ZB-53
{{Infobox weapon
| is_ranged = yes
| is_UK = yes
| image = 7,92-мм югославский станковый пулемет системы В. Холека обр. 1938-40 годов.jpg
| image_size = 300
| caption =
| name = ZB-53, Vz.37
| type = Medium machine gun
| origin = Czechoslovakia
| manufacturer = Zbrojovka Brno
| designer = Václav Holek
| design_date = 1935
| production_date = 1936–early 1950s
| service = 1937–1960s (Czechoslovakia)
| used_by = See Users
| wars = Spanish Civil War
World War II
Second Sino-Japanese War
1948 Palestine war
Cyprus Emergency
Portuguese Colonial War
Vietnam War
Bangladesh Liberation War
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Nigerian Civil War
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
South African Border War
Soviet–Afghan War
United States invasion of Panama
| spec_type =
| caliber = 7.9 mm
| part_length = {{convert|0.736|m|in|abbr=on}}
| cartridge = 7.92×57mm Mauser
7.62×45mm
| feed = 225-round metal link belt
| action = Gas-operated
| rate = 500–800 round/min
| velocity =
| weight = {{convert|21|kg|lb|abbr=on}} empty
| length = {{convert|1.105|m|in|abbr=on}}
| variants =
| number =
}}
The ZB-53 was a Czechoslovak machine gun. A versatile weapon, it was used both as a squad support weapon, as a mounted machine gun for tanks and other armoured vehicles, and on fixed positions inside Czechoslovak border fortifications. Adopted before World War II by the armies of Czechoslovakia (as Těžký kulomet vz. 37, heavy machine gun model 37) and Romania, it was also license-built in the United Kingdom as the Besa machine gun. Following the German invasion of Czechoslovakia, large quantities of the weapon were captured by the Wehrmacht and used during the war under the designation of MG 37(t).
History
The ZB-53 was designed as a private venture by Václav Holek and Miroslav Rolčík of the Zbrojovka Brno works as a replacement for the Schwarzlose machine gun of World War I origin. Czechoslovakia purchased 500 for testing giving them the designation Vz.35 ("1935 Model").{{citation |first=Maxim |last=Popenker |url=https://modernfirearms.net/en/machineguns/czech-republic-machineguns/zb-53-vz-37-eng/ |title=ZB 53 / Vz.37 |website=Modern Weapons|date=27 October 2010 }} Based on these tests some improvements were requested and the improved ZB-53 was adopted by the Czechoslovak Army with the designation TK vz. 37 ("Heavy Machine Gun Mark 1937").{{efn|"TK" stands for "těžký kulomet", heavy machine gun, while "vz" means "vzor", Model}} It was introduced as the standard machine gun of Czechoslovak LT-35 and LT-38 tanks. Czechoslovakia exported the gun to Romania, Yugoslavia (1,000 pcs in March-April 1940), Argentina, Afghanistan, Iran and China (large numbers were used during the Second Sino-Japanese War{{cite book|title=China's Wars: Rousing the Dragon 1894-1949|series=General Military|first= Philip|last= Jowett|date=20 Nov 2013 |publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=9781782004073 |page=306}}), while UK bought a licence and started to produce its own version, known as the Besa machine gun (over 60,000 pieces made). During the German occupation of the factory, large numbers were produced for the Waffen-SS until 1942.{{cite web|title= MG 37 (t) & VZ 37 & ZB 53|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30033266|website=iwm.org.uk|publisher=Imperial War Museum}}
Czechoslovak Zbrojovka Brno and then {{Ill|Zbrojovka Vsetín|de}} produced the gun in large quantities until the 1950s.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}
The weapon was a gas-operated, belt-fed, air-cooled machine gun that served both the infantry support and vehicle weapons roles. The machine gun was delivered in three variants: infantry machine gun (on heavy tripod), heavy bunker machine gun (with heavier barrel, marked "O") and for armoured vehicles (marked "ÚV"). It was designed to withstand five minutes of constant fire, after which time the barrel had to be changed due to wear. Although modern, the weapon was prone to jamming due to a complicated rate of fire selection mechanism.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}
== Users ==
image: Czechoslovakian soldiers with ZB vz. 37.png of Czechoslovakian soldiers with ZB vz. 37]]
- {{flag|Afghanistan}}{{cite book|title=Afghanistan, Arms and Conflict: Armed Groups, Disarmament and Security in a Post-War Society|first1=Michael Vinai|last1=Bhatia |first2=Mark |last2=Sedra|publisher=Routledge|editor=Small Arms Survey|editor-link=Small Arms Survey|isbn=978-0-415-45308-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P4N9AgAAQBAJ|page=65|date=May 2008}}
