KPV (14.5 mm)

The KPVT on top of the IS-7 turret

Description

The KPVT is a Soviet heavy machine gun used as anti-aircraft, tank, or a naval gun.

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

Ground vehicles:

• BTR-152A
• IS-7
• Object 268
• Object 279
• SU-122-54
• T-10M

Naval vessels:

• Pr.191M
• Pr.123K
• Pr.123K (A-11)
• Pr.1204

General info

The 14.5 mm KPVT is one of the heaviest pintle-mounted machine guns in the game. This heavy machine gun with its large calibre and decent rate of fire is close to an autocannon. It has enough damage to fight both heavily armoured aircraft, as well as light cold war tanks.

Available ammunition

The weapon starts by using the default/universal belt, with the ability to upgrade to API-T and IAI belts for the case of the BTR-152A. The default/universal belt has ammo that allows 31 mm of penetration at 10 m. As such, the belt can't be used to effectively engage any tanks, but it is indeed useful against planes.

Once the API-T is unlocked, the firepower of the KPVT is improved to 45 mm of penetration at 10 meters, which is almost on par with 20 mm autocannons. That said, only one out of four bullets in the belt is capable of penetrating this amount, so sustained fire might be required when penetrating some light armor for the right bullets to make the penetrating damage.

The last unlockable belt is the IAI, which is filled with incendiary bullets which can be beneficial when fighting planes to light them on fire with damage. However, all available belts for the KPVT also are filled with incendiary bullets. With the IAI not having the armour-penetrating power compared to Universal nor API-T, and not having an incendiary advantage compared to the other belts, it may not be recommended to bring the IAI belt into battle.

Comparison with analogues

The 14.5 mm KPVT is comparable to the 15 mm MG 151, found on the Sd.Kfz.251/21 and AMX-50 Foch, as the latter has around 33-39 mm of armour penetration with HVAP-T and API-T shells. The KPVT still has an advantage over the 15 mm MG 151 in regards to close-range penetration with the use of the API-T belt.

Usage in battles

Since the versatility of KPV, it was seen on types mounts from ZPU mount and KPVT mount for vehicles. The one thing that it does very well is tearing down aircrafts or lighter vehicles with its 14.5x114 mm bullets- its rate of fire and damage makes it very satisfying to be utilized. In dire situations, it can also ruin the gun barrel of enemy tanks thanks to its caliber as well.

Do note that due to the weight of its magazine, it does take a while to reload so it is important not to be trigger-happy with KPVT- and this can also deplete its reserved ammo very quickly.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Decent rate of fire for its calibre
• High muzzle velocity (1,000 m/s)
• Unlockable API-T belt has 45 mm of penetration at close range, can take on lightly armoured vehicles and even some tanks from the side or rear
• Can heavily damage or destroy gun barrels at close range

Cons:

• Best belt are tracer rounds, will give your location away
• Penetration drastically drops after 100 m

History

Although first designated as an infantry weapon (PKP) when it was developed in 1944, the KPV ( Krupnokaliberniy Pulemyot Vladimirova; Vladimir large-caliber machine gun) was deemed way too heavy for infantry and was then put onto mounts under the designation ZPU (anti-aircraft mount) or vehicles as KPVT. Since the introduction of KPV, it has been sold or given licenses to be manufactured in different nations. The 14.5x114 mm bullet is lethal even at 8 km distance and has very high muzzle energy (at 31 kJ, almost twice as M2HB), making it a viable option for long-range suppressions or gunning down hidden snipers along with their covers.

It is also a favored weapon for insurgents where they can put a twin-mount onto pick-up trucks and convert them into what's known as "technical".

Media

Images

• 

  image of one of two KPVT machine guns mounted on the IS-7

See also

• MG 151
• MG M38(t)

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.

USSR anti-aircraft guns
7.62 mm	Maxim's
12.7 mm	DShK
14.5 mm	KPVT
23 mm	AZP-23 · ZU-23
25 mm	72-K
30 mm	2A38 · ZK453
37 mm	2A11 · 61-K · Sh-37 · Type 65
57 mm	S-68

Tank machine guns
USA
7.62 mm	M37 · M60D · M73 · M240 · M1919A4
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

Naval machine guns
USA
7.62 mm	M73
12.7 mm	AN-M2
Germany
7.62 mm	MG-3
7.92 mm	MG08 pattern 1908 · MG15 · MG34
13.2 mm	Hotchkiss
15 mm	MG M38(t)
USSR
7.62 mm	Maxim
12.7 mm	DShK
14.5 mm	KPV
Britain
7.62 mm	FN MAG
7.7 mm	Lewis 1916 · Vickers GO No.5
12.7 mm	Vickers Mk.V
Japan
6.5 mm	Maxim · Type 38 pattern 1907
7.7 mm	Type 89 · Type 92
13.2 mm	Type 93
Italy
6.5 mm	Breda Mod.30 · Fiat Model 26
12.7 mm	Breda-SAFAT
13.2 mm	Breda Model 31
France
13.2 mm	Browning · Model 1929 Hotchkiss