Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)

Description

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.

General info

Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the cannon or machine gun.

Available shells

Describe the shells that are available for the cannon 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).

Comparison with analogues

Give a comparative description of cannons/machine guns, that have firepower equal to these type of weapons.

Usage in battles

This gun is the staple of Italian aircraft weapons from tier I through to tier IV. Nearly all aircraft- that is, all aircraft save for the foreign premiums, and the Ju-87 variants, have at least two of these guns. It is often equipped with other guns as well. While good at lower BRs and tiers, starting at tier III/BR 3.7, these guns begin to lose their effectiveness and destructive power. Fortunately, usually italian planes starting from that BR are equipped with MG151/20s as either wing-mounted or centre-mounted Motorkanone to provide sufficient damage output.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• IAI (explosive) bullets

• Early-game API-T Tracer belts
• Air Targets belts
• Comes on planes with absolutely stunning performance, with playstyles comparable to tier III spitfires.
• Usually centre-mounted on the engine cowling, just like MG131s.
• Shreds through aircraft parts and modules if you aim precisely.
• Relatively accurate.
• Good early-game damage, especially in reserves, where belts of air targets and tracer simply shred through other biplanes, soft ground targets and reserves...

Cons:

• But anemic performance upwards of tier III.
• Low rate of fire compared to contemporary .50-caliber guns (700 rounds per minute, as opposed to 750 rounds per minute on early M2s, 768 on late-game M2s, 798 on Berezins and 900 on MG131s and Ho-103s)
• Low muzzle velocity compared to other guns.
• Damage becomes punctual beginning at higher tiers.

History

Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of this weapon. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(weapon-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.

Media

An excellent addition to the article would be a video guide, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

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.

External links

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• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the weapon;
• other literature.

Aircraft machine guns
USA
7.62 mm	Browning · M134 Minigun
12.7 mm	GAU-19 · M2 Browning · M3 Browning
Germany
7.62 mm	MG3
7.92 mm	MG 15 · MG 17 · MG 81
12.7 mm	FN M3P
13 mm	MG 131
USSR
7.62 mm	DA · GShG-7.62 · PKT · PV-1 · ShKAS
12.7 mm	A-12.7 · Berezin UB · TKB-481 · YaK-B
Britain
7.62 mm	FN 60.30 · L8A1
7.7 mm	Browning · Lewis · Vickers E · Vickers K
Japan
7.7 mm	Te-1 · Type 89 · Type 89 'special' · Type 92 · Type 97 navy
7.92 mm	Type 1 · Type 98
12.7 mm	Ho-103 · Ho-104
13 mm	Type 2
13.2 mm	Type 3
China
12.7 mm	QJK99-12.7-1
Italy
7.7 mm	Breda-SAFAT · Lewis
7.92 mm	FN Browning
12.7 mm	Breda-SAFAT · FN M3M · Scotti
France
7.5 mm	Darne 1933 · Fabrique Nationale Mle 38 · FN Browning · MAC 1934 · MAC 1934T · Mle 33 · Mle 1923
7.62 mm	PKA
7.92 mm	FN-Browning M.36 No.3 · FN-Browning M.36 No.4
Sweden
7.7 mm	FN-Browning M.36 No.3
8 mm	Ksp m/22 · Ksp m/22 Fh · Ksp m/22 Fv · Ksp m/22-37 R
12.7 mm	Akan m/39A · Akan m/40 · Akan m/45 · LKk/42
13.2 mm	Akan m/39 · Akan m/39A