Page 284 - (DK) Smithsinian - Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare

282 HEAVY MACHINE-GUNS

1914–1945 The most significant and deadly weapons used

on the battlefield in World War I, “heavy” machine-
guns accounted for more casualties than any other

of maintaining sustained fire for hours on end as
ARS weapons except for artillery. They were capable ▶ DWM MG08 Soon after the German army acquired
long as simple precautions were observed, such as
its first Maxims in 1895, Deutsche
changing barrels regularly. Sited to cover vulnerable
Date 1908
Waffen und Munitionsfabriken
features, these guns usually operated in batteries,
ORLD W firing through fixed, interlocking arcs. When Weight 58 ⁄2lb (26.5kg) (DWM) began modifying the design,
Origin Germany
1
and the final version was adopted as
the schweres Maschinengewehr 08. It
1
combined with barbed wire, they made it almost
Barrel 28 ⁄4in (71.9cm)
had a heavy sledge-style mount,
impossible for infantry to advance without taking
Caliber 7.92mm Mauser
known as the Schlitten.
enormous losses. Only with the development of
THE W effective armored fighting vehicles (AFVs) was
their omnipotence overcome.
Cooling water in jacket
reached boiling point after
Rear sight 600 rounds of rapid fire
Front legs of mount
swiveled up and back
Firing grip
Muzzle booster

Metal, rather than fabric,
ammunition belts used
▶ RUSSIAN MAXIM M1910
Date 1910–42
Origin Russia
1
Weight 52 ⁄2lb (23.8kg)
1
Barrel 28 ⁄2in (72.1cm)
▲ VICKERS-MAXIM “NEW The first departure from Maxim’s Caliber 7.62mm
LIGHT” MODEL 1906 original design, the “New Light”
Date 1906 saw the original brass fittings The Imperial Russian arsenal at
exchanged for much lighter Tula began manufacturing the Vickers
Origin UK steel, but continued to employ the “New Light” model in 1910; it stayed
1
Weight 43 ⁄4lb (19.6kg) downward-breaking locking toggle in production until 1942. They
Barrel 28 ⁄2in (72.3cm) that made the receiver large. The were mounted on Sokolov wheeled
1
Russians adopted it as the M1910. carriages, which incorporated
Caliber 7.7mm
Extended a turntable, while some, such as
firing grips this one, were fitted with shields.

▶ VICKERS “LIGHT PATTERN” ▶ SCHWARZLOSE M07/12
MODEL 1908 Date 1912
Date 1908 Origin Austria-Hungary
Origin UK Weight 43 ⁄4lb (19.9kg)
3
Weight 40lb (18.1kg) Barrel 20 ⁄4in (52.6cm)
3
Elevation
Barrel 28 ⁄2in (72.3cm)
1
screw Caliber 8mm Mannlicher
Caliber 7.7mm
The Schwarzlose was the only heavy
Designed to resolve shortcomings in the machine-gun to use an unlocked
Vickers-Maxim “New Light” model, “blowback” system, better suited to
the locking toggle was modified in this pistol-caliber ammunition, relying
gun: it now broke upward, reducing the on a very heavy breechblock and
size of the receiver. The “disappearing” return spring to slow the rate of fire.
tripod mount allowed the gun to be fired Massively over-engineered, it proved
from the cover of a parapet. almost indestructible in normal use.