of a cheesy zombie flick, but the guns make it worth a watch.
Period correct guns used in the European theatre by Spain and various resistance groups.
Astra 400s, Star Model Bs, No4 MK1 Lee Enfield, Thompson SMG, Webley Revolver, 32ACP Ruby, etc.
I think there was even a Spanish clone S&W M&P 38.
Or it was just a plain S&W M&P.
You again bring us the coolest stuff!
That would be fun to try shooting one of these in .45! Very interesting firearm. Thanks for the video and happy double 20 New Year to ya!
ET: Stand for "Ejército de Tierra" (army). And the number may be an inventory marking
@@sinisterthoughts2896 Maybe it was exported to another Spanish speaking country.
@@tiagoabiramia that is what I thinking. Probably came out of South America somewhere.
@@ScottKenny1978 no, spanish guns from the army have ET in front of te serial number, this gun was used by the army.
My dad used one like that during his military service....is great to see it here
I'm a huge fan of the mp40 and this is the first "Interpretation" of it that I really, really like aesthetically. Damn.
“Agh! Its really tight agh!”
That's what she said 😂😂😂
@@couchbear6108 shut
So there’s no mechanism for the charging handle safety nub to stay open when it fires? It just assumes that it won’t close fast enough
Maybe to button is heavy enough to open it while moving back or something like that.
Inertia would have it slam forward.
@@Vi3trice Unless you can lock it in the open possition when you are about to fire.
I was wondering that myself
It doesn’t “assume”, it’s where some things called physics and engineering come into play. ;) inertia as someone pointed out.
The 1960's TV show "The Rat Patrol" used these (with an added wooden stock) during the first season.
Hi Ian, that ET , stands for “Ejercito de Tierra” , which is the Spanish Army . Cool video about our very first “Zeta” . My father used that one till the beginnings of the 80’s at the “Ejercito de Tierra”; then they replaced those with the “new” Z-70B. Thumbs up for the video!! 👍🏻
The number of the base of the magazine of the weapon is to know to which unit or soldier the weapon is assigned. the letters ET corresponds to the acronym (Ejército de Tierra) "Army of Land". In Spain we have what we call here the three armies "land" "sea" and "air"
*sees Star or Astra*
"ah dis gonna be good"
Can you do the Astra Constable if you find it?
What a classy grease gun!
I like the wood grips and side plates.
NEMESIS : " STARS "
**Sweats in Jill** Not again...
I've become a fan of Star and started collecting them. I wanted an MP5 until I found out from Ian they made some nice subguns! Now they are on my "when I win the lottery" list.
Thank you , Ian .
That thing is in FANTASTIC condition.
A lot of these guns ended in the movie studios of Spain, France and Italy converted in mp40s. Even in the 90's there were many still in use in some Guardia Civil installations.
Buen arma, es como disparar una escopeta de aire comprimido, durante 2 años l estuve utilizando en la infantería española👍
I’ve always wondered if this style of firing pin(struck from the front) could be used to solve the issue of crappy triggers and to an extent weight distribution in bullpups. It would potentially allow for a trigger group located with with the pistol grip and remove the need for the transfer bars which tend to cause the crappiness. The only thing my not an engineer mind can’t work out is how to reset a hammer that swings backwards.
Wow ! Very nice sub machine gun !
Nice! Thanks Ian.
Rich.
The only drawback for me is the two finger's trigger to fire Full Auto. I have always been interested in the Z45 . I was reading that some of these weapons had metal lowers instead of the wooden one's on this one but I have never seen one.
Thanks for the video Ian.
The ET markings mean 'Ejército de Tierra' (Land Army, or just the Army); i know that those were in use by the Guardia Civíl until mid 70s on rural areas and unpopulated areas, but i only knew those in 9mm Largo, also, both the 'Policía Nacional' (National Police or cops) and the 'Guardia Civíl' get their military weapons from the Army, the Army (Ejército de Tierra) buy the weapons and then they transfer 'em to the 'Guardia Civíl' or National Police (Policía Nacional, the CNP [Cuerpo Nacional de Policía] National Police Corp). In the same way that the Armada buy the weapons for themselves and for the Royal spanish Marine Infantry, the markings on those are 'FN' (Fuerza Naval, 'Naval Force' meaning Armada), the Armada make the deal and then they distribute the weapons between the sailors/Armada and the Marines, having the Royal spanish Marine Infantry a completely different chain of command and internal structure from the Armada; we work with the popeyes but we're not popeyes. Something similiar happens with the Air Force (Fuerza Aerea), the markings on their weapons are FA meaning 'Fuerza Aerea' or Air Force.
