Vickers .50 machine gun

{{Missing information|higher-velocity Vickers class D firing 12.7x120mm SR [V/664 and V/690]|date=October 2021}}

{{Infobox weapon

| name = Vickers .50 machine gun

| image = MWP Vickers HMG.JPG

| image_size = 300

| caption = A Vickers .50 machine gun, Polish Army Museum, Warsaw (2006)

| origin = United Kingdom

| type = heavy machine gun
Anti-aircraft gun

| is_ranged = yes

|is_UK=yes

| service = 1933–1954

| used_by = United Kingdom
Ireland

| wars = Second World War

| designer =

| design_date =

| manufacturer = Vickers,
Enfield

| unit_cost =

| production_date =1933 -

| number =

| variants = Marks I–VBritain used Roman numerals to denote marks (versions) of ordnance until after the Second World War.

| spec_label = Vickers .5 Mk V

| weight = {{convert|63|lb|kg}}, excluding {{convert|10|lb|kg}} cooling water

| length = {{convert|52.4|in|m|abbr=on}}

| part_length = {{convert|31|in|m|abbr=on}}

| cartridge = 12.7×81mm

| cartridge_weight =

| caliber = {{convert|0.5|in|mm|sigfig=3}}

| barrels =

| action =

| rate = 500–600 rounds per minute

| velocity = {{convert|2,540|ft/s|m/s}}

| range =

| max_range = Altitude: {{convert|9500|ft|m}}
Range: {{convert|4265|yd|m}}

| feed = belt

| sights =

}}

The Vickers .5 inch machine gun (officially "Gun, Machine, Vickers, .5-in") also known as the Vickers .50 was a large-calibre British automatic weapon. The gun was commonly used as a close-in anti-aircraft weapon on Royal Navy and Allied ships, typically in a four-gun mounting (UK) or two-gun mounting (Dutch), as well as tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. It was similar to the {{convert|.303|in|mm|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} Vickers machine gun but fired the enlarged calibre British Vickers {{convert|0.5|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=3}} ammunition; this round was shorter in length than the American .50 BMG (12.7×99mm).

Variants

=Mark I and Mark II =

The Mark I was the initial model but the gun went through further development before entering production and the first Mark to be taken into service was the Mark II. The Mark II entered service in 1933 and was mounted in some British light tanks, often paired with a 0.303 Vickers. The Mark II had a pistol grip rather than the spade grips of the infantry 0.303 machine gun.[https://vickersmg.blog/the-guns/5-inch-mk-ii/ Gun, Machine, Vickers .5-inch, Mk. II] Vickers MG Collection & Research Association

= Mark IV and V =

Marks IV and V were improved versions and were also used on trucks in the North Africa Campaign such as by Long Range Desert Group It was superseded for use in British-built armoured fighting vehicles during the Second World War by the Besa machine gun#15mm Besa machine gun, a Czech design adopted by the British for the Royal Armoured Corps.Williams, The .5" Vickers Guns and Ammunition

The Mark IV was introduced in 1933 but not declared obsolete until 1944. It had full auto only at 600 rounds per minute.[https://vickersmg.blog/the-guns/5-inch-mk-iv/ Gun, Machine, Vickers .5-inch, Mk. IV] Vickers MG Collection & Research Association

The Mark V, introduced in 1935, was a strengthened variant and the main variant to be used. Fire rate was 500-600 rounds per minute.

= Mark III =

File:HMS Vanity Vickers .50 guns 1940 IWM A 1249.jpg (1940)]]

The Mark III was a naval version used as an anti-aircraft weapon, mostly by the Royal Navy and allied navies in the Second World War, typically in mountings of four guns but also as single and dual mounts. It proved insufficiently powerful at short-range against modern all-metal aircraft and was superseded during the Second World War by the Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The naval quad mount featured a 200-round magazine per barrel, which wrapped the ammunition belt around the magazine drum. Maximum rate of fire of fire was 700 rounds per minute, per gun (cyclic) but could be reduced to 450.DiGiulian. The four-barrel mounting had its guns adjusted to provide a spread of fire, amounting to {{convert|60|ft|m|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|50|ft|m|abbr=on}} high at {{convert|1000|yd|m|abbr=on}}. Vickers claimed that it could fire all 800 rounds in 20 seconds and could then be reloaded in a further 30 seconds. During the Second World War it was also mounted on power-operated turrets (usually a twin-gun mount) in smaller craft such as motor gunboats and motor torpedo boats.

Notes

References

Bibliography

[http://www.vickersmachinegun.org.uk The Vickers Machine Gun]
Tony DiGiulian, [http://navweaps.com/Weapons/WNBR_5-62_mk3.htm British 0.50"/62 (12.7 mm) Mark III]
{{cite web|first= Anthony G |last=Williams |date=November 2012 |url=http://www.quarryhs.co.uk/Vickers.html |title=The .5" Vickers Guns and Ammuntion |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220129123928/https://www.quarryhs.co.uk/Vickers.html |archive-date = 2022-01-29 }}