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Vickers K (VGO)


Medium Machine Gun / Aircraft-Vehicle Machine Gun


United Kingdom | 1935



"The Vickers K was an aircraft gun developed from the earlier Vickers-Berthier Light Machine Gun series."

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Vickers K (VGO). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
1,000
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire
2,500 ft/sec
762 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity
Physical
The physical qualities of the Vickers K (VGO). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
940 mm
37.01 in
O/A Length
529 mm
20.83 in
Barrel Length
29.76 lb
13.50 kg
Weight
Gas-Operated; Tilting Locking Breechblock
Action
.303 British
Caliber(s)
60- or 100-round pan magazine.
Feed
Iron
Sights
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Vickers K (VGO) Medium Machine Gun / Aircraft-Vehicle Machine Gun family line.
Vickers K - Commercial Designation
Vickers Gas-Operated (VGO) - Alternative Designation
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/19/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Vickers K - or Vickers Gas Operated (VGO) and also officially as "Gun, machine, Vickers-Berthier, 0.303-inch, India Service Mark III" - was an aerial gun developed from the original Vickers-Berthier Light Machine Gun (LMG) for use in trainable/flexible aircraft positions. A pan magazine (60- or 100-round counts used) replaced the original's box magazine feed and it fired the standard .303 British cartridge through a gas-operated, air-cooled action. The firing rate was 900 rounds-per-minute. The operator managed the weapon through a spade grip arrangement at the rear of the receiver with iron sights set over the weapon for basic accuracy assistance. Installation on aircraft was by way of ring mounts.

As the British Royal Air Force (RAF) ultimately moved away from open-air gun positions on its aircraft, the .303 Colt-Browning became the preferred in-wing and turreted aircraft armament arrangement. After their time with the RAF had ended, the guns found renewed service lives with the British Army and made good as vehicle-mounted weapons. Special forces elements operating in North Africa found them to be exceptionally reliable and effective weapons in desert conditions when mounted on fast-moving JEEP-type platforms.

The Vickers K saw wartime service until the end in 1945 and was progressively evolved throughout the conflict.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Vickers K (VGO). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd - UK
National flag of India National flag of the United Kingdom

[ India; United Kingdom ]
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Image of the Vickers K (VGO)
Famous wartime photograph showing British SAS elements with twin-gunned Vickers K mountings on their patrol vehicles; Public Domain.

Going Further...
The Vickers K (VGO) Medium Machine Gun / Aircraft-Vehicle Machine Gun appears in the following collections:
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