World War II Database

Country of Origin	Czechoslovakia
Type	Machine Gun
Caliber	15.000 mm
Capacity	40 rounds
Length	2.050 m
Barrel Length	1.400 m
Weight	55.000 kg
Rate of Fire	420 rounds/min
Muzzle Velocity	860 m/s

Contributor: Alan Chanter

ww2dbaseZB-60 heavy machine guns were designed by Zbrojovka Brno in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s. They were simply an enlargement of the ZB-53 vz. 1937 design, using 15-millimeter rounds rather than 7.92-millimeter rounds. They were almost exclusively used as vehicle-mounted weapons. Many examples were captured by the Germans during WW2, and were pressed into service under the designation of 15 mm FlaMG 39(t) as light machine guns.

The United Kingdom license-built its own variant of the ZB-53 and ZB-60 machine guns, both named BESA Machine Guns after their manufacturer, the Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA). The British variant of the 15-millimeter machine gun was solely for use as the primary armament in armoured cars. They fired at the rate of 450 rounds per minute and was an extremely effective weapon – but only 3,200 were ever made; it does not seem to have been popular largely due to its size and weight. It was considered to be obsolete not long after the end of the war.

Source:
Ian V. Hogg, The illustrated Encyclopedia of Firearms (New Burlington Books. 1978)
Wikipedia ww2dbase

Last Major Revision: Feb 2023

Photographs

Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Share this article with your friends:  Facebook  Reddit  Twitter Stay updated with WW2DB:  RSS Feeds

Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
	Your email will not be published
Comment Type	General comment/question Additional information about this page Looking for more information on this topic Looking for information about my relative
Your Comments
	Submit

Notes:

1. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB.

2. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ.