Difference between revisions of "Breda Mod. 38 (8 mm)"
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<!-- ''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.'' --> | <!-- ''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.'' --> | ||
| − | The ''Mitragliatrice Breda calibro 8 modello 38 per carri armati | + | The '''8 mm Breda Mod. 38''', (or "Mitragliatrice Breda calibro 8 modello 38 per carri armati" in Italian) was a top magazine-fed machine gun used on tanks by the Regio Esercito (Italian Royal Army) during WWII, developed from the Breda Mod.37 machine gun. |
This weapon is present in-game on many light tanks, medium tanks, and a few tank destroyers in the Italian tech tree from Rank I-III. | This weapon is present in-game on many light tanks, medium tanks, and a few tank destroyers in the Italian tech tree from Rank I-III. | ||
| − | In-game, its most often featured in both coaxial and anti-aircraft mounts, with the latter being fitted with forward-facing casing deflectors and left mounted "cartwheel" AA sights. The Breda Mod.38 does not use a shoulder stock and utilizes vertical, top-feeding 24-round box magazines. | + | In-game, its most often featured in both coaxial and anti-aircraft mounts, with the latter being fitted with forward-facing casing deflectors and left mounted "cartwheel" AA sights. The Breda Mod. 38 does not use a shoulder stock and utilizes vertical, top-feeding 24-round box magazines. |
=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon === | === Vehicles equipped with this weapon === | ||
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<!-- ''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the cannon or machine gun.'' --> | <!-- ''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the cannon or machine gun.'' --> | ||
| − | The | + | The 8 mm Breda Mod. 38 fires at a fairly typical rate of around 550 RPM but is loaded from a relatively small 24-round box magazine, giving it only ~2.6 seconds of continuous firing time with ~8 seconds needed to reload. |
=== Available ammunition === | === Available ammunition === | ||
| − | The standard | + | <!-- ''Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).'' --> |
| + | The standard belt for the 8 mm Breda Mod. 38 consists of API-T rounds. This means that the first round is an armour-piercing incendiary tracer bullet, the second round is an armour-piercing bullet, and the third round is an incendiary tracer bullet. The average armour penetration of these rounds is 10 mm of armour at 0 degrees from 10 m. | ||
=== Comparison with analogues === | === Comparison with analogues === | ||
| − | [[DT (7.62 mm)|DT]] - Soviet machine gun which uses pan magazines which have around 40 more rounds of ammunition than the Breda Mod.38 | + | <!-- ''Give a comparative description of cannons/machine guns that have firepower equal to this weapon.'' --> |
| + | [[DT (7.62 mm)|DT]] - Soviet machine gun which uses pan magazines which have around 40 more rounds of ammunition than the Breda Mod. 38. | ||
| − | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|MG34]] - German machine gun that can sustain a high rate of fire of around 900 rpm, vs the Breda Mod.38 with its 550 rpm | + | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|MG34]] - German machine gun that can sustain a high rate of fire of around 900 rpm, vs the Breda Mod. 38 with its 550 rpm rate of fire. The MG34 runs on belts which allow it to fire for longer periods without reloading - something that the Breda struggles with. The high ROF also means that tracer rounds appear more often, which means that it can be easier to correct aim. |
| − | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|M1919A4]] - American machine gun which runs on very long belts that allow it to fire for extended periods of time (even longer than the MG34) before reloading. The | + | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|M1919A4]] - American machine gun which runs on very long belts that allow it to fire for extended periods of time (even longer than the MG34) before reloading. The M1919A4 utilizes more armour-piercing rounds in its belts than the Breda. |
| − | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|BESA]] - British machine gun that uses long belts, similar to the | + | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|BESA]] - British machine gun that uses long belts, similar to the M1919A4, which allow it to fire for long periods before reloading. |
| − | [[Ksp m/36 (8 mm)|Ksp m/36]] - Swedish copy of the M1919A4 chambered in the | + | [[Ksp m/36 (8 mm)|Ksp m/36]] - Swedish copy of the M1919A4 chambered in the 8x63 mm patron m/32 cartridge. This gun is very similar to the M1919A4 in performance. |
