MG 08

MG 08
general information
Military designation:	MG 08
Developer / Manufacturer:	Arms factory Loewe; German arms and ammunition factories (DWM)
Development year:	(from 1885) especially 1908
Manufacturer country:	German Empire
Weapon Category:	MG
Furnishing
Overall length:	1190 mm
Weight: (unloaded)	MG 08: 23 kg * slide: 37 kg * tripod: 31 kg MG 08/15: 19.5 kg MG 08/18: 16 kg
Barrel length :	721 mm
Technical specifications
Caliber :	7.92 × 57 mm (8 mm Mauser)
Possible magazine fillings :	250 cartridges
Ammunition supply :	Ammunition belt made of hemp or aluminum
Cadence :	(Lock 08) 500 rounds / min (lock 16) 600 rounds / min
Fire types:	Continuous fire
Twist :	Right twist
Closure :	Knee joint closure
Charging principle:	Water-cooled recoil charger
Lists on the subject

The MG 08 , initially also referred to as "Device 08", was a machine gun from German production that was used in particular during the First World War . The development goes back to the 1884 by the American-British inventor Hiram S. Maxim (1840-1916) developed Maxim machine gun . The MG 08 was available in many variants. The best-known variant was the light MG 08/15 , to which the phrase “ zero eight fifteen ” can be traced back.

As a heavy machine gun , the MG 08 was used in its basic form.

Machine guns from the 08 family were still used occasionally during the Second World War .

Due to the location of its production, the weapon was also called " Spandau -MG" by the German armed forces, especially the air forces .

Models

The machine gun was named after its inception in 1908. The suffixes / 15 and / 18 indicate the model variant in the form of its year of publication. In addition, "l" stood for aerial combat.

precursor

The development was based on Hiram Maxim's concept for a machine gun , which Maxim had developed from 1884 onwards. In Germany, this concept was mainly taken up by the German weapons and ammunition factories. The first model was given the designation MG 01 and was developed into the MG 03 and finally the MG 08 in 1908, which was manufactured in Spandau .

MG 08

The MG 08 was water-cooled and mounted on a height-adjustable carriage (so-called slide). With an alignment attachment for indirect fire, the MG 08 could also be used from cover. At the beginning of the First World War, Germany owned 4,919 MG 08. The weapon was too heavy to follow its own infantry on foot. Structurally, most of the machine guns were part of the specially formed machine gun companies of the infantry units. Further developments appeared necessary.

There were two different mounts for the MG 08:

• the rifle slide and
• the tripod 16 , which was particularly suitable for transport on pack animals .

Both mountings could also be used for air fire with an attachment piece and a circular front sight .

To simplify the filling of the ammunition belts, the belt filler 16 was used, which could be "best" screwed onto a table or in a battle on the rear wheel of the machine gun vehicle.

MG 08/15

→ Main article : MG 08/15

Engraving on the weapon

From 1915 the MG 08/15 was developed on the basis of the MG 08 and issued to the troops as the light MG 08/15 from summer 1917 .

The main innovations compared to the MG 08 were:

• Replacement of the heavy carriage with a bipod.
• Pistol grip with shoulder rest instead of the spade grips.
• Belt in belt drum (cartridge box 16). This enabled the MG to be carried loaded.
• Reduced amount of cooling water (from 4 to 2.8 liters).

The modifications should make it easier or even make it possible to carry machine guns during assault attacks.

MG 08/18

Towards the end of the war, the MG 08/15 was developed into the air-cooled MG 08/18. This model was light enough for assault attacks, but because of its late introduction it was mainly only used to secure the German retreat.

lMG 08 and 08/15

The air-cooled IMG 08 and IMG 08/15 were specially developed for rigid use for military aircraft . The air-cooled Parabellum MG 14 based on the MG 08 was developed for mobile use .

Development pictures

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  Heavy MG 08 on slide (with protection for cylinder and shield)

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  Heavy MG 08 on slide (without protective shield)

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  lMG 08 for fighter planes with one-hand operation and synchronization with the propeller

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  Light MG 08/15 with shoulder rest, barrel is water-cooled

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  MG 08/15, correct position of the central support

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  lMG 08/15, in infantry version

Technical specifications

model	Year of construction	Ammunition feed	cooling	cooling water	Target optics	overall length	Weight	additive
08	1888-1908	250 cartridges in a linen belt	water	4 liters	ZF12 rifle scope 400 m – 2000 m	1190 mm	23 kg with cooling water	Sledge, 37 kg / tripod 31 kg
08/15	1915	100 cartridges in a linen belt		2.8 liters	No	1390 mm	19.5 kg including cooling water and bipod	Fork support ( bipod ): 1.2 kg
08/18	1918		air	-			16 kg including bipod

history

Imperial Army

precursor

The Prussian War Ministry had already approved the introduction of machine guns in 1889, but it was not until 1901 that the first five machine gun departments (with the MG 01 ) were set up in the infantry. But just three years later, in 1904, there were 16 departments (with MG 01 and MG 03 ), including one Saxon and one Bavarian.

