German anti-aircraft small-caliber anti-Soviet aircraft (part of 2)

36
In 1943, the machine gun hunger began in the Wehrmacht. The eastern front crushed the human and material resources of Nazi Germany mercilessly. Due to overloading with military orders, shortages of raw materials, skilled personnel and machine-tool equipment, the plants of the German-occupied Europe did not fully meet the needs of the German army. Significant role in reducing production volumes weapons and the technicians played the intensifying bombardment of the allies. Under these conditions, the Germans were forced to seek all kinds of reserves. One of the ways to equip infantry units with the necessary amount of weapons was to rework aviation rifle caliber machine guns. By 1942, it became clear that the 7,92-mm machine guns, due to the increased security and flight speed of combat aircraft, had become ineffective, and therefore, as part of the weapons of fighters, attack aircraft and bombers of the Luftwaffe, they began to be replaced with large-caliber 13,2-15-mm machine guns and 20-30 mm cannons.

By the beginning of the Second World War, the German aviation gun-arms did not shine with high performance. The first aircraft machine gun that entered service with the Luftwaffe after the lifting of the restrictions imposed by the Versailles Treaty was the MG.15 caliber 7,92-mm. This weapon was designed on the basis of the MG.30 light machine gun, which, in turn, carried its pedigree from S2-100, created in 1929 year by the Swiss company Waffenfabrik Solothurn AG. This company was acquired by the German concern Rheinmetall-Borsig in order to circumvent the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles and to develop modern rifle artillery weapons.



Prior to official adoption, the aircraft machine gun had the designation Rheinmetall T.6-200. Automatic machine gun used recoil barrel in its short course. The closure of the barrel was carried out by rotating the coupling with intermittent threads mounted on the breech, which during rotation coupled the barrel with the bolt, which had a corresponding thread in the head part. Shooting was carried out with an open shutter.

At the time of its appearance, it was a solid middling, superior in its characteristics to many foreign samples of a similar purpose. At that time, the 7,62-mm DA-powered disc-powered machine gun, created on the basis of the manual DP-27, was used in the defensive turret installations of the Red Army Air Force aircraft. And in the UK before the start of the 40-s, he was in service with the aviation version of the Lewis machinegun under the 7,7-mm cartridge .303 Britis. However, against the background of the rapid Soviet ShKAS, the mass production of which began in the second half of 30, the German MG.15 looked pale. According to reference data, the official adoption of MG.15 into service took place in the 1936 year, in total more than 17 000 machine guns were produced.

The machine gun with a length of 1090 mm without ammunition weighed 8,1 kg. Firing Rate - 900-1000 rds / min. Sighting device consisted of a circular sight and a vane-fly. Due to its low mass, MG.15 could be quickly transferred to the turrets in extreme positions. However, taking into account the fact that the German 75-charging double drum magazine, so beloved by the Germans, was used to power the machine gun with cartridges, the practical rate of fire was low. Which naturally had a negative effect on the defensive capabilities of the turrets of German bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.


7,92-mm MG.15 machine gun on aviation turret


During the Spanish Civil War, several MG.15 turned out to be at the disposal of Soviet military intelligence. After studying them by our experts, it was concluded that this sample is of no interest. There, in Spain, faced with a shortage of anti-aircraft weapons, the German gunsmiths of the Condor Legion adapted MG.15 for the first time for firing at air targets, having mounted a machine gun on a ground pivot.

German anti-aircraft small-caliber anti-Soviet aircraft (part of 2)

Archer with MG.15 anti-aircraft machine gun


Already at the beginning of 1941, the Luftwaffe command found the MG.15 obsolete, but it was operated on certain types of combat aircraft until the 1944 year. The machine guns available in the aircraft armament depot were also used to enhance the air defense of aerodromes.


The calculation with the MG.15 anti-aircraft machine gun provides air defense of the airfield


Somewhere at the beginning of 1942, the MG.15 aviation began to be massively modified for the needs of the Luftwaffe airfield divisions. Shot from MG.15 planes were installed on tripod machines from Norwegian m / 29 Browning heavy machine guns and converted into light machine guns. To do this, they were equipped with a metal shoulder rest, a bipod and a belt for carrying. A significant amount of MG.15 received lightweight anti-aircraft tripods from aluminum alloy.

About the same story occurred with the MG.17 machine gun, which actually was a band-powered MG.15 designed for firing through the area swept by a screw with a synchronizer in fixed fire installations. In MG.17, the feed mechanism of the drum type used for feeding cartridges a one-piece metal tape with a semi-closed link. The standard link on 50 cartridges was assembled into tapes of multiple lengths by connecting the pin-axis.


