MG 151

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MG 151/20, Aviaticum Aviation Museum

The MG 151 was an automatic weapon intended for use in military aircraft , which was developed in the German Reich from 1934 by the Mauser company in caliber 15.1 mm and went into production in 1940. The introduction into the German Air Force began in early 1941 with the installation in the Bf 109 F-2 .

Further development

Bf 109 G-6 with two MG 151/20 as an additional kit under the wings

As a weapon installed rigidly in fighter aircraft , the MG 151/15 was replaced by the MG 151/20 with the larger 20 mm caliber by the end of 1941 . Due to the shorter barrel of the MG 151/20 , the muzzle velocity decreased from 960 m / s to 810 m / s, which in turn significantly reduced tube wear. In bomber defenses, the MG 151/15 remained in use as a defensive weapon in a movable mount even after 1941.

The majority of the MG 151/20 produced were used as on-board weapons for fighter aircraft, for example in the Bf 109 or the Fw 190 .

ammunition

By using specially developed 20 mm mine ammunition with a significantly thinner shell, the amount of explosives in the MG 151/20 could be increased from 2.8 g to 18.7 g per projectile. The designation MG 151/15 was used after the introduction of the MG 151/20 to distinguish the two versions. After all MG 151/15 machines were decommissioned up to around 1943 and subsequently converted to caliber 20 mm, only the name MG 151 was used.

Use in the Fw 190

In all versions of the Fw 190, the inner wing pair MG 151/20 was set up for synchronized firing by the propeller circle ; a special version with electric ignition was created with the MG 151 / 20E . The MG 151/20 mounted in the outer wing of later versions of the Fw 190 was also the version with electrical ignition, to make the work of the ground crew easier and to avoid mix-ups when loading ammunition.

Use in vehicles

Towards the end of the Second World War, the MG 151/20 was also used with moderate success as a makeshift flak in direct property protection and on half-track vehicles. For this purpose, the MG 151/20 were placed in makeshift triplet mounts on the Sd.Kfz. 251/21 mounted and freely straightened without a side and height straightening machine.

An anti-aircraft MG 151/20 was tested on the chassis of the French AMX 13 tank , but it was finally decided in 1957 to use a turret with two 30 mm Hispano-Suiza HS 831 A automatic cannons.

Technical specifications

MG 151/15

  • Caliber: 15.1 mm
  • Barrel length: 1250 mm
  • Manufacturer: Mauser
  • Length: 1960 mm
  • Weight: 42.7 kg
  • Rate of fire (per min): 700
  • Muzzle velocity: 960 m / s (Sprgr.L'Spur)

MG 151/20

  • Caliber: 20 mm
  • Barrel length: 1100 mm
  • Manufacturer: Mauser
  • Length: 1767 mm
  • Weight: 42.5 kg
  • Shot rate (per min), depending on the variant: synchronized: 550–750, unsynchronized: 780–800
  • Muzzle velocity: 810 m / s ( M projectile )
  • Ammunition designation: 20 × 82

See also

Web links

Commons : MG 151  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Ministère de la Defense: Comité pour l´Histoire de l´Armement Terrestre period 1945–1975. Pp. 113, 114.