Machine gun companies / departments each consisted of three platoons, each of which had two machine guns.

Six four-horse machine gun wagons and three ammunition wagons on which the operators of the machine guns were transported were allowed to transport each of the six machine guns . Due to the high mobility, it was also possible to interact with the cavalry.

In 1906, troop tests were carried out with only two horses covered. The waitresses marched on foot - like the rest of the infantry.

MG 08

In 1908, the improved MG 08 was introduced, which was half the weight of its predecessor. In that year, a "training machine gun company" was set up at the infantry shooting school .

Three years later, in 1911, each infantry brigade (two regiments) had a machine gun company driven by two horses.

In the year before the start of the war, in 1913, every infantry regiment and every independent hunter battalion (with the exception of the two Bavarian ones) had a machine gun company (MG-Komp.) With six heavy machine guns that were driven in pairs. In total there were 233 machine gun companies.

However, there were only eleven of the originally 16 four-horse machine gun divisions in the infantry, including one Saxon and one Bavarian, which were intended for the eleven cavalry divisions that were to be deployed when mobilization.

In 1913 there were 15 infantry regiments in fortresses, plus one (unmanned) fortress machine gun company . These were equipped with the older MG 01 and MG 03 machine guns, which were withdrawn from the field troops.

First World War

MG 08

When the mobilization at the beginning of the war in 1914 had a machine gun company or department, each with six machine guns:

• all 218 infantry regiments,
• 88 (92?) Of the 113 reserve infantry regiments,
• none of the 75 Landwehr infantry regiments
• 16 of the 18 independent hunter battalions,
• none of the 18 reserve hunter battalions,
• all 11 cavalry divisions.
• In addition, all 42 (43?) Mobilized replacement battalions (there were 334 in total) had a machine-gun platoon with two machine guns.

The machine gun companies that were still missing were only set up after the start of the war and brought into the field.

Before and during the First World War, each heavy MG 08 was operated by 5, later 6, soldiers, whose tasks were distributed as follows:

• Gun operator: ensures that all commands are obeyed when shooting.
• Shooter 1: Carries ammunition and digs in the steam hose. Lies behind the rifle driver and the gunner in battle and maintains contact with the shooter 5 at the platoon leader .
• Gunner 2: Gunner and rifle operator. He's wearing the machine gun
• Shooter 3: Assists the gunner with loading and changing barrel, carries the slide.
• Shooter 4: substitute, observer, carries ammunition.
• Gunner 5: One of the three ammunition shooters from the ammunition wagon and assistant to the train driver. From 1915 referred to as Schütze 5, he wears the armored jacket for water cooling with a protective shield (introduced in 1915) and carries ammunition and water. Lies with the platoon leader in battle and maintains contact with shooter 1 of his machine gun.

A two-horse machine gun car (MG.W.) was available for each MG to transport the MG 08 during marches . A two-horse ammunition wagon (MW) was also responsible for each train to two machine guns. With the cavalry, the carriages were driven in four horses, as mentioned above, since the waitresses were driven up here.

During the First World War, the MG 08 proved to be of limited use for war on the move due to its heavy weight: it could not follow the infantry on foot quickly enough. It played to its strengths in well-developed positions: When defending against enemy attacks, the enormous performance of Maxim's construction was quickly demonstrated, even under adverse conditions.

The machine guns were positioned in so-called "nests". Attempts were made to protect the machine gun as well as the operating crew from enemy weapons.

The machine gun alone heralded the end of the cavalry with its much higher firepower than rifles . A machine gun could easily fight a whole cavalry squadron and made this old weapon practically meaningless shortly after the beginning of the war.

In the further course of the war, the enormous effect of the machine gun on the infantry was recognized. This led to the fact that the machine gun companies of the regiments were significantly reinforced. In autumn 1916 the (very strong) machine gun companies were split up. Each battalion of an infantry regiment received a machine gun company of six MG 08 , which tripled the number of machine gun companies. The independent hunter battalions had already received a second machine gun company in the summer of 1916. Finally, in early 1918, the machine gun companies were increased to twelve machine guns.

MG 08/15

In addition, the machine gun had to be able to follow the infantry dismounted. Too many infantry attacks failed due to a lack of machine gun support, or too many machine guns were lost because they could not be dismantled in time. Therefore, the machine gun was now designed as a light machine gun with a bipod and shoulder rest. Each (rifle) company initially received two, later four. In early 1918 the number was even increased to six. To transport the MG 08/15 and the associated ammunition, the (rifle) companies were each assigned two field wagons.

The machine guns grew in number and became more mobile. At the end of the war, an air-cooled machine gun was brought out that effectively only had to be operated by two soldiers. So practically every company had a machine gun group.

Reichswehr

The heavy MG 08 and the light machine guns 08/15 and 08/18 were mainly used in the Reichswehr .

According to the Versailles Treaty , only 1,926 (+ 4% reserve) machine guns of all types were approved for the army. However, in 1927 there was a secret inventory of around 12,000 machine guns.

MG 08/15

The light machine guns 08/15 and 08/18 were used in the rifle companies (1st – 3rd company of each battalion). Here, two light machine guns were assigned to each of the three riflemen's platoons, so that each platoon had two machine gun groups (each consisting of 1 non-commissioned officer, 4 machine-gunner, 1 telescopic sight and 2 riflemen) and two to three rifle groups (each with 1 non-commissioned officer and 7 riflemen) . A rifle company had a total of six light machine guns. These were carried on the combat vehicle, pulled onto handcart or carried by the waitresses. Two (empty) handcarts were attached to the rear of one of the three combat vehicles during marches. Instead of six handcarts, hunting companies had a total of six pack animals, each with a pack handler.

Around 1930 the rifle platoons were reclassified into three strong, so-called unit groups , each consisting of a rifle squad (1 non-commissioned officer and 7 riflemen (strength of a previous rifle group)) and a light machine gun squad (1 non-commissioned officer and 4 machine guns, with a light machine gun) duration. This increased the number of light machine guns in the Rifle Company to nine.

The cavalry were in accordance with the Treaty of Versailles no light machine guns allowed. One made do with " MG 08/15 and MG 08/18 borrowed from the infantry" . Each rider platoon carried a machine gun on a pack animal.

The cavalry only received its own light machine guns in 1931 with the new MG 13 .

MG 08

The heavy machine guns 08 were used in the machine gun companies (4th company of each battalion). As at the end of the war, this had twelve heavy machine guns, but these were divided into four trains of three machine guns each.

On the first three platoons ("two-horse platoons" or "combat platoons") the waitresses marched on foot, while the machine guns were carried on two-horse heavy machine gun cars (for up to two heavy machine guns). On the fourth train (“escort train”), the waitresses did not have to march on foot, but were driven on four-horse light machine gun wagons (for one heavy machine gun each).

Around 1930 one of the four platoons was disbanded, and the remaining three platoons were brought to four heavy machine guns each. The machine gun trains were now divided into either

• two half-trains each with a two-horse heavy machine gun car or in
• two half-trains each with two four-horse light machine gun cars .

In total, the machine gun companies remained at 12 machine guns.

The cavalry were indeed been depending Cavalry Division granted in accordance with the Treaty of Versailles 24 MG - equivalent to four mg per cavalry regiment, but were these MG "no budget", d. that is, there was no staff for this MG. In 1923, the Reichswehr obtained concessions from the Allies here , so that a machine gun platoon of personnel could be set up for each cavalry regiment, who were dispatched from other areas ("assigned"). These machine gun platoons, however, had to be set up in two half platoons , each with two machine guns, which were in different garrisons (at that time all cavalry regiments were divided into two locations). Four-horse light machine gun wagons were used to move the machine guns and the operators .

In the course of the covert armament of the Reichswehr in 1932, the number of machine guns was doubled from four to eight and these were divided into four half-platoons of two machine guns each.

Wehrmacht

In the Wehrmacht , too , the MG 08 and MG 08/15 initially formed the backbone of machine weapons.

In the newly formed mountain infantry regiments, each of the three battalions in the 5th company received a platoon with four heavy machine guns.

From 1935 pure machine gun battalions (motorized) were also set up, which had three machine gun companies each with 16 heavy machine guns.

Starting in 1936, the MG 08 and MG 08/15 were replaced by the MG 34 in the active infantry divisions . The MG 08/15 , MG 08/18 and MG 08 as well as their machine gun vehicles and handcarts were handed over to the reserve or Landwehr infantry divisions to be filled with reservists in the event of mobilization .

photos

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  Armored machine gun emplacement

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  Light MG 08/15 during transport

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  Machine gun nest at the front

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  MGK III of Infantry Regiment No. 401 (9x 08, 3x PM 1910 )

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  MG 08/15

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  Training on MG 08th 1937 near Regensburg (probably with a unit of the 10th Infantry Division)

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  Training on the heavy MG 08 in a Wehrmacht unit, 1937

