13.

2 mm Hotchkiss machine gun

13.2 mm Hotchkiss machine gun

Hotchkiss model 1930

A mitrailleuse de 13.2 mm CA mle 1930, in Batey ha-Osef Museum, Tel Aviv, Israel. Type Placeoforigin Heavy machine gun France

Service history
Usedby Wars See Users Second World War

Production history
Manufacturer Hotchkiss

Specifications
Weight Length Barrellength Cartridge Caliber Action Rateoffire Muzzlevelocity Feedsystem 37.5 kg (83 lbs) single gun, stripped 1.67 metres (5ft6in) 1 metre (3ft3in) 13.2 x 96 mm 13.2 mm gas 450 rounds/min (cyclic) 800 m/s (2,625 ft/s) 30-round box magazine

The 13.2mm Hotchkiss machine gun was a heavy machine gun designed and manufactured by Hotchkiss et Cie from the late 1920s until World War II when it saw service with various nation's forces, including Japan where the gun was built under licence.[1]

Development
In the late 1920s, Hotchkiss proposed a range of anti-aircraft automatic weapons in the 13.2, 25 and 37mm calibres. They were all based on the same type of gas-operated action. The 8 mm mle 1914 machine gun had proven extremely reliable during World War I and was still in service. Hotchkiss also advertised the 13.2mm machine gun as an infantry weapon, that could be fitted on conventional tripods and be used against light armour. French infantry commanders, that had expressed interest in acquiring light anti-aircraft guns, refused the 13.2mm. They argued that

13.2 mm Hotchkiss machine gun those heavy bullets falling down could be dangerous to friendly troops, and went to larger calibres where self-destructing shells were available. But the 13.2mm Hotchkiss saw extensive use as a naval gun, and was also chosen by the French cavalry for some of its armoured vehicles.

Service
As a ground-based anti-aircraft weapon
The French Air Force used a twin mounting on a tripod carriage, designated as mitrailleuse de 13,2mm CA mle 1930, for close-range defence of its airfields and other strategic places.

As a naval weapon
Early in World War II, the French and Japanese navies were using twin and quadruple mountings on many of their warships. French warships that were refitted in the USA in 1943, such as the battleship Richelieu or the destroyer Le Terrible, had their 13.2mm machine guns replaced by more efficient Oerlikon 20 mm cannons. The Spanish Navy bought this weapon in December 1935 and used it during the Civil War (where it was mounted in several Republican Navy destroyers and cruisers). The "Pirotecnia Militar" Army Ammunition plant

The quadruple naval mounting, as illustrated in US Patent 1700902 filed by Yves Le Prieur

(Sevilla) produced its cartridges after 1939.

As a ground weapon
The 13.2mm Hotchkiss was used on the Belgian T15 (a combat vehicle) and the French AMR 35, light tanks as well as the AMD Laffly 80 AM[2]armoured car and on fortifications. The Japanese mounted license-produced version of the gun on a number of Type 92 Heavy Armoured Cars which had initially been armed with only a pair of 6.5mm machine guns.

Self-propelled mountings

13.2 mm Hotchkiss machine gun

Several self-propelled anti-aircraft combinations were tested in the 1930s, with Citron-Kegresse or Berliet chassis, but none was mass-manufactured. The Free French used field-modified self-propelled mountings, with guns recovered from French ships, in North-East Africa in 1942.

Users
Belgium France Greece Japan Poland Spain

References
[1] http:/ / world. guns. ru/ machine/ fr/ hotchkiss-m1930-e. html [2] http:/ / www. warwheels. net/ images/ Laffly80AMdatasheet. pdf

Ferrard, Stphane. France 1940 l'armement terrestre, ETAI, 1998, ISBN 978-2-7268-8380-8 "Las armas de la guerra civil espaola", Jos MAra MANRIQUE, ISBN 84-9734-475-8, pages 394 -398

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

13.2 mm Hotchkiss machine gun Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=559120098 Contributors: Achensenamon, Aieieprazu, Aldis90, Alucard365, EricEnfermero, EyeSerene, Gonzolito, Groyolo, Hmains, Idsnowdog, Lightmouse, LilHelpa, Megapixie, Nohomers48, PpPachy, RASAM, Rama, Reallyfastcar, Rettetast, Sandip90, Sceadugenga, Shem1805, Sus scrofa, TenthEagle, Tgresds, Wilhelm Wiesel, Xristar, 7 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Hotchkiss-13.2mm-x2-AA-machine-gun-batey-haosef-2-1.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Hotchkiss-13.2mm-x2-AA-machine-gun-batey-haosef-2-1.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Contributors: User:Bukvoed File:Machinegun carriage Le Prieur patent.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Machinegun_carriage_Le_Prieur_patent.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Yves Paul Gaston Le Prieur File:AtaqueJaponsAShanghai.ogv Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:AtaqueJaponsAShanghai.ogv License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: UFA File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Belgium_(civil).svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Bean49, Cathy Richards, David Descamps, Dbenbenn, Denelson83, Evanc0912, Fry1989, Gabriel trzy, Howcome, IvanOS, Mimich, Ms2ger, Nightstallion, Oreo Priest, Ricordisamoa, Rocket000, Rodejong, SiBr4, Sir Iain, ThomasPusch, Warddr, Zscout370, 6 anonymous edits File:Flag of France.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_France.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Anomie File:Flag of Greece.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Greece.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: (of code) cs:User:-xfi- (talk) File:Flag of Japan.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Japan.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Anomie File:Flag of Poland.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Poland.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Anomie, Mifter File:Flag of Spain.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Spain.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Anomie

License
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