MG.17


Since band power was used in MG.17, its practical rate of fire was slightly higher than MG.15. In total, the Reich factories produced around the MG.24000 machine guns 17. The mass of the machine gun without ammunition was 10,2 kg, length - 1175 mm. The rate of fire without the use of a synchronizer - up to 1100 rds / min.


Twin anti-aircraft gun using MG.17 machine guns


After the Luftwaffe began to abandon MG.17, several thousand machine guns had accumulated in warehouses. They tried to install on machines from MG.34 and use in stationary positions. However, this experience was not very successful, the loader system, the trigger mechanism and sights required a lot of work. As a result, most of the MG.17 used in paired and quadruple anti-aircraft installations. Where are they, given the relatively high rate of fire and the availability of band power, proved to be quite good. Machine guns were mounted on frames welded from metal pipes. The electric descent was replaced by mechanical, and the recharging system was also reworked.

Another German aircraft machine gun rifle caliber, in significant quantities used in the anti-aircraft machine guns became MG.81. This weapon, constructively having a lot in common with MG.34, was created by Mauser Werke AG according to the Luftwaffe demand for a sharp increase in the rate of fire of aircraft machine guns. MG.81 machine gun was supposed to replace the early models, and was originally developed in the turret, wing and synchronous versions. Serial production of the new machine gun was launched in 1939 year. Since MG.17 was abundant by that time, MG.81 was used in offensive machine gun installations with limited use. Mainly this weapon was used in defensive mobile turret mechanized and manual installations. When designing the MG.81, the Germans managed to come very close to the rate of fire of the Soviet aviation machine gun ShKAS. The rate of fire MG.81 late modifications was 1600 rds / min. At the same time, the German machine gun was much lighter and more technological than the Soviet. In fairness, it should be noted that by the time the MG.81 appeared, the ShKAS had already been produced for at least five years, and the relevance of rifle-caliber aviation machine guns due to the increased survivability and flight speed of combat aviation had significantly decreased by that time. However, from the beginning of 1939 to the end of 1944, more than 46 000 MG-81 machineguns of all modifications were produced.

The machine gun, weighing only 6,5 kg, had a length of 1065 mm. Since at high flight speeds, weapons on mobile installations at large course angles were difficult to direct at the target, the trunks were shortened from 600 to 475 mm. In this case, the total length of the weapon was 940 mm, and the initial velocity of the bullet decreased from 800 to 755 m / s.


7,92-mm Spark MG.81Z on anti-aircraft tripod


To increase the mass of a second salvo, a special modification was developed with an increased rate of fire of 3200 rpm. This was implemented in a twin-turret installation MG.81Z (it. Zwilling - twin), with double-sided tape power. To control the fire pistol grip with a trigger mechanism located on the left machine gun.



Initially, the MG.81 and MG.81Z machine guns were used in the ZPU, covering German airfields from low-altitude strikes of Soviet aviation. The calculations usually included ground-based technical personnel, including gunsmiths, capable of competently maintaining and repairing machine guns. However, as the situation on the fronts deteriorated, the Luftwaffe was forced to share its reserves. Part of the MG.81 was converted into manual ones, and anti-aircraft guns were very often installed on self-propelled chassis.



Also known is a rarer version of an anti-aircraft installation using eight MG.81. In view of bulkiness and significant mass, eight-barrel installations were placed at stationary positions. The total rate of fire of this multi-barreled monster monster exceeded 12 000 shots / min, that is - more than 210 shots per second. Even the armored IL-2 could not be very good at it, it got under such a lead broom. But, fortunately, the Germans found this version of the LSD to be an unaffordable luxury and built them up a bit.

In general, the very successful aircraft machine guns MG.81 and MG.81Z for a complex of combat and service-operational characteristics were best suited for use as part of rifle-caliber light anti-aircraft guns. After the war, part of the MG.81 and MG.81Z was remade for the NATO standard 7,62X51 mm and was used by the armed forces of Western countries for installation on transport-combat helicopters and patrol boats.

As is known, the armed forces of Nazi Germany very widely used equipment and weapons produced in other countries. It could be both trophies and new weapons, released at industrial enterprises of the occupied states. Among the countries whose industry worked on the defense of the Reich, the Czech Republic stands apart. Products of the Czech gunsmiths, distinguished by a sufficiently high quality and good combat characteristics, accounted for a significant proportion of the total volume of small arms and armored vehicles fighting on the Eastern Front.