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Exhibits

Machine guns of the series 08 are in the German Historical Museum Berlin , in the Arms Museum in Suhl , in the Military History Museum in Dresden and in numerous fortresses and museums in France that are open to inspection - such as For example, the Mémorial de Verdun , the Citadelle de Verdun , the Musée de l'artillerie in Draguignan , the Musée de l'air et de l'espace at Le Bourget Airport near Paris , the Munster Tank Museum and the Reuenthal Fortress Museum .

literature

• Peter Berz: 08/15. A 20th century standard. Munich 2001.
• Hans-Valentin Hube (ed.): The infantryman. Manual for self-instruction and training of young frontline soldiers in the infantry. Publishing house "Open Words", Charlottenburg 1925.
• Reiner Lidschun, Günter Wollert: Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons . Siegler, Königswinter 2008, ISBN 978-3-87748-668-9 .
• Edgar Graf von Matuschka: Organizational history of the army 1890-1918. In: Military History Research Office (Ed.): German Military History in Six Volumes 1648-1939, Pawlak Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Herrsching 1983, ISBN 3-88199-112-3 , Volume 3, Section V (1968).
• Edgar Graf von Matuschka: Organization of the realm army. In: Military History Research Office (ed.): German military history in six volumes, 1648-1939. Pawlak Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Herrsching 1983, ISBN 3-88199-112-3 , Volume 3, Section VI (1970).
• Friedrich von Merkatz (Ed.):
  • Instruction book for the machine gun companies. Device 08. Verlag von R. Eisenschmidt, 19th edition, Berlin 1917.
  • New methods of machine-gun fire (1916) ( full text on Archive.org )
• Herbert Schottelius : The Organization of the Army 1933-1939. In: Military History Research Office (ed.): German military history in six volumes 1648-1939, Pawlak Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Herrsching 1983, ISBN 3-88199-112-3 , Volume 4, Section VII (1978).
• Bodo von Zimmermann, Major a. D .: The (new) group. Verlag “Offene Wort”, Berlin W 35, 7th edition (no year).
• Regulation of the German Empire: DVE No. 89 - Equipment verification for the reserve machine gun of a machine gun company 08 or a reserve machine gun company 08 - 1908

Web links

Commons : MG 08  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Overview, pictures and data of German machine guns (English)
• Guide to the machine gun 08/15

Footnotes

1. ^ Merkatz: instruction book for the machine gun companies. Device 08.1917 , title
2. ↑ Note: This designation is wrong. Spandau was on most of these machine guns, but only because one of the largest manufacturers, the Prussian rifle manufacture, produced them in Spandau .
3. ↑ Hube: The Infantryman. 1925, p. 795
4. ↑ Hube: The Infantryman. 1925, pp. 814-815
5. ↑ Hube: The Infantryman. 1925, pp. 797-798
6. ^ Matuschka: Organizational History of the Army 1890-1918. , 1968, p. 232
7. ^ Matuschka: Organizational History of the Army 1890-1918. 1968, pp. 165f
8. ^ Merkatz: instruction book for the machine gun companies. Device 08.1917 , p. 164 ff.
9. ^ Matuschka: Organizational History of the Army 1890-1918. 1968, p. 166
10. ^ Matuschka: Organizational History of the Army 1890-1918. 1968, p. 236
11. ^ Matuschka: Organizational History of the Army 1890-1918. 1968, p. 166
12. ^ Matuschka: Organizational History of the Army 1890-1918. 1968, pp. 230-231
13. ^ Merkatz: instruction book for the machine gun companies. Device 08.1917 , pp. 187-188
14. ^ Merkatz: instruction book for the machine gun companies. Device 08.1917 , p. 204
15. ^ Matuschka: Organizational History of the Army 1890-1918. 1968, p. 232
16. ^ Matuschka: Organizational History of the Army 1890-1918. 1968, p. 234
17. ^ Matuschka: Organizational History of the Army 1890-1918. 1968, p. 232
18. ^ Matuschka: Organizational History of the Army 1890-1918. 1968, p. 232
19. ^ Schottelius: The Organization of the Army 1933-1939. 1978, p. 396
20. ↑ Hube: The Infantryman. 1925, pp. 430-437
21. ^ The Reichswehr , Haus Neuerburg, Cologne 1933, p. 8
22. ^ Zimmermann: The (new) group, p. 5
23. ↑ Schottelius: The Organization of the Army 1933-1939 1978, p. 346
24. ↑ Hube: The Infantryman. 1925, p. 691
25. ↑ Hube: The Infantryman. 1925, pp. 828 and 833-834
26. ↑ Hube: The Infantryman. 1925, pp. 831 and 834-838
27. ^ Schottelius: The Organization of the Army 1933-1939. 1978, p. 346
28. ^ Schottelius: The Organization of the Army 1933-1939. 1978, p. 346
29. ^ Schottelius: The Organization of the Army 1933-1939. 1978, p. 347