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13 mm M.G. 131: Fixed or Flexible Aircraft Machine Gun

13 mm M.G. 131: Fixed or Flexible Aircraft Machine Gun

The German flexible aircraft machine gun, M.G. 131, 13 mm, is the Nazi tactical counterpart of the U.S. Browning, cal. .50, M2. Action is a Solothurn type—that is, the locking cam on a rotating bolt head engages a cylindrical locking collar to lock the action for firing. It is fed by a metallic disintegrating-link belt.

The M.G. 131 is used singly and in twin-mounted versions in hand-operated mounts and power-operated turrets in many German bombers. The recoil operation is assisted by a muzzle recoil booster. It is unusual in that the cartridges are ignited electrically instead of by a mechanically operated firing pin.

It is a recoil-operated, gas-assisted, belt-fed, air-cooled, automatic weapon that is coming into more extensive use in the German Air Force.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber         13 mm (.512 in.)
Weight 40 lb.
Length 46 ins.
Rate of fire 900 rds./min.—cyclic
Muzzle velocity 2,370 f/s
Sights Refractor type on mount
Ammunition 13 mm Solothurn types—A. P., T; H. E., T

German: p. 222