In 1926, the ZB-26 light machine gun, created by designer Václav Cholek under the German cartridge 7,92 × 57 mm, entered into service with the Czechoslovak army. Machine gun automatics functioned due to removal of a part of powder gases from the barrel bore, for which a gas chamber with a regulator is located under the barrel in the front part of it. The barrel was locked by skewing the shutter in a vertical plane. The trigger mechanism allowed firing single shots and bursts. With a length of 1165 mm, the mass of the ZB-26 without ammunition was 8,9 kg. Power was supplied from a box magazine on 20 cartridges inserted from above. The creators of the weapon believed that the location of the receiving neck on top speeds up loading and facilitates firing from the stop without the “clinging” of the ground to the magazine body.
The rate of fire was 600 rds / min, but due to the use of a small capacity magazine, the practical rate of fire did not exceed 100 rds / min.

The machine gun ZB-26 and its later version ZB-30 proved to be a reliable and unpretentious weapon. After the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany in March 1939, the Germans got more 7 000 machine guns ZB-26 and ZB-30, and a significant amount of ZB-26 was captured in Yugoslavia (they were designated MG.26 (J)). Machine guns seized in Czechoslovakia were adopted under the indices MG.26 (t) and MG.30 (t) and produced up to 1942 at the Zbrojovka Brno enterprise. These weapons were used mainly by occupying, guarding and police units, as well as in the Waffen-SS formations. In total, the German army received 31204 Czech light machine guns.


Slovak anti-aircraft calculations fire on a Soviet aircraft from a machine gun ZB-26


Although the ZB-26 was originally developed as a manual, in some cases it was installed on machines and lightweight anti-aircraft tripods. Especially often MG.26 (t) and MG.30 (t) machine guns with anti-aircraft sights were used in the SS forces and Slovak units that fought on the German side. Although Czech-made light machine guns, due to the relatively low rate of fire and the 20 magazine ammunition, were not optimal for firing at air targets, their great advantage was the low weight and reliability.

Another Czech-made machine gun chambered for the 7,92 × 57 mm, widely used on the Eastern Front, was the easel ZB-53. This sample was also designed by Václav Cholek and adopted for use in the 1937 year. In the German army, ZB-53 received the designation MG.37 (t). According to the principle of automatics, the machine gun refers to samples of automatic weapons with the removal of powder gases through a side opening in the barrel wall. Locking the bore by skewing the shutter in a vertical plane. If necessary, the trunk could be replaced. The machine gun had a shooting rate switch of 500 / 800 rds / min. High rate of fire was necessary in the firing of aircraft. The mass of the machine gun with the machine was 39,6 kg. For anti-aircraft fire machine gun mounted on a swivel folding retractable racks of the machine. Anti-aircraft sights consisted of a ring sight and rear viewfinder.


Machine gun ZB-53 in position for anti-aircraft shooting


Due to its relatively low mass for the heavy machine gun, high workmanship, good reliability and high accuracy of firing, the ZB-53 was in demand in the front line troops. His reputation was no worse than the German MG.34 and MG.42. The German command as a whole was satisfied with the MG.37 (t) characteristics, but as a result of combat use it demanded to create a lighter and cheaper option, and also to bring the pace to 1350 rds / min when shooting at air targets. The specialists of Zbrojovka Brno, in accordance with these requirements, created several experimental models, but, after closing down the production of ZB-53 in 1944, the work in this direction was stopped.



In total, the Wehrmacht and SS units received 12 672 machine guns of Czech production. Although the ZB-53 machine gun was deservedly considered one of the best machine guns in the world, its too high labor intensity and high cost forced the Germans to abandon the continuation of its production and reorient the arms factory in Brno to release MG.42.

By June 1941, many thousands of machine guns seized in Austria, Belgium, Greece, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Poland, France, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were at the disposal of the German army. However, most of this wealth required its own ammunition and spare parts suitable only for them, which prevented the extensive use of captured machine guns at the front. As a result, machine guns seized in Europe were most often used by occupation and police units as weapons of a limited standard, and transferred to the allies. Starting from 1943, machine guns for non-standard Wehrmacht ammunition were sent to be installed in the bunkers of the Atlantic Wall, a system of long-term and field fortifications longer than 5000 km created along the European coast of the Atlantic.


7,92-mm machine gun Ckm wz.30 in position for anti-aircraft shooting


Rather limited on the Eastern front, the German army used Polish machine guns Ckm wz.30, which were Browning M1917 under the German cartridge 7,92 × 57 mm. The standard tripod machine gun machine Ckm wz.30 allowed the firing of anti-aircraft fire, which predetermined its use for air defense purposes.

