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Last Gasp of the German Maxim: the Air-Cooled MG 08/18 (ad-free)
🕑 Added 2023-06-07 12:00:02 +0000 UTCThe MG 08/18 was developed at the very end of World War One as a lighter alternative to the MG 08/15. It used an air-cooled barrel, and between not needing water and having lighter parts it managed to be about 6 pounds less weight than the 08/15. Only a few hundred appear to have been produced before the end of the war, and they were not used by the German military during the Weimar era (the Mg 08/15 was). The 08/18 barrel jacket served as the basis for the MG34 barrel shroud, interestingly.
Thanks to Limex for giving me access to this very rare gun to film for you!
Comments
I have it that some of these turned up in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-39? Certainly it merits comparison with the Russian/Soviet Maxim-Tokarev "light[er] machinegun" no? Another attempt to add air-cooled features to the doughty Maxim gun, retaining belt feed, etc. I think most of the Maxim-Tokarevs were dumped on the Ejército Popular de la República Española. Apparently it was quite popular with the international brigades. One wonders if it was mistaken for the MG-08/18, or if both designs were used there, even if the MG-08/18 would have been quite rare in any case? I'd note that a certain popular "FPS" video game set in a WWI-type atmosphere has the 08/18, but the sights don't resemble the "real thing" at all!
Guido Schriewer
you misspoken there at 05:58. doesn't matter much to me but..
Guido Schriewer
ok the bipod is just lousy anyways sooo.... man that thing looks still just huuuuge even without a water part in the front. kind of even bigger as one gets just how big that receiver is!
Loke von Post
"Light" machine gun... I appreciate the thought, with the two sling attachment points, but, y'know... I wouldn't wanna try to schlep one through the mud even two metres without people trying to kill me, let alone all the way to the enemy trench under heavy return fire ^^; Very cool video!
