This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "MG 131 machine gun" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR(September 2022)
The MG 131 (shortened from German: Maschinengewehr 131, or "machine gun 131") was a German 13 mm calibermachine gun developed in 1938 by Rheinmetall-Borsig and produced from 1940 to 1945. The MG 131 was designed for use at fixed, flexible or turreted, single or twin mountings in Luftwaffe aircraft during World War II.
It was one of the smallest, if not the smallest, among the heavy machine guns of that conflict, with a weight of 16.6 kilograms (37 lb), less than 60% of the M2 Browning or the Breda-SAFAT machine gun. Despite this, the MG 131 was a rapid fire weapon with an elevated firepower for its mass. It was equipped with a variety of armor-piercing, incendiary, high-explosive, and tracer ammunition. Its nearest contemporary equivalent may have been the Japanese Ho-103, itself based on the earlier American M1921 Browning machine gun. The other main Axis automatic weapon of similar caliber, the Italian Breda 12.7 mm was around 13 kg heavier and bigger, while slower by at least 150 rpm. The MG 131’s relatively small size allowed them to be mounted in the restricted space available in the nose of Luftwaffe fighters, originally designed to house the lighter caliber 7.92 mm machine guns. This became the common configuration from 1943 onwards, as the increasing armour protection of most Allied aircraft, and the burgeoning challenge of daylight raids by heavy American bombers as the war progressed rendered the smaller caliber guns obsolescent in this role.
Lower ballistic properties that were still adequate for the task were obviously seen as an advantage: the gun was very accurate (35 x 45 cm spread at 100 m), and the barrel wore out much less quickly (barrel life of the MG 131 was 17,000 rounds), which meant that ballistic properties deteriorated more slowly.
It was installed in the Messerschmitt Bf 109, Me 410 Hornisse, Fw 190, Ju 88, Junkers Ju 388, He 177 Greif bomber variants, and many other aircraft. The Fernbedienbare Drehlafette FDL 131Z remotely-controlled gun turret system, used either a single, or more commonly a "twinned" pair of MG 131s for dorsal defense. The quadmount Hecklafette HL 131V weapons "system" for tail defense, placing two MG 131 guns apiece in a pair of rotating, side-mount exterior elevation carriages (the manned turret "core" provided the traverse function), was meant for standardization on many late-war prototype developments of German heavy bomber airframes, but never came to fruition beyond a small number of dimensional prototype mockups and kinetic test units.[1]
The MG 131 fired electrically primed ammunition in order to sustain a high rate of fire when shooting through the propeller disc of a single-engined fighter. A pair of MG 131 machine guns was used as cowl armament on later models of the Bf 109G (which originally required one blister or Beule on each side of the fuselage, flanking the upper rear end of the engine, to house the larger breech of the new gun) and the Fw 190.
Muzzle velocity : ~ 750 metres per second (2,500 ft/s)
Rate of fire : 900 rpm AP-API ; 930 rpm HEF-HEFI-I
Accuracy : 35 x 45 cm spread at 100 m
Barrel Life : 17,000 rounds
Ammunition specificationsedit
The MG 131 is the sole user of the electrically-primed 13×64mm B cartridge. A mechanically-primed variant was produced in small quantities in Spain for unknown uses.
German designation
US abbreviation
Projectile weight [g]
Bursting charge [g]
Muzzle velocity [m/s]
Description
13 mm Sprenggranatpatrone L'spur El. mit/ohne Zerleger
On impact, the priming charge shears away the grenade's cardboard head and sheet metal cap and ignites the incendiary charge in the projectile, which is sprayed forward up to 5 m of projectile travel. In air combat as a carrier of the incendiary effect, especially for the incendiary shooting of fuel tanks. As an indestructible body, it remains effective even after penetrating several bulkheads.
13 mm Brandgranatpatrone L'spur/Gl'spur El. ohne Zerleger
I-T
34±1
? g incendiary (BaNO3+Al+Mg)
770
Nose fuze, tracer, no self-destruct
On impact, the priming charge shears away the grenade's cardboard head and sheet metal cap and ignites the incendiary charge in the projectile, which is sprayed forward up to 5 m of projectile travel. In air combat as a carrier of the incendiary effect, especially for the incendiary shooting of fuel tanks. As an indestructible body, it remains effective even after penetrating several bulkheads.