In the initial period of the war against the USSR, the German army managed to seize a large amount of equipment and weapons that were at the disposal of the Red Army. Among the trophies were a lot of machine guns. First of all, this applied to Maxim machine guns of the 1910 / 30 model of the year and manual DP-27. Maxim's captured Soviet machine guns (under the name MG.216 (r)) and Degtyarev's handhelds (designated MG.120 (r)) were used by the Wehrmacht and entered into service with militarized and security police units in the occupied territory of the USSR. However, hundreds of Soviet anti-aircraft machine-gun systems also fell into the hands of the enemy: quadruple, twin and single, as well as infantry machine guns on the Vladimirov tripod-wheel machine of the 1931 model of the year, allowing the machine gun to fire at air targets.


German soldier at the captured Soviet machine gun "Maxim" on a Vladimirov universal machine

In 1941, the main military air defense system in the Red Army was the quadruple 7,62-mm anti-aircraft machine gun unit M4 mod. 1931. Developed under the guidance of N. F. Tokarev. She was a four machine gun Maxim arr. 1910 / 30 g installed on a zenith machine in the same plane. For better cooling of machine-gun barrels with intensive shooting, a device of forced circulation of water was used. With good fire density, the M4 anti-aircraft gun was too heavy. Its weight in the fighting position, along with the water cooling system and welded frame for installation in the car body exceeded 400 kg. Also in the troops at the beginning of the war there were a significant number of: twin anti-aircraft installations arr. 1930 g and single arr. 1928


German soldiers captured by the Soviet ZNU M4 arr. 1931


Although the Soviet ZPU-based machine gun Maxim arr. 1910 / 30 was not officially adopted by the Wehrmacht, they were used in large quantities as supernumerary air defense devices. Since the mass and dimensions of the obsolete machine gun installations were too large, they were installed in stationary positions: for the protection of bridges, pontoon ferries, material and technical warehouses, fuel depots and ammunition. In addition, when deployed on self-propelled chassis, captured anti-aircraft Maxims were protected by German transport convoys and trains from air attacks and guerrilla attacks. In order to reduce the weight of the quad units, they were sometimes transferred to air cooling, for which purpose the system of forced water circulation was dismantled, and cutouts were made in the water cooling casing of the machine guns. The experience of the combat use of the machine gun Maxim showed that without overheating the barrel it was possible to launch a continuous line-up of lengths up to 100 shots. However, German troops used captured 7,62-mm LSD not for long, by the middle of 1942, most of them were transferred to Finland.



Already in 1942, the role of rifle-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns in the armed forces of Nazi Germany declined. This, in the first place, was associated with the increasing number of armored IL-2 attack planes supplied by the Soviet aviation industry in assault aircraft regiments. As mentioned in the first part of the review, even 7,92-mm hard-core armor-piercing bullets in most cases could not overcome the Soviet anti-aircraft attack armor, and their destructive effect in the case of hitting the wing, tail and unarmored parts of the fuselage was insufficient. In this connection, small-caliber anti-aircraft guns began to play the main role in providing anti-aircraft cover for the German troops in the front-line zone.

To be continued ...

Based on:
https://smallarms.ru/article?arms=mg15
https://military.wikireading.ru/55282
http://wwii.space/zenitnyie-orudiya-germaniya/
https://smallarms.ru/article?arms=mg81
http://www.oocities.org/augusta/8172/panzerfaust5.htm
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36 comments
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  1. +6
    15 December 2018 05: 26
    Thank you, there will be something to read after the shift.
  2. +3
    15 December 2018 07: 57
    Good article. And I only about MG-36, but MG-42 heard.
    1. +5
      15 December 2018 08: 22
      Quote: Mordvin 3
      Good article. And I only about MG-36, but MG-42 heard.

      You probably MG34 mean? In the first part of the review, Seryozha mentioned about him.
      1. +5
        15 December 2018 08: 30
        Quote: zyablik.olga
        You probably meant MG34?