[[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|MAC 31]]- French machine gun with a large drum magazine. This machine gun has a lot more ammunition but can have a similar fire rate to the Breda 38. | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|MAC 31]]- French machine gun with a large drum magazine. This machine gun has a lot more ammunition but can have a similar fire rate to the Breda 38. | ||
| − | [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)]] - Japanese machine gun that uses 20-round box magazines. Out of all nations' standard WWII coaxial machine guns, the Type 97 is probably the most similar to the Breda Mod.38. Using just slightly less ammunition and with a similar rate of fire, this gun runs out of ammunition even more often than even the Breda, forcing the user to have to reload every few seconds. Players who know how to use the 7.7 mm Type 97 effectively will know how to use the Breda 38, and vice versa. | + | [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)]] - Japanese machine gun that uses 20-round box magazines. Out of all nations' standard WWII coaxial machine guns, the Type 97 is probably the most similar to the Breda Mod. 38. Using just slightly less ammunition and with a similar rate of fire, this gun runs out of ammunition even more often than even the Breda, forcing the user to have to reload every few seconds. Players who know how to use the 7.7 mm Type 97 effectively will know how to use the Breda 38, and vice versa. |
== Usage in battles == | == Usage in battles == | ||
| − | The | + | <!-- ''Describe the cannon/machine gun in the game - its distinctive features, tactics of usage against notable opponents. Please don't write a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought.'' --> |
| + | The 8 mm Breda Mod. 38 is the standard WWII Italian tank machine gun, being featured on almost every armoured vehicle in the Italian tech tree from Rank I-III, so players will often have to rely on them when faced with very lightly-armoured or open-topped enemy targets such as the [[GAZ-AAA (4M)]] or the rear end of a [[SU-76M]]. | ||
| − | '''Anti- | + | '''Anti-ground vehicle''' |
| − | + | The Breda often runs out of ammo quickly in sustained fire, so aim for critical crew members in the enemy vehicle to ensure that it can't move or fire back as you reload. For trucks like the [[GAZ-AAA (DShK)|GAZ]] series or the [[CCKW 353 AA]], spraying the truck's cab can knock out the driver, rendering it immobile and stop it from escaping. Firing at the truck's gun is unlikely to significantly damage it, but firing at the crew operating the gun is very likely to stop the vehicle from firing back at you until they can be replaced. Players can use this strategy to destroy trucks quickly and efficiently. Do take note when facing vehicles like the [[M16 MGMC]], as even though its a half-track, its mostly armoured enough to keep the 8 mm rounds out of the crew compartment. | |
| − | It is ill-advised to use the Breda Mod.38 against fully- | + | It is ill-advised to use the Breda Mod. 38 against fully-armoured targets as the weapon was intended to fight unarmoured infantry, not enemy tanks. Due to the low armour penetration and low calibre, the Breda 38 is unlikely to pierce any armoured vehicles from any direction. This gun can instead be used to mark enemy targets, knock down bushes, or help range targets for the main gun. |
| − | '''Anti- | + | '''Anti-aircraft''' |
| − | As an anti-aircraft weapon, the Breda Mod.38 is a mediocre option, but often the only one in regards to early Italian vehicles. Due to the relatively small | + | As an anti-aircraft weapon, the Breda Mod. 38 is a mediocre option, but often the only one in regards to early Italian vehicles. Due to the relatively small calibre, low penetration, low ammunition count and long reload, this gun is unlikely to be very effective against attacking planes. Furthermore, the standard early Italian roof mounts, like the one on the [[M13/40 (Family)|M13/40]] and the [[P40]], will only allow the Breda to rotate up and down on a vertical axis. If a vehicle with this mount is suddenly unable to rotate its turret due to damage or otherwise, the machine gun will be fixed and become unable to effectively target enemies. |
| − | Therefore | + | Therefore, leave anti-aircraft work to dedicated SPAAs or vehicles armed with more capable machine guns unless absolutely necessary. |
'''Notable mounts''' | '''Notable mounts''' | ||
