Lahti's Last Machine Gun: The L33/39 Antiaircraft Gun (ad-free full version)
Added 2022-09-09 12:01:01 +0000 UTCIn response to a Finnish military need for a machine gun better than the old Maxim for aerial and anti-aircraft use, Aimo Lahti developed the L33 machine gun from the basis of the Lahti-Saloranta design. It was recoil operated, with the ubiquitous Lahti accelerator lever, and a quite high rate of fire. Total production was quite small, but several different versions of the gun were made for mounted AA use, aircraft wing mounting, and aerial observer mounts. This example is from the last pattern, the L33/39. Despite its designation, deliveries were not made until after the end of the Continuation War, as the manufacturer (VKT) had many higher priority projects during the fighting. The L33/39 is chambered for the standard Finnish 7.62x54 (53)mm cartridge, and uses a 75-round pan type magazine.
We also take the Lahti L33/39 out at the range to try out. We have the gun on a naval-type cone mount, but it is not secured down to the ground. I was taken rather aback by the really high rate of fire, and the gun rocked back on its mount more than I expected! In addition, it was extremely difficult to load the magazines, as we didn't have the original loading machine.
Comments
A 75 round drum is pretty small, given the Lahti's rate of fire; you would spend more time changing magazines than actually firing at an attacking aircraft.
Grant Janzen
2022-09-12 19:35:13 +0000 UTCThe instability of the mounting system in this particular case really makes a huge difference it seems.
Matisse Enzer
2022-09-12 14:59:39 +0000 UTCIt would be interesting during editing the video to try and approximate the rate of fire. Sounds very, very high. Regarding YT - I heard they don't like "high capacity feeding devices"
Farmer Brown
2022-09-10 20:47:30 +0000 UTCI don't think anyone knows, especially not YT themselves.
Alexander Thomas
2022-09-10 12:15:27 +0000 UTCVery similar in form to a vickers k
Christopher Maclennan
2022-09-09 21:56:47 +0000 UTCsounds close to a 36 or 42. looks almost new.
Guido Schriewer
2022-09-09 18:12:49 +0000 UTCThe "trumpet pedestal" should be bolted on a deck of a ship... so you could lean on the support strap and actually hit something.
Risto Alanko
2022-09-09 17:33:34 +0000 UTCWhat was YT's stated reason for banning the shooting sequences?
ViejoLobo
2022-09-09 16:22:23 +0000 UTCI did not get a notification either
Robert N Ayres
2022-09-09 16:17:01 +0000 UTCWeird, I didn't receive an email from Patreon for this.
2022-09-09 15:38:07 +0000 UTCI don't understand: what exactly is YT banning? Any shooting from a machine gun? Any shooting with automatic fire? Any shooting at all? Sorry for my ignorance.
Robert Socal
2022-09-09 15:10:48 +0000 UTC
