Figure 1.--The Germans made some of the best machine guns of the War. The MG81 series of medium machine gun was originally designed by the Mauser factory in 1938 as a single barreled aircraft machine gun, under contract for the German Luftwaffe. These single barreled machine guns were employed in various firing positions in German bombers and fighters, and started replacing the earlier MG15 and MG17 in Luftwaffe aircraft in 1940. Later in World War II they were employed in a ground mounted fashion using a large adjustable tripod, as in this case. But I have also seen the MG-13 that looks very much the same but not on a tripod but on a bipod for ground use. This snapshot is unidentified. We do not know when and where it ws taken. The flat open space looks like the Soviet Union,but as German kids are present, we assume that the photograph was taken somewhere in Germany. We are not sure about the date.

Each of the major World War II combatant countries developed machine guns. The Germans had some of the better guns in terms of rate of fire. They tended, however, to be be very complicated weapons, difficult to manufacture and maintain in the field. The principal German machine gun was the 7.92mm MG-34. It replaced the Maxim guns used in Workd War I. The MG-34 was a compromise gun with featurs of both light and heavy weapns. It could be mounted on both a stable tripod or on a lighter more mobile bipod. The firing rate was an incredible 800-900 rounds per minute (rpm). This was the highest firing rate of any of the major World War II machine guns. Unlike the countries the Germans were fighting, however, the Germans did not have the logistics capability to fully supply the gunners. And improved version, the MG-42 appeared in the second half of the War. The British heavy machine gun was the highly reliable 0.303 inch (7.70 mm) Vickers. The Vickers was a World War I weapon, but it was such a well-engineered and reliable weapon that the British continued using it during World War II. Machine guns are commonly ranked in terms of firing rate, but reliability is a critical factor. A jam could proive farl in a combat situation. In a noted test, the Vickers fired non stop for an incredible 7 days--except for reloadfing. It was a water cooled weapon. Thr rate of fire was 450 to 550 rpm. The Russians began the War with the 12.7mm heavy machine gun and it continued to be their standard machine gun throughout the War. This was a large caliber bullet for an infantry machine gun. It was a gas-operated, air cooled weapon. It was aweaon and moved on two-wheeled mount. The firing rate was 540-600 rpm. The principal United States machine gun used in World War II was the Browning 0.50-inch (12.7 mm). This was another large caliber weapon. It was one of several weapons invented by John Browning, considered by some to be the most important gun inventir in history. ome of his guns were available for World War I, but the AEF primarily used British and French weaopns. His weapons were widely used in World War II. The Browning was not only used as an infantry weapon, but at the beginning of the War was used as an anti-aircraft weapon. The firing rate was 450 rpm. The standard Japanese heavy machine gun was the 7.7 mm Type 99-1. It was based on the French Hotchkiss machine gun. The firing rate was 550 rpm. Like many Japanese weapons, it was not as reliable as comoparable American and European weapons.

Germany

The Germans gave more attention to the machine gun than any other World War II combatant country. The machine gun was central to German tactical infantry doctrine. The job of the individual infantry soldier armed with rifles was to support the mchinegun. The Germans had the much admired MG-34 during much of the War, one of the finest infantry weapons of the War. The Germans also produced the outstanding machine guns of the War--the MG-42. Both weapons had incredibly high rates of sustained fire. The Germans excelled in infantry weapons, the standard infantry rifle being a rare exception. The MG-34 like many other German weapons, was a very complicated weapons, difficult to manufacture and maintain in the field. Some World War I era Maxims were still in the Wehrmacht inventory at the onset of the War. The principal German machine gun was the 7.92mm MG-34. It replaced the Maxim guns used in World War I. The MG-34 was a compromise gun with features of both light and heavy weapns. It could be mounted on both a stable tripod or on a lighter more mobile bipod. The Germans also produced related sub-machine guns, the much admired MP-38 and MP-40 machine pistols christened Schmeissers. The firing rate was an incredible 800-900 rounds per minute (rpm). This was the highest firing rate of any of the major World War II machine guns. It was, howver, not as important as it may seem. Unlike the countries the Germans were fighting, the Germans did not have the logistics capability to fully supply the gunners. And the high firing rate made it difficult to aim. An improved version, the MG-42 appeared in the second half of the War. This was probably the premier machine gun of the War. And it was made simpler and easier to manufacture. It was christened Spandau by the Allies. It was a belt-fed weapon, capable of 1,200 rounds-per-minute. The MG-42 was a stamped metal weapon and for this reason Hitler did not like it. The MG-42 did not have the feel of a finally crafted weapn which tended to impress Hitler. But stamping allowed the MG-42 to be produced inexpendively and in large numbers. The barrel could be chnaged in an amazing 5 seconds. After the War, the American would incorporate features of the MG-42 into a new machine gun for their army.

Britain

The British used everal different machine guns. The British used the 0.45 cal. Thompson from America, as many as they could find and afford to buy the Home Guard forces. Their primary weapon was the World War I vintage Enfield rifle. The Thomsons (Tommyguns) were also used for special forces like the Commandos. The British produced the 9 mm Sten gun in millions at a cost of only �3 each. Cost is an important factor because it affected how many men could be equipped with them. It was a cheap alternative to the Thompson. It also had an advantage if the Germans did invade. The German MP-40 also used 9 mm amunition, Thus captured German amunitiin could be used. For the same reaon, the Commandos and later on the British Airborne units that would be fighting mostly behind German front lines used the Sten guns. The Sten was so cheaply made that just dropping it could break the weapon. You would not want to try and club some one on the head with the Sten. One of the best machine guns of the War was the Bren gun. It was based on a pre-War Czech design that the British were licensed to produce. The British heavy machine gun was the venerable and highly reliable 0.303 inch (7.70 mm) Vickers. The Vickers was a World War I weapon, but it was such a well-engineered and reliable weapon that the British continued using it during World War II. Machine guns are commonly ranked in terms of firing rate, but reliability is a critical factor. A jam could prove fatal in a combat situation. In a noted test, the Vickers fired non stop for an incredible 7 days--except for reloadfing. It was a water cooled weapon. Thr rate of fire was 450 to 550 rpm.

Soviet Union

United States

The American sunmachine gumn was the .45-calibre Thompson. It was a highly reliable weaon, but very expendive toproduce, about $50. Late un the War, American units got the M-3 greese-gun, simoler and cheper to produce. The principal United States machine gun used in World War II was the Browning 0.50-inch (12.7 mm). This was another large caliber weapon. It was one of several weapons invented by John Browning, considered by some to be the most important gun inventir in history. ome of his guns were available for World War I, but the AEF primarily used British and French weaopns. His weapons were widely used in World War II. The Browning was not only used as an infantry weapon, but at the beginning of the War was used as an anti-aircraft weapon. The firing rate was 450 rpm.

Japan

The standard Japanese heavy machine gun was the 7.7 mm Type 99-1. It was based on the French Hotchkiss machine gun. The firing rate was 550 rpm. Like many Japanese weapons, it was not as reliable as comoparable American and European weapons. During Guadalcanal and early battles in New Guinea and through the rest of the Solomon Island chain the Japanese had a few different machine guns that were portable with a base and tripod if needed but I can not remember if any of them were considered heavy.

Created: 5:03 AM 2/12/2012
Last updated: 11:57 PM 9/12/2013