Deactivated Exceedingly Rare WW2 US Air Force Bomber Turret Mounted M2 .50 Cal Machine Gun

This is an incredibly rare WW2 USAF (United States Air Force) issued M2 .50 calibre machine gun. This gun was part of pair of 50 cals that were mounted in the turret of an American bomber, most commonly seen on the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-25 J Michell, Douglas A-20 Havoc and Martin B-26 B Marauder. It was made by US firm High Standard Mfg Co. who produced aircraft 50 cals during the war. This M2 features a very rare gun heater used to prevent the gun from freezing whilst the bomber was at very high altitude. There is a considerable impact dent to the left side of the guns chassis indicating that the plane crashed. During the 1980s and 1990s this gun was part of a display at the Brenzett Aeronautical Museum, Romney Marsh, Kent and may explain how it came to be here. During WW2 the south coast of England had key airfields used by US bombers to attack Nazi Germany. On their return to the UK a great many crashed landed or ditched in the channel, often throwing their guns out of the plane to loose weight whilst limping home.