| − | The Breda Mod.38 is featured all over the [[M13/40 (Family)|M13]], [[M14/41|M14]], and [[M15/42|M15]] medium tank series. If all of the machine guns were functional, the [[M13/40 (I)]] would almost have the most machine guns of any reserve tank (1x roof, 1x turret coaxial, 2x bow/hull), second only to the American [[M2A4]]. | + | The Breda Mod. 38 is featured all over the [[M13/40 (Family)|M13]], [[M14/41|M14]], and [[M15/42|M15]] medium tank series. If all of the machine guns were functional, the [[M13/40 (I)]] would almost have the most machine guns of any reserve tank (1x roof, 1x turret coaxial, 2x bow/hull), second only to the American [[M2A4]]. |
The [[75/46 M43|Semovente 75/46 M43]] is the first in the [[M43 (Family)|M43]] series to feature a machine gun. Despite its downsides, the Breda 38 can be refreshingly useful for self-defence and target marking on this vehicle. Unlike the medium tank mounts before it, this Breda 38 is pintle-mounted and can achieve both vertical and horizontal traverse. | The [[75/46 M43|Semovente 75/46 M43]] is the first in the [[M43 (Family)|M43]] series to feature a machine gun. Despite its downsides, the Breda 38 can be refreshingly useful for self-defence and target marking on this vehicle. Unlike the medium tank mounts before it, this Breda 38 is pintle-mounted and can achieve both vertical and horizontal traverse. | ||
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In the [[M11/39]], the Breda 38 is featured in a twin mount inside of a fully operational, small turret on the roof of the vehicle. These guns are fired and loaded solely by the commander. Although the vertical elevation is not great, these can be used as a makeshift anti-aircraft weapon. A similar mount to the M11/39's was commonly fitted in the CV-35 tankette for anti-infantry use. | In the [[M11/39]], the Breda 38 is featured in a twin mount inside of a fully operational, small turret on the roof of the vehicle. These guns are fired and loaded solely by the commander. Although the vertical elevation is not great, these can be used as a makeshift anti-aircraft weapon. A similar mount to the M11/39's was commonly fitted in the CV-35 tankette for anti-infantry use. | ||
| − | In the [[Breda 501]], two Breda 38s are mounted on independent pintle mounts on the rear of the vehicle facing backwards over the engine deck, in similar fashion to the American [[LVT(A)(1)]]. These guns can be selected by players and used to defend the vehicle against | + | In the [[Breda 501]], two Breda 38s are mounted on independent pintle mounts on the rear of the vehicle facing backwards over the engine deck, in similar fashion to the American [[LVT(A)(1)]]. These guns can be selected by players and used to defend the vehicle against unarmoured targets or low-flying planes attacking from the rear, similar to aircraft tail gunners. Two of the Breda 501's five crewmembers are allocated to these guns and can be swapped out for knocked-out gun or driver crew if needed. |
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
| Line 83: | Line 86: | ||
* Decent rate of fire | * Decent rate of fire | ||
* Slightly larger calibre than 7.62 mm MGs | * Slightly larger calibre than 7.62 mm MGs | ||
| − | * Very common, | + | * Very common on Italian vehicles, easy to learn when moving to new vehicles |
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
* Short magazine | * Short magazine | ||
| − | * Long reload | + | * Long reload time |
| − | * Low | + | * Low penetration |
* Medium tank anti-aircraft roof mounts only allow vertical movement | * Medium tank anti-aircraft roof mounts only allow vertical movement | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
| − | In 1937, the Breda Mod.37 medium machine gun was adopted by the Royal Italian Army for infantry use. These guns used the unique | + | <!-- ''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.'' --> |
| + | In 1937, the Breda Mod.37 medium machine gun was adopted by the Royal Italian Army for infantry use. These guns used the unique 8x59 mm RB Breda cartridge in 20-round trays that would store spent casings. The Breda Mod.37 quickly gained a reputation of being massively overweight, being difficult to load, and having a slow rate of fire. | ||
| − | Regardless of the drawbacks, the Breda Mod.37 was developed into the Breda Mod.38 for dedicated use in | + | Regardless of the drawbacks, the Breda Mod.37 was developed into the Breda Mod. 38 for dedicated use in armoured vehicles. This version used a 24-round box magazine and was praised for being very easy to disassemble and fire for long periods without overheating. It was frequently mounted as a coaxial, hull-mounted, or roof mounted weapon. |
