Maschinengewehr 08

Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 July 2009 12:14 Written by Administrator Thursday, 02 July 2009 03:12

The Maschinengewehr 08, or the MG08 as it was designated, was a heavy machine gun designed and used by the German Army during the First World War. It was a copy of the earlier Maxim gun and was manufactured in large numbers during the war. The MG08 remained in widespread use during World War II until 1942 after which it was retired from service.

The Maschinengewher 08 was based on an earlier version called the Maschinengewehr 01, a licensed version of the Maxim gun. The gun was capable of firing rates of up to 400-rounds per minute and used a 250-round fabric belt feed. It used the 7.92x57mm Mauser round. Just like the Maxim gun, it needed a continuous supply of water for cooling to ensure continuous firing. The barrel was cooled by circulating water in a jacket built around the barrel.

The MG08 had an effective range of 2,200 yards and was based on the Maxim gun’s short barrel recoil and toggle lock mechanism. It was mounted on a sled that could be carried easily either using carts or manually like a stretcher.

In the following years, many newer machine gun variants based on the MG08 were developed. In the year 1915, a portable and lighter version of the MG08 was developed. Designated as the MG08/15, this version had a short bipod instead of the tripod and came with a wooden gunstock and a pistol grip. It was designed to be manned by four soldiers.

Despite its smaller size, the MG08/15 variant was still bulky. However, it was much more powerful than its parent gun and was capable of inflicting severe causalities on the enemy forces. It was employed during the German offensives against in the French in 1917 and 1918 and was successful in inflicting a large number of deaths on the French side.

The variant of the MG08/15 was also mounted on aircraft. The version called the LMG 08/15 was used in pairs on aircraft, fixed rigidly and synchronized to fire through the propeller. The LMG 08/15 was air-cooled and featured the Klingstrom device which allowed it to be loaded and cocked with one hand by the pilot.

Another improved variant of the Maschinengewehr 08 was the MG08/18. Introduced in the year 1918, this version was air-cooled. This made the weapon far lighter and mobile. The improvised weapon was tested in small numbers during the closing months of the war.

A 13mm variant of the MG 08 was also introduced in 1918. This version was designed to be primarily used against ranks and aircraft. However, limited numbers of these weapons were manufactured and saw little action during the First World War.

The MG 08 saw many decades of service. However, by the Second World War, it was replaced from service by the MG 34. The MG34 was a general purpose machine gun that offered indispensable flexibility which paved the way for the retirement of the MG 08.

---

Share this on