Page 370 - (DK) Smithsinian - Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare

368 WATER- AND AIR-COOLED ▶ VICKERS MK I

1914–1945 MACHINE-GUNS Date 1912 1 Water jacket

Origin UK
Weight 40lb (18.1kg)
The air-cooled machine-guns of World War II marked
with fabric
Barrel 28 ⁄2in (72.1cm)
cover
a shift away from the water-cooled models of World War I,
Caliber .303in
Canvas
ARS although a notable exception was the tried-and-tested Vickers. Employed in both world wars, ammunition belt
Another trend was the twin development of the light machine-
the water-cooled Vickers was
gun, with examples such as the Bren and the Breda, and the
an extremely reliable medium
machine-gun, and, when firing
heavy machine-gun, exemplified by the Degtyarev DShK1938
the Mk 8Z bullet, was capable of a
ORLD W and the Browning M2 HB. The key technological development range of up to 2.54 miles (4.1km). Water can condensed
came from Germany, however, with the introduction of the
MG34. The first general-purpose machine-gun, it combined
the sustained-fire role of the heavy or medium machine-gun
steam from jacket
for recycling
THE W with the portability of the light machine-gun. Rear sight Ammunition Fore sight
belt feedway
▶ BROWNING M1919
Date 1919
Origin US
Weight 31lb (14.06kg)
Barrel 24in (61cm)
Caliber .3in
Trigger
The M1919 was an air-cooled
version of the earlier M1917, Pistol grip
and it proved to be a first-rate
medium machine-gun, supporting
US infantrymen throughout
World War II.

▼ BREDA MODELLO 30 The standard light machine-
Date 1930 gun of the Italian army, the
Breda Modello 30 utilized
Origin Italy a novel 20-round-strip feed
Weight 22 ⁄4lb (10.32kg) system, but proved chronically
3
1
Barrel 20 ⁄2in (52cm) unreliable and too delicate
for battlefield conditions.
Caliber 6.5 × 54mm
Wooden stock
Tripod leg

Folding magazine

▼ FM MODEL 1924/29 With a firing mechanism based 25-round
Date 1930s on that of the Browning BAR, detachable Bipod
the FM M1924/29 suffered box magazine
Origin France from cartridge problems, which
Weight 19 ⁄2lb (8.93kg) were resolved by the time it
1
Barrel 20in (50cm) became the French army’s Bipod
standard light machine-gun (folded)
Caliber 7.5 × 57mm
in World War II.

Dual triggers for semi-
and fully automatic fire Fore end or hand guard