        Yes, I’m sorry. But nemchura knew how to handle them. Maybe not the topic:
        Occasionally I could see the red one, squinting towards the Germans with the eyes of the right horse. And suddenly a stream of fire, jumping Didenko, hung elasticly between the rider and me. I squeezed into the seat and to the limit I turned my head back; the back of the wagon did not allow me to deviate more strongly. But the stream, obedient to the evil will, stubbornly moved after my head, as if a strong magnet pulled it towards me. Bullets swept a centimeter from my nose. To my surprise, through the clatter of hooves and the snoring of horses, I noticed that the stream not only shines brightly, but also hisses loudly! Hissing like a thousand snakes! And when she approached my eyes even closer, I was overwhelmed by the wind, and my eyes began to break out of the orbits with wild pain. I closed my eyes in fear and lost consciousness for a while. I woke up from a strong roar - a sheaf of bullets tore the seat out from under me, and again, in a swoon, with my legs up, I flew down into the hole that had formed. Then we flew into the village, and the buildings flickering to the right covered us from the German ace machine gunner. The shelling ceased. And the Gant blazing in the fire seemed to us - salvation!
        1. +2
          15 December 2018 10: 24
          Where does the quote come from? I had 20 years ago to encounter the fact that a light bullet of the 1908 g sample, flying a meter from the system unit, caused a ballistic shock wave to malfunction the PC hard disk.
          1. +1
            15 December 2018 10: 28
            Quote: Aviator_
            Where does the quote come from?

            Petr Mikhin. "The artillerymen! Stalin gave the order!"
            https://e-libra.ru/read/186242-artilleristy-stalin-dal-prikaz-my-umirali-chtoby-pobedit.html
            Very cool book. hi
            1. +3
              15 December 2018 10: 29
              Thanks, be sure to read it.
            2. +4
              15 December 2018 10: 48
              I started reading. Very interesting. Annoying is the author's adherence to Khrushchev's myths about the beginning of the war ("Stalin did not believe the intelligence reports, Stalin destroyed our command staff before the war ... and so on."). However, it was probably written in the late 50s, early 60s, when everyone had rubbish from the XX Congress in their heads. My father at that time also thought so, but I, as a child, then agreed with this.
              1. +2
                15 December 2018 11: 02
                Nevertheless. Honors the author and respect, at least for the fact that he could fire a rebound, which the Germans did not practice. And for the well that he dug in Mongolia. The neighboring division was bent without water when they went to war with the Japs.
  3. +8
    15 December 2018 07: 59

    By June 1941, the German army had at its disposal many thousands of machine guns captured in Austria, Belgium, Greece, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Poland, France, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.
    The arsenal was really diverse. Below is a list of "imported" machine guns in the service of the Wehrmacht.
    7,92 mm ZB-26 [MG.26 (t)]
    7,92 mm ZB-30 [MG.30 (t)].
    7,92 mm ZB-37 [MG.37 (t)].
    7,92 mm Browning wz.28 [MG.154 (p)]
    7,92 mm Browning M1930 [MG.30 (p)]
    7,92 mm Hotchkis wz.25 [MG.257 (p) i MG.238 (p)]
    6,5 mm Hotchkiss M1914 [MG.201 (n) i MG.240 (n)]
    7,65 mm Chauchat M1915 [MG.126 (b)]
    7,65 mm FN M1930 [MG.127 (b)]
    7,65 mm Hotchkiss M1914 [MG.220 (b)]
    6,5 mm Lewis M1920 [MG.100 (h)]
    8 mm CSRG M1915 Chauchaut [MG.156 (f)]
    7,5 mm Hotchkiss Mle1922 [MG.105 (f)]
    7,5 mm Châtellerault Mle1924 / 29 [MG.116 (f)]
    8 mm Saint-Etienne Mle1907 [MG.256 (f)
    7,5 mm Hotchkiss Mle1914 [MG.257 (f)]
    8 mm Chauchat M1915 [MG.156 (g)]
    8 mm Hotchkiss M1926 [MG.104 (g) i MG.152 (g)]
    Saint-Etienne M8 1907 mm machine gun [MG.256 (g)]
    7,92,8 mm Chauchat M1915 [MG.156 (j) i MG.147 (j)]
    7,92 mm ZB-26 [MG.26 (j)]
    7,92 mm Saint-Etienne M1907 [MG.256 (j)]
    7,92-mm Hotchkiss M1914 [MG.257 (j)]
    7,62 mm DP-27 [MG.120 (r)]

