Axis powers aircraft armament

[von Adler]

Hello all.

I am wondering what kind of MGs and cannons the minor axis nations had on their aircrafts during ww2.

I know that Czechoslovakia (and inherited by Slovakia) used mauser (7,92mm) caliber ammo and that most planes (Avia B.534, Avia Bk.534, Avia B.71, Letov S.328) used a 7,92mm Ceska-Zbrojovka Mk.30 MG (in some sources it is referred to as vz.30, in some as a 7,7mm or 7,92mm Vickers 1930 or Mk.30) - what were the data for this weapon? (Rate of fire, ammunition used, muzzle velocity, weight etc).

I know that the Germans (and probably the Italians) delivered Bf.109E-3, Bf.109G-10, G.50, MS.406 to Croatia - did these aircraft retain their original armament or did the Croats rechamber the weapons to a standard?

The Bulgarians had B.135, B.534, Bf.109E-3, Bf.109G-2, P.24B and D.520 - did these also retain their original armament?

[von Adler]

I managed to get information from a friendly Slovak guy.

Original name: letecky kulomet vz. 30 (CZK - vz. 30)
German name: 7,92mm MG 30(t)
Caliber: 7,92x57
Ammo: 500 or 250
Length: 721 mm/1023 mm
Weight: 10,8 kg
Velocity: 770 m/s
Fire: 900-1000 shots/min
Producer:Ceskoslovenská zbrojovka Brno

It was used on the Czech Block MB.200s too.

[Tony Williams]

You really need a copy of Flying Guns – World War 2: Development of Aircraft Guns, Ammunition and Installations 1933-45 by Emmanuel Gustin and myself! This details the guns, their ammunition and the aircraft installations.

The Vz 30 was a modified version of the Vickers Class E. It was available in two versions: belt-fed (for fixed installations) and with a 75-round drum (for flexible mounting).

Hungary used some fascinating Gebauer guns: the 34M (7.92mm) which fired at an amazing 2,000 rpm, and two versions of the GKM (7.92mm and 12.7mm) which was a twin-barrel, engine-driven gun (the former in the Hungarian-built Fiat CR.32, the latter in the Hejja II (Re 2000).

Romania made some use of FN guns from the captured Belgian factory, including the 13.2mm which was a modified Browning M2 in a slightly larger calibre.

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

[von Adler]

Wow, that is excellent information, thankyou.

Where can I buy this book? I would love to get my hands on it.

I am making a spreadsheet on European aircraft pre- and during ww2 for my Pg2 mod, and a book like that would be superb.

I know about the FN-Browning 13,2mm - Sweden used it as well on the J 9 (Seversky EP-135), the J 22 (FFVS J 22), the B 18 (SAAB B 18) and the J 21 (SAAB J 21).

Edit: Following the link in your post, I got a good view. I want this book. :P I will try to get it soon.

[Victor]

Romania made some use of FN guns from the captured Belgian factory, including the 13.2mm which was a modified Browning M2 in a slightly larger calibre.

Romania also made use of 20 mm Mauser and Ikaria cannons on the IAR-80s.

[Mangrove]

Finns used finnish-built Brownings (.50 BMG) in their aircrafts, eg. VL Humu and VL Myrsky.

http://www.warbirdforum.com/gun.htm

[Dadis]

Hi,

can anyone provide more info about letecky kulomet vz. 30 (CZK - vz. 30) (German name - 7,92 mm MG 30(t))?
Particularty I'm interesting in 7,92 mm MG 30(t) (letecky kulomet vz. 30 in German service):

MG30(t).jpg (6.07 KiB) Viewed 6295 times

Maybe somebody has more photos of this MG or information about their usage by the Germans?
I only have found, that Germans used 7,92 mm MG 30(t) in AA installations:

http://www.dzwi.de/FliegerabwehrMG.htm

TIA.

[Harri]

Finns used finnish-built Brownings (.50 BMG) in their aircrafts, eg. VL Humu and VL Myrsky

According to the articles (by Pentti Manninen) in SIL magazines from # 4/2007 onwards Finns were impressed with the .50 calibre Colt MG53-2 HMGs. These came with the Brewster fighters bought in 1940.

Finns had originally searched available HMGs which would be suitable for our fighters. The most suitable would had been Browning-F.N. cal. 13.2 mm. This weapon was - just like the Colt MG53-2 - developed from the M2 Browning MG. When the licence negotiations and trade of the Browning-F.N. HMGs had failed Finns tried to buy more Colts HMGs in May 1940. This trade didn't succeeded because UK didn't anymore grant "Navycert" permissions for weapons deliveries to the Petsamo harbour.

Sweden had bought Browning-F.N. MGs before the war. In Sweden the above mentioned HMG was know as "Automatkanon m/39". Also Swedish deliveries exhausted in May 1940 and their "secondary plan" was to buy Colt HMGs from USA and re-work and convert these to the calibre 13.2 mm. Swedes although didn't have any of these weapons and Finns delivered one piece to them for evaluations.

Swedes had got part of the original maintenance drawings of the Browning-F.N. HMG and drawn the missing ones illegally. They had starting producing their own 13.2 mm "LM Ericsson Automatkanon m/39". In spring 1941 Swedes promised to sell 75 pcs to Finland but only one model piece was delivered in December 1941 with the drawings and production information.

Meantime Finns had decided that our calibre would be 12.7 mm (.50"). Thus State Rifle Factory (VKT) started developing its own HMG model based mostly on the unofficial "Swedish licence" on Browning-F.N. and LME m/39. Finnish HMG was ready for production late in 1942 and a total of 585 pcs were ordered between late 1942 - early 1944. It is known that at least 470 "VKT 12.70 LKk/42" HMGs were produced. LKk/42 HMGs were used in many Finnish fighters instead of Colt and Berezin HMGs. After the war all VKTs were stored for future use.

In tests Finnish HMG proved to be excellent, far better than Colt and Soviet Berezin. VKT's barrels lasted longer and jamming was less common. They were so good that they were still used in 1989 (in the training MG pod of the BAe Hawk trainer jets).

[audrew]

letecky kulomet vzor 30

[audrew]

strzelanie z mg30t

[audrew]

lk vz.30, MG30(t) sokolov mount

[silviu-angel]

sorry , but the weapon is soviet aircraft machinegun pv-1

[audrew]

unfortunately, pv-1 is a maxim, and a Vickers cz.30 lk

[audrew]

LK vz.30, czech vickers greek Royal Air Force

[audrew]

MG30(t), museum Belgrad