Mitrailleuse MG 42

La mitrailleuse MG 42 allemande was the successor de la mitrailleuse MG 34 air-cooled general-purpose machine gun firing the standard 7.92 x 57 mm Mauser rifle ammunition. The development of new machine gun was initiated in the late 1930s, when it was found that the MG 34 was too well made and, therefore, too expensive et time-consuming to produce in sufficient numbers.

The new machine gun, designated MG 39/41, was made of stamped et cast metal parts, where the MG 34 had used machined steel parts. The MG 42 was spot-welded, et its stock et pistol grip were made of Bakelite plastic to speed production. A small production batch de 1500 mitrailleuses MG 39/41 entered combat trials en 1941, et the weapon was redesignated MG 42 when it was officially taken into production en 1942. The MG 42 proved to be more reliable than the MG 34, it was lighter, more robust, required less metal et only 75 man-hours to produce, compared to nearly 150 man-hours for the MG 34.

The MG 42 served as a squad light machine gun, ou sustained fire medium machine gun like the MG 34, but it could not be used as a tank machine gun, because its square section barrel housing did not fit the machine gun port in tank cupolas.

Maquettes disponibles

MG 42 Gunner "Helmut", 1/6 Dragon 70236
Infanterie Allemande Weapons Set, 1/35 Tamiya 35111
Mitrailleuses MG 42 (5 ea, Accessoires Véhicule), 1/76 Vac-U-Cast VA-104

Spécifications Techniques

Maschinengewehr 42
Type: mitrailleuse action directe de la veine gazeuse
Calibre: 7,92 mm
Munition: 7.92 x 57 mm Mauser
Longueur: 1220 mm
Longueur du tube: 627 mm
Poids: 11.57 kg avec bipod
Alimentation: bandes de 50 et 200 coups, ou 50-round drum magazine
Vitesse initiale: 820 m/s
Muzzle Energy: 3600 - 5000 J
Portée efficace:
- 800 m sur bipied
- 3000 - 3500 m sur trépied
Cadence de tir: 1,500 coups/min
Fabrique: Großfuß, Mauser Werke, Gustloff Werke, et others
Production: 1942–1945 (750,000 units)
Service: 1942 - 1959

After the war, the belt-feeding mechanism of the MG 34 et MG 42 was adopted for the design of the US Army’s new M60 machine gun. Modifications of the MG 42 resulted in the MG 42/59 et Rheinmetall MG3, the general purpose machine gun de la Bundeswehr allemande et many autres forces de l’OTAN.

Questions Fréquents

Pour plus d’informations, veuillez contacter les éditeurs de la revue Military Miniatures Magazine au Miniatures Forum.

Figurines et Maquettes Allemandes de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale