The MG 42 (shortened from German: Maschinengewehr 42, or "machine gun 42") is a German recoil-operated air-cooled general-purpose machine gun used extensively by the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS during the second half of World War II.

In spite of its tendency to overheat, the MG-42 was an excellent weapon that was light-years of ahead of the US counterpart, the Browning M-1919A4 machine gun. Germany produced roughly 400,000 MG-42s during the war, some of which are still in active service.

Oct 3, 2022 · With the need for a cheaper machine gun, the Germans developed the MG-42. Learn about its use during WWII and the weapons it inspired.

Whether called the “linoleum ripper” by Soviet soldiers, the “Spandau” by the British, “Hitler’s zipper” by the Americans, or Hitlersage (“Hitler’s saw”) or “Bonesaw” by its German users, the MG 42 machine gun proved its combat worth on every European battlefield.

Mar 26, 2021 · Many military historians argue that the Maschinengewehr 42 – better known as the MG 42 – was the best general-purpose machine gun ever made. It fired up to 1,800 rounds per minute in some versions. That’s nearly twice as fast as any automatic weapon fielded by any army in the world at the time.

Oct 24, 2022 · A German Waffen SS soldier involved in heavy fighting in and around the French town of Caen in mid-1944. He is carrying an MG42 configured as a light support weapon with a folding bipod and detachable 50-round Gurttrommel belt drum container.

Oct 22, 2017 · The German Maschinengewehr 42, or MG42, was one of the best machine-guns of the war, both in combat and in ease of production. It set the standard for machine-guns in the years that followed, and as such was the most important machine-gun of the war.

During World War II, the MG42 machine gun was a reliable and powerful symbol of German engineering. This article takes an in-depth look at this iconic firearm, covering its design, historical significance, operational capabilities, and its lasting impact on modern warfare.

Jan 10, 2025 · MG42, German general-purpose machine gun, used as a standard weapon by many armies around the world. The MG42 was designed in Germany in 1938, and it was placed in action on all fronts by mid-1942.

German machine gun MG42, the deadliest infantry weapon of WW2. History, development, service, specifications, statistics, pictures, video and 3D model.