| − | The Breda Mod.38 was used throughout WWII in almost all of Italy's tanks during the war, starting with vehicles like the L3/35, [[M11/39]], and [[L6/40]] in 1939 and ending with vehicles like the [[M15/42]], [[P40]], and [[Celere Sahariano]] in 1943. British and Australian forces encountered this weapon in North Africa, alongside the Breda Mod.37. Some of these guns were captured and used by the Commonwealth as they captured and used [[M13/40 (Family)|M13]] and [[M14/41|M14]] tanks to supplement their vehicle shortage. | + | The Breda Mod. 38 was used throughout WWII in almost all of Italy's tanks during the war, starting with vehicles like the L3/35, [[M11/39]], and [[L6/40]] in 1939 and ending with vehicles like the [[M15/42]], [[P40]], and [[Celere Sahariano]] in 1943. British and Australian forces encountered this weapon in North Africa, alongside the Breda Mod.37. Some of these guns were captured and used by the Commonwealth as they captured and used [[M13/40 (Family)|M13]] and [[M14/41|M14]] tanks to supplement their vehicle shortage. |
| − | On September 3rd, 1943, Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile with the Allies, effectively ending Italy's participation as an Axis power. Nazi Germany and the remainders of fascist Italy still fought on however, so the Germans quickly captured and reused many former Italian Army vehicles and weaponry. In German hands, the Breda Mod.38 was designated the | + | On September 3rd, 1943, Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile with the Allies, effectively ending Italy's participation as an Axis power. Nazi Germany and the remainders of fascist Italy still fought on however, so the Germans quickly captured and reused many former Italian Army vehicles and weaponry. In German hands, the Breda Mod. 38 was designated the Kampfwagen-Maschinengewehr 350(i), or "Fighting vehicle machine gun 350 (italy)". It was used by the Wehrmacht in captured Italian tanks, as the weapon was designed to be used, until the end of the war in 1945. |
| − | Although discontinued by Breda and not used in tank designs for the the post-war | + | Although discontinued by Breda and not used in tank designs for the the post-war Escerito Italiano, Breda Mod. 38 machine guns were still in use with [[M13/40 (Family)|M13/40]] medium tanks refurbished and used by Egypt in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The Royal Afghan Army also used Breda 38s in their CV-35 tankettes until the late 1950s, likely when the unusual 8 mm ammunition started to run out. |
| − | The original Breda Mod.37, however, chambered in 7. | + | The original Breda Mod.37, however, chambered in 7.92 mm Mauser, was used by the Portuguese Army into the 1960s. |
== Media == | == Media == | ||
| Line 109: | Line 113: | ||
;Images | ;Images | ||
| − | + | <gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200" "> | |
| − | + | File:M11-39, Grey-Green.jpg|<small>M11/39 with twin Breda Mod. 38 machine guns</small> | |
| − | + | File:Breda 501 Left-Rear.jpg|<small>Twin rear-facing Breda Mod. 38 on the Breda 501</small> | |
| − | + | File:Weapon Breda Mod. 38 (8 mm).png|<small>Breda Mod. 38 in coaxial mount on the AB 41</small> | |
| − | File:Weapon Breda Mod. 38 (8 mm).png|Breda Mod.38 in coaxial mount on the AB 41 | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
| + | <!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | ||
| + | * ''reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;'' | ||
| + | * ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.'' --> | ||
* [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)]] | * [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)]] | ||
| Line 122: | Line 128: | ||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
| + | <!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | ||
| + | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
| + | * ''other literature.'' --> | ||
| − | * http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ttt07/italian-breda-machine-gun.html | + | * [http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ttt07/italian-breda-machine-gun.html <nowiki>[Lone Sentry]</nowiki> Italian 8-mm Breda Machine Gun, Model 38] |
| − | * https://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.php?smallarms_id=1037 | + | * [https://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.php?smallarms_id=1037 <nowiki>[Military]</nowiki> Factory Breda Modello 37 (M37)] |
| − | * https://comandosupremo.com/breda-modello-37/ | + | * [https://comandosupremo.com/breda-modello-37/ <nowiki>[Comando Supremo]</nowiki> Breda Modello 37] |
{{Tank machine guns}} | {{Tank machine guns}} | ||
[[Category:Tank machine guns]] | [[Category:Tank machine guns]] | ||
Revision as of 17:15, 16 February 2022
Contents
Description
The 8 mm Breda Mod. 38, (or "Mitragliatrice Breda calibro 8 modello 38 per carri armati" in Italian) was a top magazine-fed machine gun used on tanks by the Regio Esercito (Italian Royal Army) during WWII, developed from the Breda Mod.37 machine gun.