The serial number on the other side of the magazine weld must be related to army storage or something related with the army as ET stands for Ejército de Tierra usually which means Army
well about the serial number on the other side 39163. im just guessing but 63 is the year of production, as the stamp with the 1 on the other side indicates. 39 could be the week of the year, witch would be right at the end of august. the 1 is maybe correlated with the one on the stamp I mentioned before.
When the weird Spanish kid starts hanging out with the weird German kid
Seems more complex than improved.
Safer
Looks like a gun from Valkyria Chronicles.
Me: sees title
also me: impossible
2:17 ET means Ejército de Tierra. It is an inventary notation used in many things, vehicles, guns...
Interesting video. I believe the ET in the serial number stands for 'Ejercito de Terra', the Spanish Army.
On a different note, I did not know that the Portuguese armed forces used this weapon. Could you, Ian, please indicate a reference?
Thanks in advance.
Ejército de Tierra* ;)
I see a lot of similarities with the Swedish K, the heat protection shroud over the pipe, the protection for the front sight (but it's not adjustable as on the Swedish K), the adjustable distance rear sight and the hook up of the bolt.
first season "RAT PATROL" was filmed in Spain and these also saw service during this run of the show.
Forgotten Weapons: makes a video.
Dice: That would make some good playable content.
It looks like the result of a drunken one-night stand between an MP-40 and a PPSh, with a carpenter for a midwife.
Remember season one of The Rat Patrol?
The main characters used these as stand ins for Thompson sub machine guns.
All things considered its a beautiful looking gun
It is indeed a very safe gun, but with so much safety mechanisms I would be afraid the gun won't fire when I *really freaking need it to fire* just cause I forgot to press some plunger or something
Xxx
@2:10 I'm not sure but looks like a marking from own's Spanish Army "Ejercito de Tierra" (E.T.), even nowadays their vehicles uses that same marking on their plates.
Hola Ian.... The marks in the magazine well means ET (Ejercito de tierra)... un saludo....Love your videos.
Looks so cool!
E T Ejército de Tierra both infantry and cavalry-armoured Thanks for make this I'm from Valladolid Spain
There’s literally not a single feature on this gorgeous firearm that I could have in California, but god do I love it. It seems like such a well designed sub except for the trigger maybe
That is one funky trigger system. The compensator screams Thompson though.
Hi Ian! and regards from sunny Spain! the other serial number is indeed and inventory number. ET stands for 'ejercito de tierra' , land military forces, therefore, army.
@forgotten weapons ET= Ejercito de Tierra or army. You are right, it's an inventory number.
Wish more modern guns had the wood panel grips, i'm sure polymer is more shock resistant but the aesthetic is so much nicer with wood
Hola. Como dice el compañero D Samber, el numero precedido por las letras ET, significa que ese arma en concreto estuvo destinada en el Ejercito de Tierra español, donde a finales de los años 70 seguía utilizándose. Y el calibre 9mm Parabelum ya era reglamentario.
Very interesting gun and clip.
You see them a lot on T.V. in the show Rat Patrol. It was filmed in Spain for some time.
ET here in spain normally refers to: ''Ejercito de Tierra'' who means army, you can show some of these guns for sale in internet without these marks. hope that i help you with these, but im not 100% secure.
*The Rat Patrol theme plays faintly in background*
Hi Ian, ET means Ejército de Tierra (Army), other markings in spanish guns are EA Ejército de Aire (Air Force), FN Fueza Naval (Navy) y GC Guarcia Civil (Civil Guard). You can see it in for example, CETME L rifles. Best regards.
Man if you ever need an intern or literally anything I love this. I love gun history and just history in general.
A good weapon, my uncle used it and commented that it was reliable and manufactured with quality.
Usually ET means "Ejército de Tierra", that is, Army. But I don´t remenber the marks on the guns. During my millitary service the submachine standard model was the Star Z-70B. In the same way the assault rifle was the Cetme model C (7.62X51 NATO and no more than 2 rounds in full auto if you wish something around the point of impactt). Congratulations and thak you for the channel.
ET markings corresponds to "Ejercito de Tierra" which is the Spanish army.
The Guardia civil (civil guard) corps are a branch of the ET.
Beautiful!
The ET39... Number is an inventory code of the spanish army (ET stands for Ejercito de Tierra)
What prevents the bolt latch from engaging every time the bolt goes forward? Why is the mag release button on the right side?
Great looking gun, just some oddness to its configuration, like that trigger.