13 mm Panzergranatpatrone L'spur/Gl'spur El. ohne Zerleger
AP-T
38,5±1
none (bakelite filling in cavity)
710
No fuze, tracer, no self-destruct. Penetration 10-14-17 mm of armour at 60-75-90-degree impact, 100 m range.
13 mm Panzerbrandgranatpatrone (Phosphor) El. ohne Zerleger
No fuze, no tracer, no self-destruct. Penetration 10-14-17 mm of armour at 60-75-90-degree impact, 100 m range.
Incendiary effect also against protected fuel tanks when the specially hardened tail section of the grenade and the incendiary capsule break. The range of the incendiary effect extends over a distance of 2 m after the incendiary charge is released.
^(PDF). deutscheluftwaffe.de. Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau, Bremen. October 13, 1943. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 24, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
External linksedit
Municion.org query for 13 x 64 ammunition (for more types with images and markings)
machine, this, article, relies, largely, entirely, single, source, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, citations, additional, sources, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september, 20. This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources MG 131 machine gun news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2022 The MG 131 shortened from German Maschinengewehr 131 or machine gun 131 was a German 13 mm caliber machine gun developed in 1938 by Rheinmetall Borsig and produced from 1940 to 1945 The MG 131 was designed for use at fixed flexible or turreted single or twin mountings in Luftwaffe aircraft during World War II MG 131Maschinengewehr 131TypeHeavy machine gunPlace of originNazi GermanyService historyIn service1940 1945Used byGermanyWarsWorld War IIProduction historyDesigned1938ManufacturerRheinmetall BorsigProduced1940 1945SpecificationsMass16 6 kg 37 lb Length1 170 mm 46 in Barrel length550 mm 22 in Cartridge13 64mmBCaliber13 mm 0 51 in ActionRecoil operated short recoil open boltRate of fire900 round minMuzzle velocity750 m s 2 500 ft s Effective firing range1 800 m 2 000 yd Feed systemBelt fedIt was one of the smallest if not the smallest among the heavy machine guns of that conflict with a weight of 16 6 kilograms 37 lb less than 60 of the M2 Browning or the Breda SAFAT machine gun Despite this the MG 131 was a rapid fire weapon with an elevated firepower for its mass It was equipped with a variety of armor piercing incendiary high explosive and tracer ammunition Its nearest contemporary equivalent may have been the Japanese Ho 103 itself based on the earlier American M1921 Browning machine gun The other main Axis automatic weapon of similar caliber the Italian Breda 12 7 mm was around 13 kg heavier and bigger while slower by at least 150 rpm The MG 131 s relatively small size allowed them to be mounted in the restricted space available in the nose of Luftwaffe fighters originally designed to house the lighter caliber 7 92 mm machine guns This became the common configuration from 1943 onwards as the increasing armour protection of most Allied aircraft and the burgeoning challenge of daylight raids by heavy American bombers as the war progressed rendered the smaller caliber guns obsolescent in this role Lower ballistic properties that were still adequate for the task were obviously seen as an advantage the gun was very accurate 35 x 45 cm spread at 100 m and the barrel wore out much less quickly barrel life of the MG 131 was 17 000 rounds which meant that ballistic properties deteriorated more slowly It was installed in the Messerschmitt Bf 109 Me 410 Hornisse Fw 190 Ju 88 Junkers Ju 388 He 177 Greif bomber variants and many other aircraft The Fernbedienbare Drehlafette FDL 131Z remotely controlled gun turret system used either a single or more commonly a twinned pair of MG 131s for dorsal defense The quadmount Hecklafette HL 131V weapons system for tail defense placing two MG 131 guns apiece in a pair of rotating side mount exterior elevation carriages the manned turret core provided the traverse function was meant for standardization on many late war prototype developments of German heavy bomber airframes but never came to fruition beyond a small number of dimensional prototype mockups and kinetic test units 1 The MG 131 fired electrically primed ammunition in order to sustain a high rate of fire when shooting through the propeller disc of a single engined fighter A pair of MG 131 machine guns was used as cowl armament on later models of the Bf 109G which originally required one blister or Beule on each side of the fuselage flanking the upper rear end of the engine to house the larger breech of the new gun and the Fw 190 Contents 1 Technical data 2 Ammunition specifications 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksTechnical data edit nbsp 13 mm MG 131 and 20 mm MG 151 20 ammunitionWeight 16 6 kilograms 37 lb Length 1 17 metres 3 8 ft Muzzle velocity 750 metres per second 2 500 ft s Rate of fire 900 rpm AP API 930 rpm HEF HEFI I Accuracy 35 x 45 cm spread at 100 m Barrel Life 17 000 roundsAmmunition specifications editThe MG 131 is the sole user of the electrically primed 13 64mm B cartridge A mechanically primed variant was produced in small quantities in Spain for unknown uses German designation US abbreviation Projectile weight g Bursting charge g Muzzle velocity m s Description13 mm Sprenggranatpatrone L spur El mit ohne Zerleger HEF T 34 1 1 2 1 4 g HE PETN blasting cap 0 2 g HE PETN 0 4 g HE lead azide tetrazene explosive 750 Nose fuze tracer with or without self destruct13 mm Brandsprenggranatpatrone L spur Gl spur El ohne Zerleger HEFI T 34 1 0 9 g HE PETN blasting cap 0 2 g HE PETN 0 4 g HE lead azide tetrazene explosive 0 3 g incendiary elektron thermite 750 Nose fuze tracer no self destruct13 mm Brandgranatpatrone El ohne Zerleger I 32 1 g incendiary BaNO3 Al Mg 770 Nose fuze no tracer no self destruct On impact the priming charge shears away the grenade s cardboard head and sheet metal cap and ignites the incendiary charge in the projectile which is sprayed forward up to 5 m of projectile travel In air combat as a carrier of the incendiary effect especially for the incendiary shooting of fuel tanks As an indestructible body it remains effective even after penetrating several bulkheads 13 mm Brandgranatpatrone L spur Gl spur El ohne Zerleger I T 34 1 g incendiary BaNO3 Al Mg 770 Nose fuze tracer no self destruct On impact the priming charge shears away the grenade s cardboard head and sheet metal cap and ignites the incendiary charge in the projectile which is sprayed forward up to 5 m of projectile travel In air combat as a carrier of the incendiary effect especially for the incendiary shooting of fuel tanks As an indestructible body it remains effective even after penetrating several bulkheads 13 mm Panzergranatpatrone L spur Gl spur El ohne Zerleger AP T 38 5 1 none bakelite filling in cavity 710 No fuze tracer no self destruct Penetration 10 14 17 mm of armour at 60 75 90 degree impact 100 m range 13 mm Panzerbrandgranatpatrone Phosphor El ohne Zerleger API 38 1 0 36 g incendiary WP 710 No fuze no tracer no self destruct Penetration 10 14 17 mm of armour at 60 75 90 degree impact 100 m range Incendiary effect also against protected fuel tanks when the specially hardened tail section of the grenade and the incendiary capsule break The range of the incendiary effect extends over a distance of 2 m after the incendiary charge is released See also editList of common World War II infantry weapons List of firearms M2 Browning machine gunReferences edit Kurzbeschreibung Focke Wulf Ta 400 Fernkampfflugzeug Heckstand PDF deutscheluftwaffe de Focke Wulf Flugzeugbau Bremen October 13 1943 p 11 Archived from the original PDF on August 24 2015 Retrieved January 3 2016 External links editMunicion org query for 13 x 64 ammunition for more types with images and markings Image http www lexikon der wehrmacht de Waffen Bilderseiten bordwaffen R htm 1 https web archive org web 20071130005600 http library thinkquest org C006001 armament mg131 html https web archive org web 20091027135418 http geocities com Augusta 8172 panzerfaust5 htm Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title MG 131 machine gun amp oldid 1184743884, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
