Karabin lotniczy wz. 37
Polish aerial flexible machine gun based on the Browning M1918.
The karabin lotniczy obserwatora wz. 37, meaning "observers aviation rifle pattern 1937," is a Polish aerial machine gun. It was developed from the rkm wz. 28 light machine gun and designed as a manually operated defensive weapon for Polish military aircraft.
In the mid-1930s, designer Wawrzyniec Lewandowski was tasked with creating a flexible gun based on the rkm wz. 28. The required changes included raising the rate of fire to 1,100 rounds per minute, replacing the buttstock with a spade grip at the rear of the receiver, moving the main spring under the barrel, and, most importantly, altering the feed system. The original 20-round box magazine was impractical for the high rate of fire, so a new feeding mechanism was added as a pack to the standard receiver. This mechanism used a spring-loaded lever that, when cammed by the lock during locking, grabbed a round from a 91-round pan magazine above the receiver and forced it into alignment for feeding during unlocking.
The wz. 37 is the world's only specialised aerial flexible machine gun closely based on the Browning M1918 (Browning Automatic Rifle). It was nicknamed "Szczeniak" (Polish for "pup") due to its lightness and compactness compared to the Vickers E and Vickers F guns it was meant to replace, as well as the "barking" sound it made when firing. During World War II, it was used on the PZL.37 Łoś bomber and the LWS-3 Mewa reconnaissance aircraft. It was also intended as a standard weapon for other aircraft that did not enter service before the war, such as the PZL.46 Sum, PZL.48 Lampart, and PZL.49 Miś.
Quick Facts
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Origin
- Poland
- Design Date
- 1937
- Production Date
- 1937 to 1939
- Service
- 1937 to 1949
- Wars
- World War II
- Manufacturer
- Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów
- Part Length
- 611 mm
- Cartridge
- 8x57mm IS
- Caliber
- 7.92mm
- Feed
- 91 rounds
- Action
- gas operated
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In the mid-1930s, Polish small arms designer Wawrzyniec Lewandowski was tasked with developing a flexible gun based on the rkm wz. 28 light machine gun. Desired changes included raising the cyclical rate of fire to 1100 rds/min, replacing the buttstock with a spade grip at the rear of the receiver, moving the main spring under the barrel, and changing the feed system. The original 20-round box magazine was impractical with the high rate of fire, so a new feeding mechanism was added as a pack to the standard receiver. It contained a spring-loaded lever that, when cammed by the lock during locking, grabbed a round from a 91-round pan magazine located above the receiver and forced the round into alignment to feed during unlocking. The weapon was dubbed 'Szczeniak' (Polish for 'pup') due to its lightness and compactness compared to the Vickers E and Vickers F machine guns it was intended to replace, and the 'barking' sound it made when shooting.
Reader's Guide
The wz. 37 was designed as a manually operated machine gun for defensive firing positions on board combat aircraft of Polish Military Aviation. During World War II it was used onboard the PZL.37 Łoś bomber and LWS-3 Mewa reconnaissance aircraft. It was also intended as a standard on-board weapon for other aircraft that did not manage to enter service before the outbreak of the war, including the PZL.46 Sum, PZL.48 Lampart, and PZL.49 Miś. Its development from the rkm wz. 28, itself a derivative of the Browning M1918, made it the world's only specialised aerial flexible machine gun based closely on that design. The weapon's compactness and high rate of fire were key characteristics, though its service was limited by the outbreak of World War II.
Did You Know?
- It used a 91-round pan magazine to feed its high rate of fire of 1100 rds/min.
- The weapon was designed by Wawrzyniec Lewandowski in the mid-1930s.
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