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From Aircraft to Improvised Infantry: the Vickers MkI No2 (ad-free)
🕑 Added 2022-12-21 12:00:01 +0000 UTCThe Vickers MkI No2 was an improvisation of the British Royal Air Force. They needed arms for airbase defense, without unduly impacting the production of weapons for the infantry. Wheat they had a good supply of were Vickers Gas-Operated (aka Vickers K-class) guns that had been used in now-obsolete aircraft with flexible observers' guns. And so, the MkI No2 was a Vickers Gas-Operated outfitted with a buttstock, pistol grip, and bipod. Voila! An infantry MG!
I have found no accounts of how they handled in use, but one must assume they were not great. Despite looking really cool, they have basically no functional cheek rest and a rather high rate of fire (thanks to their aircraft gun lineage). Still, in addition to airbase use these guns found their way into service in Normandy (with No4 Commando), Norway, and the invasion of the Walcheren Islands. When the war ended, they were not kept in service, as they were a small number of non-standard weapons.
Many thanks to the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels for access to this very rare piece! Check them out here: https://www.klm-mra.be/D7t/
A couple photos of the guns in action and the mag-carrying gear can be seen at the Vickers MG Blog:
https://vickersmg.blog/the-guns/vickers-gas-operated-no-2-mk-i/
Comments
ViejoLobo
Imagine carrying that upside down for a moment, without magazine, and it starts to make sense, for movement/administrative purposes and not for combat.
Mr. Metzger
This is one one of those guns where I'd appreciate if you simulated a firing stance for the video. How useful is your second hand for pushing the gun into your shoulder? How awkward does your head look when it's not supported by the buttstock while aiming? You did this for the 2-bore rifle (at least as far as people whose second name is *not* Schwarzenegger can do), but I think the same would be much more interesting for "serious" and (at least slightly) unusual guns. In this case, I even wonder how well the carrying-handle really works. Its placement seems... special. Either way, interesting story, and a rather flawless presentation as usual :-)
ViejoLobo
LRDG and SAS used Vickers gas op guns on their vehicles, sometimes in dual mounts, and liked them in part because of their high rate of fire and perceived reliability in desert conditions. But you knew that. Any chance the Bren handle was installed backwards by some end user?
Gavin Rea-Davies
I've got a book somewhere with an account of a base armourer who had one of these as his personal weapon. During air raids he would march out into the middle of the field with two assistant ammo carrier, and fire drum after drum of all tracer at any enemy that came within range. For morale and all that 😂 Must have been an impressive sight.
EyeBall
That is an interesting story where modification of an existing, but no longer used item and finding a new use. A live fire video would be nice, but may not be possible due to museum rules. We can hope for it, nonetheless.
Guido Schriewer
WHY were those used in ground ops? for a static base defense... but moving with that?
Robert Rowe
Not going to easily change a hot barrel during a fight! And with 950rpm, going to heat up FAST. Also, muzzle device seems well designed to funnel bore obstructions into your barrel in a combat environment-
Joseph T. S.
Fascinating conversion. I agree that hearing troop feedback would be great to really get an understanding of how these slap together modifications performed.
Pat Patterson
I guess if the choices were between this, and putting a buttstock and pistol grip on quad 50s, this would be the milder choice. Not sure if it would ever be considered for concealed carry; finding an IWB holster could get messy. Which bayonet fits?
