MG-42/Maschinengewehr 42
Germany produced many advanced weapons during World War II. Some were
successful, some were unreliable, and some were a little too advanced for their
own good. But a few German weapons were so good that they changed the face of
warfare, and would influence weapons development all over the world for decades
after Germany's defeat in 1945. Among their number were the MG-34 machine-gun
and it's successor the MG-42.
When Germany entered World War 2 with the
MG-34 as it's major multipurpose machine gun, it was soon discovered that MG-34
was less than suitable for high volume wartime production, being too time and
resource consuming in manufacture and also somewhat sensitive to fouling and
mud. The search for newer, better universal machine gun began around 1939, and
in 1942 the final design, developed by the German company Metall und
Lackierwarenfabrik Johannes Grossfuss AG, was adopted as the
MG-42. And was manufactured in large numbers by companies like the
Grossfuss AG, Mauser-Werke, Gustloff-Werke,
Steyr-Daimler-Puch and others. The result was the classic MG-42
one of the most influential firearms in history. It used bakelite in the butt
and pistol grip and stamped and die cast metal components instead of expensive
machined steel and in place of riveted or screwed joints spot welding was used.
When Allied intelligence officers first evaluated captured MG-42's they assumed
that these changes were the result of pressure on the German munitions industry.
They did not at first realize that it was a conscious design decision which had
so simplified manufacture that machine-guns could be produced at a much greater
rate, even with a semi-skilled work force. To achieve the fast manufacturing and
a relatively low cost, The Grossfuss AG company used as much steel stampings as
possible. In fact, instead of the separate barrel sleeve and receiver, both
machined from blocks of steel as found in MG-34, the MG-42 used a single piece
receiver/barrel sleeve unit, stamped from one sheet of steel. This feature alone
saved a lot of steel and time, but other measures also have been taken, so
overall cost of the MG-42 at 250 RM was about 30% lower than of MG-34 at 327 RM,
and it required 50% less raw materials and less manufacturing time, which took
75 man-hours to complete as opposed to 150 hours for the MG34.
The MG-42 incorporated lessons hard-won in combat on the Eastern Front. Both the
cocking handle and the catch for the top cover to the working parts were
designed so that the gunner could operate them wearing mitts or with a stick or
rod. This was vital in sub-zero conditions where contact by bare flesh on cold
metal could cause severe injury. The MG-42 also functioned well in other
climates, dust and dirt in North Africa and Italy was less likely to jam the
MG-42 then the more temperamental MG34. The MG-42 was lighter and slightly more
compact then it's predecessor but used the same operating principal of short
recoil assisted by gas pressure from a muzzle velocity of the MG-42 at 755
meters a second, the same as the MG34, but the most distinctive change was the
rate of fire the MG-42 ripped through belted ammunition at a cyclic rate of
1,550 rounds a minute!
This high rate of fire heated up the barrel of
the MG-42 even more then the MG34 and so the quick-change barrel system was
simplified to cope with the extremely hot barrel. The gunner had only to reach
forward of the working parts push a retaining catch on the housing forward and
the barrel swung out to the right. Taking care because it was very hot, he then
pulled it to the rear and it was free. To replace the new barrel he simply
reversed the procedure. A trained machine-gunner could complete the whole
process in under 30 seconds.
FOR THE REST OF THE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO: http://www.panzergrenadier.net/article-MG42.php
successful, some were unreliable, and some were a little too advanced for their
own good. But a few German weapons were so good that they changed the face of
warfare, and would influence weapons development all over the world for decades
after Germany's defeat in 1945. Among their number were the MG-34 machine-gun
and it's successor the MG-42.
When Germany entered World War 2 with the
MG-34 as it's major multipurpose machine gun, it was soon discovered that MG-34
was less than suitable for high volume wartime production, being too time and
resource consuming in manufacture and also somewhat sensitive to fouling and
mud. The search for newer, better universal machine gun began around 1939, and
in 1942 the final design, developed by the German company Metall und
Lackierwarenfabrik Johannes Grossfuss AG, was adopted as the
MG-42. And was manufactured in large numbers by companies like the
Grossfuss AG, Mauser-Werke, Gustloff-Werke,
Steyr-Daimler-Puch and others. The result was the classic MG-42
one of the most influential firearms in history. It used bakelite in the butt
and pistol grip and stamped and die cast metal components instead of expensive
machined steel and in place of riveted or screwed joints spot welding was used.
When Allied intelligence officers first evaluated captured MG-42's they assumed
that these changes were the result of pressure on the German munitions industry.
They did not at first realize that it was a conscious design decision which had
so simplified manufacture that machine-guns could be produced at a much greater
rate, even with a semi-skilled work force. To achieve the fast manufacturing and
a relatively low cost, The Grossfuss AG company used as much steel stampings as
possible. In fact, instead of the separate barrel sleeve and receiver, both
machined from blocks of steel as found in MG-34, the MG-42 used a single piece
receiver/barrel sleeve unit, stamped from one sheet of steel. This feature alone
saved a lot of steel and time, but other measures also have been taken, so
overall cost of the MG-42 at 250 RM was about 30% lower than of MG-34 at 327 RM,
and it required 50% less raw materials and less manufacturing time, which took
75 man-hours to complete as opposed to 150 hours for the MG34.
The MG-42 incorporated lessons hard-won in combat on the Eastern Front. Both the
cocking handle and the catch for the top cover to the working parts were
designed so that the gunner could operate them wearing mitts or with a stick or
rod. This was vital in sub-zero conditions where contact by bare flesh on cold
metal could cause severe injury. The MG-42 also functioned well in other
climates, dust and dirt in North Africa and Italy was less likely to jam the
MG-42 then the more temperamental MG34. The MG-42 was lighter and slightly more
compact then it's predecessor but used the same operating principal of short
recoil assisted by gas pressure from a muzzle velocity of the MG-42 at 755
meters a second, the same as the MG34, but the most distinctive change was the
rate of fire the MG-42 ripped through belted ammunition at a cyclic rate of
1,550 rounds a minute!
This high rate of fire heated up the barrel of
the MG-42 even more then the MG34 and so the quick-change barrel system was
simplified to cope with the extremely hot barrel. The gunner had only to reach
forward of the working parts push a retaining catch on the housing forward and
the barrel swung out to the right. Taking care because it was very hot, he then
pulled it to the rear and it was free. To replace the new barrel he simply
reversed the procedure. A trained machine-gunner could complete the whole
process in under 30 seconds.
FOR THE REST OF THE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO: http://www.panzergrenadier.net/article-MG42.php