German WW1 Aircraft Machine Guns
LMG 08/15
In the USMC Air Ground Museum Collection
Quantico, VA.

Extract: The Devil's Paintbrush, Dolf L. Goldsmith,
Collector Grade Publications, Toronto CA, 1993

The Maxim LMG 08/15
Luft Maschinen Gewehr
or
Air Machine Gun

After the introduction of the MG 08/15 as a lightened machine gun air service decided to build a specially modified version for use in air craft. It was essentially the same as the standard 08/15 with several modifications.

This special model was produced exclusively at the Spandau Arsenal beginning late in 1916 with overall production reaching over 23,000 by the end of the war. Major modifications included removing the stock, the pistol grip and the rear sight. The steam hose attachment and plug were also removed since the gun was to operate without water. The water jacket was perforated to allow air to circulate around the barred and the bipod-mounting bracket was removed. In its place a mounting bracket was installed allowing the gun to be securely fastened to the aircraft. A small flip up sight was attached to the top cover of the gun and a ring front site with cross hairs was fixed to the front of the jacket.

Since the pilot needed one hand to control the aircraft a cocking and reloading device was fixed to the right hand side of the gun. This was the Klingstrom device, a lengthened cocking handle fixed to two geared cams. There were several models of this device in use but they all worked essentially the same, allowing the pilot to cock and reload with one hand.

Since ammunition was kept in a cache in the fuselage of the plane and the pilot needed to know how his supply was holding out a counter was placed on the rear of the gun.

Since the LMG08/15 was rigidly mounted to the aircraft it was necessary to point the gun by pointing the plane. Firing in a fixed forward position necessitated that the gun fire through the arc of the propeller. A Dutch engineer Anthony Fokker, developed a synchronizer which interrupted the operation of the gun whenever the propeller obstructed the path of the bullet. This initial development gave the Germans virtual air superiority until the British countered with a synchronizer for their Vickers aircraft machine gun.

Initially deploying only one gun per plane by 1918 the Germans had two of these LMG 08/15s fitted to each of their combat aircraft.

The following pictures were taken at the USMC Air Ground Museum, at Quantico VA in 1999 as part of a research project conducted by Volunteers. Although the holdings in the collection are much more extensive, we have included what we think may be the most interesting. The pictures are of the weapons and some of the battle relics in the collection.

Each picture is a thumbnail, click on the photo for a full size view.

Spandau #100

Right Hand View

Left Hand view

Under the Cover

Interrupt Gear

Head On

Round Counter

Interrupt Gear Side

Front Mount

2nd View Front Mt.

Right Side

Combat Damage

Front Site Damage

Damage