    Kulomet Vz. 30 / Puska Mitralez 7.92 M37 = 7.92 Maschinengewehr 30 (t) & 148 (j)
    Breda modello 30 = 6.5mm LeMG 099 (i)
    Mittrailleur M20v = 6.5mm LeMG 100 (h)
    Norwegian Madsens = 6.5mm LeMG 102 (n) & 103 (n)
    Hotchkiss M1926 = 6.5mm LeMG 104 (g) & 7.92mm LeMG 152 (g)
    Hotchkiss M1922 = 8mm LeMG 105 (f)
    Darne M1922 = 6.5 oder 8mm LeMG 106 (f)
    'Lewis' M1924 = 8mm LeMG 107 (f) (Not the Lewis Gun, a French aerial mount)
    Chatellerault M1924 / 29 = 7.5LeMG 116 (f)
    DP 1928g = 7.62mm LeMG 120 (r)
    FM 1930 = 7.65mm LeMG 127 (b)
    Hotchkiss Mk. 1 & 1 * = 7.7mm LeMG 136 (e) und (g)
    Lewis gun Mk1 = 7.7mm LeMG 137 (e)
    Bren Mks 1 & 2 = 7.7mm LeMG 138 (e)
    RKM wz. 28 = 7.9mm LeMG154 / 1 (p), 154/2 (p), 28 (p)
    Chaucats = 8mm LeMG 156 (f), (g), (j) - 7.65mm LeMG 126 (b) - 7.9mm LeMG 147 (j)
    FM Madsen M1922 = 8mm LeMG 157 (f)
    Danish Madsens = 8mm LeMG 158 (d), 159 (d)
    7.5mm Mle 1931 = 7.5mm KpfwMG 311 (f)
    DT = 7.62mm KpfwMG 320 (r)
    Assorted Maxims = 7.92mm sMG 08, 7.65mm sMG 221 (b), 7.9mm sMG 248 (j), (p), (r)
    Vz. 37 / Mitralez M40 = 7.92mm sMG 37 (t), 246 (j)
    ZB Vz.60 / Mitralez 15mm M38 = MG 38 (t) Kal.15mm, FlaMG 39, FlaMG 490 (j)
    Fiat 14 = 6.5mm sMG 200 (i), (j)
  4. +5
    15 December 2018 08: 01
    Thank. An interesting section of the history of the use of captured weapons in the Wehrmacht.
  5. +11
    15 December 2018 08: 19
    Well, variety, a nightmare for gunsmiths and training instructors. It is only good that the Mauser cartridge 7,92x57 cartridge was used. Sergei, this refers to your topic sideways, but since the machine guns of the Red Army are mentioned here, I want to clarify. About the ShKAS mentioned here, there is a separate story with cartridges: "A perfectly designed weapon, as it turned out, outpaced the perfection of the cartridges that they fired with - a rather rare phenomenon in the history of weapons technology. The way out of this situation was obvious: special aviation cartridges are needed. a team of designers, headed by N. M. Elizarov. By the mid-30s, the work was completed and, as a result, 7,62-mm cartridges for the ShKAS machine gun appeared. " http://weaponland.ru/publ/patrony_dlja_sverkhpulemjota/13-1-0-779
    1. 0
      15 December 2018 08: 56
      Quote: Amurets
      “A well-designed weapon, as it turned out, surpassed the perfection of the cartridges with which they fired - a rather rare phenomenon in the history of weapons technology. The way out of this situation was obvious: special aviation cartridges were needed.

      What a wonderful syllable))) A wonderful attempt to pass off flaws as virtues ...
      Amurets, I'm not talking about you))))
    2. +6
      15 December 2018 09: 17
      Similar problems were not only with ShKAS.
      The Germans reinforced the sleeve for automatic weapons immediately with the advent of the machine gun in service in 1901 - the Hülse 88 E. And later, the sleeves for use in automatic weapons were reinforced, the same Hülse S67 mit Segmentierstrich.
      And the Germans produced special cartridges for aircraft machine guns. - 7.9 mm Patrone SmK-v; 7.9 mm Patrone SmK L'spur 100/600-v; 7.9 mm Patrone SmK G'Spur-v; 7.9 mm Patrone PmK-v; 7.9 mm B-Patrone-v.
      Aircraft cartridges were designated "V" - short for the word "verbessert" (improved).
      1. +2
        15 December 2018 10: 03
        Quote: Decimam
        7.9 mm Patrone SmK-v; 7.9 mm Patrone SmK L'spur 100/600-v; 7.9 mm Patrone SmK G'Spur-v; 7.9 mm Patrone PmK-v; 7.9 mm B-Patrone-v.

