This article deals with the Browning primarily as an aircraft and naval weapon. See the article on Small Arms for further discussion of the Browning as an infantry weapon.
| Bore |
0.5" 12.7mm |
| Ammunition
type |
AP, ball, incendiary, or tracer
solid shot in 110-round belts |
|
Weight of projectile |
1.6 ounce 45.4 gram |
|
Velocity |
2930 feet per second 893 meters per second |
|
Range |
7400 yards 6770 meters |
|
Altitude |
15,000 feet 4570 meters |
| Rate of fire | 550-700 rounds per minute |
The Browning 0.50 machine gun was a successful heavy machine
gun design when used on land and in the air. It had significant
armor
piercing capability against aircraft armor and
light Japanese
tanks. Both
air-cooled and water-cooled versions were used on land. Those
mounted on
aircraft were invariably air-cooled since the slip stream provided a
highly
efficient flow of air.
The Browning was much less successful as a naval antiaircraft gun and was replaced with 20mm Oerlikons as fast as these became available. Its round was simply not heavy enough to do the job. The weapon was more effective in its role as an antipersonnel weapon on submarines, PT boats, and other small craft.
References
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia (c) 2007-2008 by Kent G. Budge. Index