This weapon is present in-game on many light tanks, medium tanks, and a few tank destroyers in the Italian tech tree from Rank I-III.
In-game, its most often featured in both coaxial and anti-aircraft mounts, with the latter being fitted with forward-facing casing deflectors and left mounted "cartwheel" AA sights. The Breda Mod. 38 does not use a shoulder stock and utilizes vertical, top-feeding 24-round box magazines.
Vehicles equipped with this weapon
| Vehicles equipped with this weapon | |
|---|---|
| Light tanks | AB 41 · AB 43 · L6/40 |
| Medium tanks | |
| M11/39 | M11/39 |
| M13/40 | M13/40 (I) · M13/40 (II) · M13/40 (III) |
| M14/41 | M14/41 · M14/41 (47/40) |
| M15/42 | M15/42 |
| M16/43 | Celere Sahariano |
| P40 | P40 · P40 "G.C. Leoncello" |
| Tank destroyers | 75/18 M41 · 75/46 M43 · Breda 501 |
General info
The 8 mm Breda Mod. 38 fires at a fairly typical rate of around 550 RPM but is loaded from a relatively small 24-round box magazine, giving it only ~2.6 seconds of continuous firing time with ~8 seconds needed to reload.
Available ammunition
The standard belt for the 8 mm Breda Mod. 38 consists of API-T rounds. This means that the first round is an armour-piercing incendiary tracer bullet, the second round is an armour-piercing bullet, and the third round is an incendiary tracer bullet. The average armour penetration of these rounds is 10 mm of armour at 0 degrees from 10 m.
Comparison with analogues
DT - Soviet machine gun which uses pan magazines which have around 40 more rounds of ammunition than the Breda Mod. 38.
MG34 - German machine gun that can sustain a high rate of fire of around 900 rpm, vs the Breda Mod. 38 with its 550 rpm rate of fire. The MG34 runs on belts which allow it to fire for longer periods without reloading - something that the Breda struggles with. The high ROF also means that tracer rounds appear more often, which means that it can be easier to correct aim.
M1919A4 - American machine gun which runs on very long belts that allow it to fire for extended periods of time (even longer than the MG34) before reloading. The M1919A4 utilizes more armour-piercing rounds in its belts than the Breda.
BESA - British machine gun that uses long belts, similar to the M1919A4, which allow it to fire for long periods before reloading.
Ksp m/36 - Swedish copy of the M1919A4 chambered in the 8x63 mm patron m/32 cartridge. This gun is very similar to the M1919A4 in performance.
MAC 31- French machine gun with a large drum magazine. This machine gun has a lot more ammunition but can have a similar fire rate to the Breda 38.
Type 97 (7.7 mm) - Japanese machine gun that uses 20-round box magazines. Out of all nations' standard WWII coaxial machine guns, the Type 97 is probably the most similar to the Breda Mod. 38. Using just slightly less ammunition and with a similar rate of fire, this gun runs out of ammunition even more often than even the Breda, forcing the user to have to reload every few seconds. Players who know how to use the 7.7 mm Type 97 effectively will know how to use the Breda 38, and vice versa.