        All the aviation cartridges you cited have an enhanced charge (index -V), but the German aircraft machine guns quite calmly digested the "standard" cartridges.
        IMHO The creators of the ShKAS were really lucky - to create a machine gun that did not work normally with standard cartridges and did not get into the ranks of "pests", Taubin for similar punctures (an aircraft cannon with a "slightly" greater than expected recoil, which made it difficult to install it on existing fighters) went to consumption.
        1. +5
          15 December 2018 10: 39
          This fact only suggests that the quality of the German "standard cartridge" allowed it to withstand the dynamic overloads that arise during the operation of weapon automation.
          Actually "ShKAS special cartridge" is a better quality standard cartridge.
          And about "sabotage" - it is for some time now an obligatory element of the program.
          1. 0
            16 December 2018 18: 34
            "ShKAS special cartridge" is a reinforced sleeve with thicker walls in which the bullet was fastened with double punching.
        2. +2
          17 December 2018 16: 11
          Spitial consumption is unlikely to go. After all, he also had jambs, later ones, really. Take at least ShFK.
          It’s just that at that time we had a country of nuggets (in quotation marks or without? Probably all the same without ...) Degtyarev-Tokarev-Shpagin-Simonov-Sudaev led by tanker Kalashnikov - these are only the first rows ...
          I will not list the second rows - there they are ...
          So Shpitalny, as the general producer of the device, entered the Stalinist slogan of those times in clear letters.
          As for the nuggets in general - here for me personally, Zeldovich Yakov Borisych stands apart. Because of this word, on top of that - "external".
          He graduated from the external (!) Physics Department of Leningrad State University. At 22, a candidate, and at 25 - a doctor of physical sciences. One of the main figures in the creation of atomic and hydrogen Soviet bombs.
          Hero of Social Labor Thrice. Three times, damn it ...
          What do you say, activists-"internationalists" of neighboring news branches?
          What is your feasible contribution to the country's defense shield?
          They won’t say anything. They do not exist on arms branches - for a well-known reason.
          And who Zeldovich is - they hardly know ...
          1. +2
            20 December 2018 01: 48
            led by tanker Kalashnikov

            Kalashnikov was clearly not at the head, his story began when the competition was held for a new PP. Then he defeated the faculty, the design of Kalashnikov was then noted as interesting and very good, but not very technological, but they took to work at the Central Research Range of small arms and mortar weapons. Then there was also a competition for a self-loading carbine - SKS passed. AK is a product of the work of many talented people from the training ground, in addition to Kalashnikov, moreover, this is the result of studying a bunch of foreign and domestic samples and the competent use of technical solutions incorporated in them. For example, Sudaev had a huge influence, it is quite possible that we would not have recognized AK if Sudaev had not suddenly died, because his machine gun was the leader in the competition.
            1. +2
              21 December 2018 14: 16
              Not ... I'm M.T. put in the head why? Because of the Gloria Mundi first thing. Not one system in the world, not one, by a large margin, has not been so popular and in demand. In this section of the Russian-imperial, Soviet and Russian-federal arms history, M.T. broke away from other authorities monstrously, far beyond the horizon.
              In my youth I suspected, then I made some conclusions, and now I’m just sure and agree with you: yes, you can come up with one design, the principles of its work, etc. But to calculate, manufacture and debug plus a sea of ​​different problems that need to be solved quickly , almost on the move - here Sergeant Kalashnikov simply would not have had enough of those 3-4 years allotted for the adoption of a new machine gun.
              Therefore, there were then captains and majors - Deikin, Zaitsev, etc.
              And our country was a country of nuggets, and not a penny less. And the sergeant-tanker at that time on this poster, without detracting from his abilities and merits, was perfectly suited.
              I do not argue with the words of M.T. about the influence of Sudaev on his design work. Apparently, it was so.
              But it seems that, in turn, Sudaev experienced the same influence of Bezruchko-Vysotsky. Which, due to its suspicious origin, higher education and rotten intelligence, did not fit into nuggets with any of its sides.
              But here in the work of Bolotin about owls. small arms are a description of the systems of the proletarian S. and the intellectual B.-V .: find there 10 differences.
              They are simply not there.
              Generally ... In the history of both our and the world of small arms, it seems, there are few honest, unstained pages.
              This story is the story of insanity, nepotism, personal requests, bribery, plagiarism and theft. And there are a number of other vices and sins.
              Take at least a long-suffering rifle model 1891/30, whose paternity genetic examinations have not yet been confirmed.
              But history is history, to be the right tool at the right time in more powerful and cunning hands.
              The result, however, remains unchanged. For more than seven decades: Kalashnikov steps forward.
              Peace be upon him.
    3. +2
      17 December 2018 10: 26
      ShKAS, of course, overtook his time.
      But among the many memoirs that he read, he did not meet with enthusiasm, or at least laudatory words from the pilots. The complaints were, partly subjective: quick consumption of b / p and a small efficiency of action on the target.
      Partisan memories were remembered from the positive (I no longer remember what the book was): the turret from the downed bomber was mounted on a cart. Here, the author was really struck by the power and accuracy of fire.
  6. +1
    15 December 2018 09: 57
    In WWII, it is possible to consider 7mm machine guns as anti-aircraft weapons (even multi-barreled ones) only as defensive ones on airplanes
  7. +12
    15 December 2018 10: 54
    I read the comments on this publication, I am glad and with nostalgia I remember the Military Review of five years ago. Then there were much more competent authors writing on technical topics, and the posts of readers are no less interesting than the articles themselves.
  8. +4
    15 December 2018 11: 37
    In general, the use of light "handbrakes" like ZB (Shattelro, BREN, BAR and others) with low-capacity store food as anti-aircraft is complete nonsense: 1) at the speeds that low-flying fighters and attack aircraft develop, 2) short time in the reach zone calculation with a rifle caliber machine gun, 3) insufficient power and range of ammunition when firing obliquely at air targets, 4) extremely low density of fire (strictly aimed, since the curtain / wall of defensive fire cannot be set like that) - the percentage of simply hits in the car tends to an infinitely small value, and effective hits are likely to be close to zero. This is not to mention the fact that you are tempted to change stores (or the carrier / loader will be lured), and the plane will not wait until the calculation is recharged and aimed, and the barrel, which was not originally intended for such tasks, will warm up at a terrible speed. request
    PS
    Eh, wait for an article about flyfastings and their ilk. Knowing uv. author, the material should be extremely informative. fellow From SW. hi
    1. +4
      16 December 2018 10: 54
      Rafael, hello!
      Quote: Raphael_83
      In general, the use of light "handbrakes" like ZB (Shattelro, BREN, BAR and others) with low-capacity store food as anti-aircraft is complete nonsense

