Large-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns - specifications and photos

Anti-aircraft machine guns are weapons that have a round-fire attack, a very high elevation angle, which makes it possible to fight enemy aircraft. Modern weapons installations of the Russian Federation are reliable devices, on the basis of which it is possible to conduct an active battle for a long time. Consider the most popular models of anti-aircraft machine guns.

Machine gun DSChK

The machine gun of Degtyarev-Shpagin (DShK) was widely used in the war years, when it was required to hit lightly armored targets, machine-gun nests, anti-tank artillery. In addition, the antiaircraft machine gun of the DShK has also proved itself as an active fighter with low-flying aircraft. As the designer himself said, this technique was created as infantry, but because of achieving a high caliber score, it was decided to redesign it and replace a number of parts. As a result, a reliable machine gun of a large caliber was obtained, in which the general principles of construction were preserved.

Technical features of DShK

After the release of the DShK, it was constantly improved, first of all the rate of fire was increased, and the cartridge supply system became more perfect. Already in 1939 the antiaircraft machine gun of the DShK was adopted for service by the Red Army. The main technical characteristics of this type of weapon include:

1. Automatic mechanisms, whose work is carried out due to the energy of the powder gases.
2. The gas chamber is located under the barrel of the machine gun, has a regulator, thanks to which the work of automatic mechanisms is optimized.
3. The barrel is air-cooled, and the entire length of the trunk is arranged by the ribs.
4. A well-thought-out design allows you to replace the heated barrel directly at the firing position.
5. The DShK anti-aircraft machine gun has a lock-up channel - for this, the bolt fires are used.
6. The shooting is conducted on the basis of cartridges of caliber 12.7 mm, the ammunition consists also of cartridges with armor-piercing bullets, capable of penetrating the armor of 16 mm thick, and cartridges with tracer bullets.
7. Sights include a hinged frame sight and fly, which is attached to a high rack in the barrel of the barrel.

The DShK machine gun is distinguished for its universal application, since it is mounted on the Kolesnikov design machine. The high combat qualities of a large-caliber machine gun allowed him to use it in different arms.

Machine-gun "Maxim"

The Maxim machine-gun is one of the most popular machine guns, which were used by several groups of troops. This powerful weapon is able to hit open group live targets and enemy fire weapons at a distance of up to 1000 m, it shows itself perfectly well with a sudden fire at a range of 600 m. The first Maxim machine gun was created by an American engineer in 1883, and Russian masters perfected it, Making more than 200 changes in the design. This affected the improvement of performance.

The large-caliber anti-aircraft machine gun "Maxim" is a system of automatic weapons with the return of the barrel. That is, after the shot, the barrel is thrown back by the powder gases, after which the recharge mechanism turns on: the cartridge is taken from the cartridge belt and sent to the breech, after which the shutter is cocked. After the shot, the operation is repeated. The features of this weapon include:

1. A high rate of fire - 600 rounds per minute at a rate of 250-300 rounds per minute.
2. The trigger mechanism allows for automatic fire, is equipped with a fuse, which protects against accidental shots.
3. Sights are a rifle sight and a sight, and also an optical sight on some models.
4. The machine gun is put on the wheeled wheel developed by Sokolov: thanks to him, stable shooting is provided for ground targets, and the wheel-travel allows to easily move the machine gun to the firing position manually.

How does the machine gun "Maxim" work?

Maxim's antiaircraft machine guns are characterized by stable operation: they were widely used when escorting infantry in any terrain, since the weapon easily suppressed the opponent's fire and cleared the way for the riflemen. In offensive operations, the machine gun actively fights against the infantry of the enemy, and also conducts an attack on vulnerable sections of the tank-sight gaps or sighting devices. During the offensive, the machine gun moves forward, after which it occupies certain positions. They vary depending on the characteristics of the battle.

Pulemet Vladimirova (CPV)

Large-caliber antiaircraft machine gun Vladimirova is designed to defeat tanks. As cartridges, a caliber of 14.5 mm is used, and the weapon is capable of penetrating armor up to a thickness of 32 mm. This model, unlike other analogues, operates on the basis of the recoil energy in a short stroke. The features of this unit include the following:

1. The bolt is locked by turning the battle larva and a copy type accelerator.
2. The design of the trigger mechanism allows only automatic fire.
3. Shooting is carried out in long or short bursts.
4. Rate of fire - about 80 rounds per minute. In this case, after 150 shots during the long fire, the barrel of the machine gun must be replaced.
5. The fuse system eliminates possible accidental shots.

These machine guns, widely used by infantry units, are put on the wheeled machine and are of great weight.

The four-machine gun installation "M-4"

The quad-machine gun "M-4" can be mounted on any vehicle - from the car and the railway platform to ships and boats. In addition, it is possible to place it on the ground as a stationary installation when it is necessary to protect especially large and important objects. This machine gun is suitable for firing on ground targets. However, due to the insufficiency of the caliber - it was only 7.62 mm - the units were withdrawn from the armament.

The quadruple anti-aircraft machine gun ZPU-4, on the contrary, has received wide application. And first of all due to the fact that the caliber of anti-aircraft machine gun ZPU-4 was 12.7-20 mm. Such an installation made it possible to combat enemy aircraft at an altitude of 1500 m and at a range of 2,000 m. For its design, Vladimirov's machine guns were used, which met the tactical and technical requirements. The installation was constantly being finalized and entered service with the Russian troops in 1946.

