Maschinengewehr Modell 15 (MG15)

History

The MG 15 machine gun was in service with the Luftwaffe before and during World War II (1939-1945). It stems from an initiative in 1932, stemming from the existing early MG 30 model, which originated in Switzerland. The design was standardized as aircraft machine guns by the MG 15 (flexible) and MG 17 (fixed) products, and also influenced the subsequent German Army's famous land-based MG 34 and MG 42 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG). As an aircraft weapon, the machine gun was designed to be mounted on a system for use by air gunners to attack targets around the aircraft. These weapon stations are used on specific types of bombers (such as the Heinkel He 111) that require multiple crew positions.

The weapon is air-cooled, fully automatic, and recoil-operated, and is also chambered for a German 7.92x57mm Mauser rifle cartridge. The rate of fire is as high as 1,050 rounds per minute and the muzzle velocity is 2,480 feet per second. Aiming is done with an iron assembly, while feeding is done with a 75-round bullet-type twin drum system.

The gun weighs 27 pounds when loaded, has an overall length of 42 inches, and has a 27-inch barrel.

NOTE: The MG 15 machine gun model bears a similar designation to the MG 15nA of the First World War (1914-1918), although they are essentially two different weapons. Revisions in the 1930s were spearheaded by Rheinmetall, while the original guns used on World War I aircraft were by Bergmann.

The development of the MG 15 took place during the two world wars after the First World War and before the Second World War. During this period, the German war machine was controlled by the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles signed after the First World War.

However, a number of workarounds emerged, one of which was Rheinmetall's holding of a stake in neighbouring Solothurner Waffenfabrik AG in Switzerland from 1929 - making it possible for the company to continue producing weapons deemed illegal by the treaty. That's how the MG 30 was born and laid the foundation for the MG 15, MG 17, MG 34 and MG 42 series.

In 1932, Rheinmetall continued to work on the MG 30 and produced a lighter version, the MG 15. This design features an open breech for enhanced automatic fire and is supplied by a 75-round twin-drum ammunition supply. The twin drums alternately feed the gunone drum and then the otherpromoting a more balanced system, as each cartridge is emptied in turn, and the weight of the gun is reduced evenly. The weapon is designed to be attached to a bendable/trainable mount and aimed via an iron assembly.

Then create a fixed installation in this orientation as MG 17.

The MG 15 is generally simple in appearance, using a tubular receiver that accommodates the action. The trigger assembly hangs below the housing as usual, with a large, slender trigger ring (two trigger finger grooves) that fits gloved hands. The pistol grip is sturdy and ergonomic, but there is no shoulder rest for extra support.

In front of the trigger group is the feed mechanism, to which the drum magazine is attached along the sides of the receiver. The receiver is then tapered to wrap the barrel in a perforated heating jacket. Goggles are attached to the jacket. On German bombers, ammunition drums were stored within range of machine gun stations and could be quickly replaced depending on the combat situation.

In practice, these guns have stood the test, and their long structure allows them to absorb most of the recoil, making them fully automatic weapons against approaching enemy aircraft.

Although it originated as an aircraft gun, it was used in a ground support role when the dire situation in Germany required it - especially after a shortage in 1944. MG 34s were widely available at the time, but the available stock of MG 15s meant they could also be easily retrofitted into similar ground-based support roles. Modifications added a single-strut shoulder rest at the end of the receiver, a bipod assembly behind the barrel, improved ground-fired iron sights, and a simple carry handle in front of the magazine. In general, the main design elements of the machine gun have been preserved, which of course makes it an excessively long, bulky and heavy weapon for infantry practice.

It had a limited appearance and was not a ground support machine gun popular with the Axis armies. A strong feature is its "straight line" configuration, which aligns the shoulder rest with the action and barrel, and inherently lowers the "muzzle rise", making it accurate at range.

The action remains the same as the original airborne version, proving reliable in the heat of battle.

The MG 15 series was eventually replaced by the larger caliber system that came online around 1941, but the German wartime still forced the weapon into service due to available stocks. The weapon was adopted by the Japanese military and named "Type 98".

Specification

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Performance

Changes