Usage in battles
The 8 mm Breda Mod. 38 is the standard WWII Italian tank machine gun, being featured on almost every armoured vehicle in the Italian tech tree from Rank I-III, so players will often have to rely on them when faced with very lightly-armoured or open-topped enemy targets such as the GAZ-AAA (4M) or the rear end of a SU-76M.
Anti-ground vehicle
The Breda often runs out of ammo quickly in sustained fire, so aim for critical crew members in the enemy vehicle to ensure that it can't move or fire back as you reload. For trucks like the GAZ series or the CCKW 353 AA, spraying the truck's cab can knock out the driver, rendering it immobile and stop it from escaping. Firing at the truck's gun is unlikely to significantly damage it, but firing at the crew operating the gun is very likely to stop the vehicle from firing back at you until they can be replaced. Players can use this strategy to destroy trucks quickly and efficiently. Do take note when facing vehicles like the M16 MGMC, as even though its a half-track, its mostly armoured enough to keep the 8 mm rounds out of the crew compartment.
It is ill-advised to use the Breda Mod. 38 against fully-armoured targets as the weapon was intended to fight unarmoured infantry, not enemy tanks. Due to the low armour penetration and low calibre, the Breda 38 is unlikely to pierce any armoured vehicles from any direction. This gun can instead be used to mark enemy targets, knock down bushes, or help range targets for the main gun.
Anti-aircraft
As an anti-aircraft weapon, the Breda Mod. 38 is a mediocre option, but often the only one in regards to early Italian vehicles. Due to the relatively small calibre, low penetration, low ammunition count and long reload, this gun is unlikely to be very effective against attacking planes. Furthermore, the standard early Italian roof mounts, like the one on the M13/40 and the P40, will only allow the Breda to rotate up and down on a vertical axis. If a vehicle with this mount is suddenly unable to rotate its turret due to damage or otherwise, the machine gun will be fixed and become unable to effectively target enemies.
Therefore, leave anti-aircraft work to dedicated SPAAs or vehicles armed with more capable machine guns unless absolutely necessary.
Notable mounts
The Breda Mod. 38 is featured all over the M13, M14, and M15 medium tank series. If all of the machine guns were functional, the M13/40 (I) would almost have the most machine guns of any reserve tank (1x roof, 1x turret coaxial, 2x bow/hull), second only to the American M2A4.
The Semovente 75/46 M43 is the first in the M43 series to feature a machine gun. Despite its downsides, the Breda 38 can be refreshingly useful for self-defence and target marking on this vehicle. Unlike the medium tank mounts before it, this Breda 38 is pintle-mounted and can achieve both vertical and horizontal traverse.
In the M11/39, the Breda 38 is featured in a twin mount inside of a fully operational, small turret on the roof of the vehicle. These guns are fired and loaded solely by the commander. Although the vertical elevation is not great, these can be used as a makeshift anti-aircraft weapon. A similar mount to the M11/39's was commonly fitted in the CV-35 tankette for anti-infantry use.
In the Breda 501, two Breda 38s are mounted on independent pintle mounts on the rear of the vehicle facing backwards over the engine deck, in similar fashion to the American LVT(A)(1). These guns can be selected by players and used to defend the vehicle against unarmoured targets or low-flying planes attacking from the rear, similar to aircraft tail gunners. Two of the Breda 501's five crewmembers are allocated to these guns and can be swapped out for knocked-out gun or driver crew if needed.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Decent rate of fire
- Slightly larger calibre than 7.62 mm MGs
- Very common on Italian vehicles, easy to learn when moving to new vehicles
Cons:
- Short magazine
- Long reload time
- Low penetration
- Medium tank anti-aircraft roof mounts only allow vertical movement
History
In 1937, the Breda Mod.37 medium machine gun was adopted by the Royal Italian Army for infantry use. These guns used the unique 8x59 mm RB Breda cartridge in 20-round trays that would store spent casings. The Breda Mod.37 quickly gained a reputation of being massively overweight, being difficult to load, and having a slow rate of fire.