      Well, I would not be so categorical, the evolutionary speed of attack aircraft on the ground would not exceed 300 km / h. And there were even chances to get out of the handles, and none of the belligerents neglected such an opportunity. The advantages of improvised LSD based on light machine guns were their low weight and the ability to quickly use them if necessary for their intended purpose. In any case, even relatively low-speed ZPU is better than the absence of any protection against air strikes.
      Quote: Raphael_83
      Eh, wait for an article about flyfastings and their ilk. Knowing uv. author, the material should be extremely informative.

      Be sure to wait! Yes But first we finish with the machine guns. hi
      1. +4
        16 December 2018 12: 05
        Quote: Bongo
        and not one of the warring parties neglected such an opportunity.

        More than.
        https://borianm.livejournal.com/760865.html
        1. +3
          16 December 2018 12: 13
          Quote: Cherry Nine
          More than.
          https://borianm.livejournal.com/760865.html

          Well, in general, it is well within the scope of this publication. The IL-2 armor in most cases held bullets from a rifle caliber, but it was penetrated by large-caliber bullets and 20-mm projectiles.
          1. +2
            16 December 2018 12: 25
            Ugums. This is the word about the uselessness of rifle calibers for air defense in the 40s.
      2. +3
        16 December 2018 17: 13
        Yes, on attack aircraft except that they did not shoot from slingshots. In the Red Army, improvised machines (a wheel from a cart on a pillar dug up to the ground) were made in places even for pt ores. Surely the Germans also traded something similar.
  9. +1
    15 December 2018 12: 20
    And what kind of machine guns are caliber of 15 mm? I never heard of such a caliber.
    1. +3
      15 December 2018 12: 39
      https://ru.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_151
      1. +7
        15 December 2018 13: 05
        Quote: BORMAN82
        https://ru.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_151

        Not only, the Germans still had 15-mm ZB-60 and captured BESA. About anti-aircraft large-caliber machine guns will be in the next part.
  10. -3
    16 December 2018 02: 00
    Quote: zyablik.olga
    I read the comments on this publication, I am glad and with nostalgia I remember the Military Review of five years ago. Then there were much more competent authors writing on technical topics, and the posts of readers are no less interesting than the articles themselves.

    Five years ago herds of Ukrainian trolls did not graze here laughing
    1. +5
      16 December 2018 19: 31
      And the herds of lemmings did not graze either.
    2. +2
      4 January 2019 18: 05
      Five years ago herds of Ukrainian trolls did not graze here

      What I only did not see trolls here. And Ukrainian and Jewish and Azerbaijani ... except that African did not come across. It seems that from all countries it was noted where the Russians live.
      But the articles of the respected Bongo are not very interesting for them, here it’s useless to throw poop into the fan, they quickly put it in place. It is unfortunate that there are fewer and fewer comparable authors in quality at VO.
  11. +2
    16 December 2018 18: 29
    Interesting article.

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