The Mitragliatrice Breda calibro 8 modello 38 per carri armati was an Italian tank-pattern machine gun used in the Second World War on the Fiat L6/40, the Fiat M11/39 and the Fiat M13/40. It was also adapted to act as an infantry machine gun. The M38 is based upon the Breda M37. The Breda 38 received the German identification code Kampfwagen-Maschinengewehr 350(i).

Development

Hull-mounted double Breda Mod. 38 in a Fiat M13/40 tank

It was also adapted for use as an infantry machine gun.[2] For this purpose the gun was mounted on a machine-gun tripod by means of an adapter, and was fitted with a temporary rear sight on the right of the body and a temporary front sight on the right of the barrel at the muzzle. The temporary open sights took the place of the optical sight used when the gun was tank-mounted.

Design details

The gun is air-cooled, gas-operated, and magazine-fed, and has a quick-change barrel. Its operational features are simple, and it is extremely easy to field-strip or disassemble completely. The barrel is sufficiently heavy (4,5 kg) to enable it to fire a large number of rounds in quick succession without overheating.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Pignato, p. 43.
  2. ^ U.S. Military Intelligence Service (June 3, 1943), "Italian 8-mm Breda Machine Gun, Model 38, WWII Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 26", lonesentry.com, retrieved 6 October 2015
  • Pignato, Nicola (1978). Armi della fanteria italiana nella seconda guerra mondiale (in Italian). Ermanno Albertelli Editore.


Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breda_38
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