At the moment, the ZPU-4 is a powerful antiaircraft machine-gun installation, which includes: 4 machine guns with a 14.5 mm CPV, a machine with aiming mechanisms, a wagon and sighting devices. The machine itself consists of two parts: the upper rotates and is the base under the swinging part. The distinctive features of this machine gun include:

1. Run on wheels of automobile type with tires.
2. The presence of special shock absorbers, whose task is to facilitate the transition of the installation from a marching position to a combat situation.
3. The total rate of fire is 2200 rounds per minute.
4. The combat rate of fire is 600 rounds per minute.
5. Ammunition: cartridges of 14.5 mm with different bullets - armor-piercing-incendiary, tracer, incendiary instantaneous, incendiary-sighting.
6. The speed of the bullet is 300 m / s.

Features of operation

Anti-aircraft machine guns ZPU-4 for a long time passed various tests. The most important problem of their work was the non-simultaneous course of rolling machine gun barrels, as well as sometimes misplaced guidance. It was also noted that the weapon of the installation - a speech about the PKV machine gun - did not differ in survivability. However, ZPU-4 was widely used on improvised armored trains, which were actively used during the wars in Chechnya.

NSV-12.7 "Cliff"

A large-caliber machine gun with the code name "Utes" was developed by a whole group of designers. And while developing the main goal was the creation of a universal weapon that could be used as support for infantry, as armored vehicles and small ships and as an anti-aircraft machine gun on special installations. As a consequence, the model was constantly being finalized, and only in 1972 it was adopted. The Utyos anti-aircraft machine gun has the following features:

1. It works on the basis of gas venting automatics, and the gas piston itself is located under the barrel.
2. The barrel is air-cooled.
3. Shooting can only be carried out with an open bolt.
4. The machine gun works on the basis of the trigger lever and the manual fuse, which are located either on the machine or on the machine itself.
5. The infantry machine additionally has a folding butt where the spring buffer of recoil is built in.
6. The caliber of cartridges used by this weapon is 12.7 mm.

These machine guns for a long time were tested, which confirmed: the weapon has high combat and operational characteristics. And they were not taken into service soon, but thanks to these devices, the conduct of combat became more effective.

Zen-2 anti-aircraft anti-aircraft machine gun

The Zu-2 twin-zenith machine guns are installations that made it possible to significantly strengthen the air defenses of various regiments, primarily tank and anti-tank. The design of the ZU-2 was developed on the basis of the features of ZU-1, which was substantially modified:

1. The cradle of the upper machine was adapted for fastening two machine guns of 14.5 mm CPV.
2. The model was supplemented with a gunner's seat, which served the sight.
3. An additional right frame was mounted, into which the second cartridge box is mounted.
4. The wheel carriage of the carriage was designed in a new way: now it has become an integral one. Thanks to this technological solution, the operation of ZPU-2 became more convenient, the new installation became more resistant to shooting in different conditions.
5. For shooting, ammunition is used 14.5 mm.

The well-designed design of the antiaircraft gun carriage made it possible to provide a circular firing, and the weapon could be guided in a vertical plane over a wide range of angles. Thanks to the installation of anti-aircraft guns, the combat effectiveness of ZU-2 became much higher. Such designs allowed fighting in different conditions - both in the fight against airborne aircraft and for the destruction of ground targets.

To a large extent, the ZU-2's combat effectiveness was enhanced by the installation of ZAPP-2 anti-aircraft gun aimed at it, developed by the designers of the Progress plant. This sight is a rather complicated mechanical counting and solving device of high accuracy class and provides the possibility of conducting effective fire. In addition, the designers paid attention to the well-thought-out scheme of the operation of this weapon.

ZGU-1

Russia's anti-aircraft machine guns are a wide choice of powerful weapons, which in many respects have allowed to achieve good results in battles. ZGU-1 is a mountain anti-aircraft machine gun installation, on the basis of which it was possible to conduct combat operations on mountainous and heavily-crossed terrain. This weapon was equipped with mountain cannons and regimental mortars. When designing this type of installation, designers paid attention to the fact that transportation was possible not only in horse, but also in human packs.

The light anti-aircraft gun was designed in such a way that it could effectively counter aviation in difficult combat conditions. ZGU-1 was modified for a tank version of the KPV machine gun, and the first batches of these machine guns were exported to Vietnam. The features of ZGU-1 include:

1. Light weight - in combat position this unit has a weight of 220 kg, differing by simple disassembly. To move the machine gun from place to place, enough effort 5 people.
2. As the weapon used a modified machine gun KPVT 14.5 mm.
3. The swivel mechanism has two speeds of horizontal guidance, which makes it possible to easily and accurately point the weapon at the air target.
4. The wheel drive makes it easy to transport the unit even on terrain with complex terrain conditions.
5. The defeat of the air target is at a range of 2,000 m and a height of 1,500 m.

Machine guns of Russia and the world: modern realities

One of the most powerful weapons of our time is an anti-aircraft machine gun. A photo of many models shows that this technique is reliable and safe to operate, capable of hitting air and ground targets. The average caliber of cartridges that are suitable for machine guns is from 12.7 mm, which guarantees the defeat of ground targets with sufficient armor thickness at a distance of 800 m.

Large-caliber machine guns are a supplement to the fire system for many types of combat. They can be mounted on any technique - from combat vehicles to armored personnel carriers, as well as reinforce infantry. In addition, this small weapon allows you to hit both air and ground targets, even mobile ones. Interest in anti-aircraft machine guns is caused primarily by the range of fire, which makes it possible to fight serious targets.

At the moment, the most common in the world are two machine guns - 12.7 mm DSMK Soviet and "Browning" American production. They differ mobility, despite the considerable mass and size. In addition, all models are divided into universal or special. Field machines weigh in average from 140 kg. Of the large-caliber machine guns of Russia, attention is drawn to Russian NSV 12.7 mm caliber and the Russian "KORD", which has a unique mobility, speed, the ability to defeat different targets.