- {{flag|Argentina}}
- {{flag|Bangladesh|1971}}: Used by Mukti Bahini forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War{{cite news|date=29 December 2017 |title=Arms for freedom|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/bangladesh-liberation-war-1971-muktijuddho-guerrilla-fighter-arms-freedom-1511812|access-date=2019-08-31|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407144902/http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/bangladesh-liberation-war-1971-muktijuddho-guerrilla-fighter-arms-freedom-1511812|archive-date= April 7, 2018}}
- {{flag|Biafra}}: At least 20 were sold to Biafra in 1967.{{cite book|last=Jowett|first=Philip|title=Modern African Wars (5): The Nigerian-Biafran War 1967-70|year=2016|publisher=Osprey Publishing Press|location=Oxford|isbn=978-1472816092|page=22}}
- {{flag|Chile}}
- {{flagcountry|Republic of China (1912–1949)}}
- {{flag|Czechoslovakia}}{{cite web|title=ZB 53 / Vz.37|url=http://modernfirearms.net/en/machineguns/czech-republic-machineguns/zb-53-vz-37-eng/|first=Maxim |last=Popenker|website=modernfirearms.net|date=27 October 2010 }}
- {{flag|Cuba}}{{cite magazine| url=http://www.smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=3038 |title=The Bay of Pigs Museum: Playa Giron, Cuba |author=Rob Krott |date=April 2000 |publisher=Chipotle Publishing|magazine=Small Arms Review|volume=3|number=7 |access-date=1 February 2017}}{{cite book|last=Smith|first=Joseph E.|title=Small Arms of the World|url=https://archive.org/details/smallarmsofworld00smit|url-access=registration|edition =11|location=Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|publisher= The Stackpole Company|year=1969|page=[https://archive.org/details/smallarmsofworld00smit/page/300 300]|isbn=9780811715669 }}
- {{flag|Cyprus}}
- {{flagcountry|Pahlavi dynasty}}
- {{flag|Israel}}{{cite book|title=The Israeli Army in the Middle East Wars 1948–73|url=https://archive.org/details/israeliarmymiddl00laff|url-access=limited|series=Men-at-Arms 127|first=John|last= Laffin |date=29 Jul 1982|isbn=9780850454505|publisher=Osprey Publishing|page=[https://archive.org/details/israeliarmymiddl00laff/page/n7 8]}}
- {{Flag|Namibia}} used by PLAN{{Cite web|title=Their Blood Waters our Freedom|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXQEjBIb8Uo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/fXQEjBIb8Uo |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|date=25 January 2020|website=Youtube.com|access-date=19 May 2020}}{{cbignore}}
- {{flag|Nazi Germany}}
- {{PAN}}: Used by the defunct Panama Defense Forces, notably mounted on Jeeps.{{cite book| last = Rottman| first = Gordon| author-link = Gordon L. Rottman| title = Panama 1989-90| publisher = Osprey Publishing| series = Elite| volume = 37| date = 2010| pages = 13| language = English| isbn = 9781855321564}}
- {{PER}}: Installed as coaxial machine gun on 38/39M light tanks(Praga LTP) in Peruvian service
- {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Romania}}: 5,500 purchased by mid-1943Mark Axworthy, London: Arms and Armour, 1995, Third Axis, Fourth Ally: Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941–1945, p. 29
- {{Flag|Slovak Republic (1939–1945)|(1939–1945)}}: Inhereted from First Czechoslovak Republic. Used in fortification systems.
- {{flagcountry|Spanish State}}{{cite magazine|title=La Coruña Military Museum|first= Félix A. |last=Alejos Cutuli|magazine=Small Arms Review SAW|date=May 2012|url=https://www.smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=487}}
- {{flag|United Kingdom}}: Besa machine gun
- {{flag|Venezuela|1954}}
- {{flag|Yugoslavia}}
See also
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{cite encyclopedia |author1=Andrzej Ciepliński |author2=Ryszard Woźniak |encyclopedia=Encyklopedia współczesnej broni palnej |title= Encyklopedia współczesnej broni palnej: Od połowy XIX wieku|year=1994 |publisher=WiS |location=Warsaw |isbn=83-86028-01-7 |language=pl}}
External links
{{commonscatinline}}
- [https://modernfirearms.net/en/machineguns/czech-republic-machineguns/zb-53-vz-37-eng/ Modern Firearms]
{{Weapons of Czechoslovakia}}
Category:Machine guns of Czechoslovakia
Category:World War II infantry weapons of Germany
Category:World War II infantry weapons of China
Category:World War II machine guns