Regardless of the drawbacks, the Breda Mod.37 was developed into the Breda Mod. 38 for dedicated use in armoured vehicles. This version used a 24-round box magazine and was praised for being very easy to disassemble and fire for long periods without overheating. It was frequently mounted as a coaxial, hull-mounted, or roof mounted weapon.
The Breda Mod. 38 was used throughout WWII in almost all of Italy's tanks during the war, starting with vehicles like the L3/35, M11/39, and L6/40 in 1939 and ending with vehicles like the M15/42, P40, and Celere Sahariano in 1943. British and Australian forces encountered this weapon in North Africa, alongside the Breda Mod.37. Some of these guns were captured and used by the Commonwealth as they captured and used M13 and M14 tanks to supplement their vehicle shortage.
On September 3rd, 1943, Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile with the Allies, effectively ending Italy's participation as an Axis power. Nazi Germany and the remainders of fascist Italy still fought on however, so the Germans quickly captured and reused many former Italian Army vehicles and weaponry. In German hands, the Breda Mod. 38 was designated the Kampfwagen-Maschinengewehr 350(i), or "Fighting vehicle machine gun 350 (italy)". It was used by the Wehrmacht in captured Italian tanks, as the weapon was designed to be used, until the end of the war in 1945.
Although discontinued by Breda and not used in tank designs for the the post-war Escerito Italiano, Breda Mod. 38 machine guns were still in use with M13/40 medium tanks refurbished and used by Egypt in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The Royal Afghan Army also used Breda 38s in their CV-35 tankettes until the late 1950s, likely when the unusual 8 mm ammunition started to run out.
The original Breda Mod.37, however, chambered in 7.92 mm Mauser, was used by the Portuguese Army into the 1960s.
Media
- Images
M11/39 with twin Breda Mod. 38 machine guns
Twin rear-facing Breda Mod. 38 on the Breda 501
Breda Mod. 38 in coaxial mount on the AB 41
.png)
See also
External links
- [Lone Sentry] Italian 8-mm Breda Machine Gun, Model 38
- [Military] Factory Breda Modello 37 (M37)
- [Comando Supremo] Breda Modello 37
| Tank machine guns | |
|---|---|
| USA | |
| 7.62 mm | M37 · M60D · M73 · M240 · M1919A4 · Mk.52 |
| 12.7 mm | FN M3P · M2HB · M80 · M85 |
| Germany | |
| 5.56 mm | MG4 |
| 7.62 mm | C6 · MG3A1 |
| 7.92 mm | MG13 Dreyse · MG34 · MG37(t) · MG42 |
| 12.7 mm | S.MG.50 |
| USSR | |
| 7.62 mm | DT · PKMB · PKT · PKTM · RP-46 · SGMT |
| 12.7 mm | DK · DShK · 6P49 · NSVT |
| 14.5 mm | KPVT |
| Britain | |
| 7.62 mm | Browning MG4 · L3A1 · L8A1 · L8A2 · L37A1 · L37A2 · L94A1 |
| 7.7 mm | Vickers |
| 7.92 mm | BESA |
| 12.7 mm | L21A1 |
| Japan | |
| 6.5 mm | Type 91 |
| 7.62 mm | Type 74 |
| 7.7 mm | Type 97 |
| 12.7 mm | Type 60 (B) |
| China | |
| 5.8 mm | QJT |
| 7.62 mm | Type 55 · Type 59 · Type 86 |
| 12.7 mm | QJC88A · Type 54 |
| 14.5 mm | QJG02 |
| Italy | |
| 7.62 mm | Beretta MG42/59 · FN MAG 60-40 |
| 8 mm | 34/40M · Breda Mod. 38 |
| 13.2 mm | Breda Model 31 |
| France | |
| 7.5 mm | AAT-52 · MAC 31 |
| 7.62 mm | A-A-F1N |
| 8 mm | Hotchkiss Mle 1914 |
| Sweden | |
| 6.5 mm | ksp m/14-29 |
| 7.62 mm | ksp 39 C · ksp 58 · ksp 94 |
| 8 mm | ksp m/36 · ksp m/39B |
| 12.7 mm | ksp 88 |
