ZB-60
15mm Besa
Overview
15mm ZB-60
Axis forces using a 15mm ZB-60 in the anti-aircraft role during World War 2.
Source: Unknown author -
© Copyright lies with original owner
1940 (Besa 15mm)
Prototypes for testing, 1934 - 1937
Czechoslovakia - Zbrojovka Vsetín
Series production from 1938
Nazi Germany - Zbrojovka Vsetín
Produced under Nazi occupation as part of Herman Göring Werke
United Kingdom - BSA
License production from 1940 to 1949
About 450 under German occupation
Over 3.200 15mm Besa Mk. II
Nazi Germany
Yugoslavia
Description
Introduction
The ZB-60 is a World War 2 era heavy machine gun of Czechoslovak origin. Design efforts started in the early 1930's for a 20mm automatic gun for anti-tank service. In 1933 the design parameters were altered to the 15x104mm Skoda round as a large caliber heavy machine gun. The vast majority of these guns were produced under license in the UK as the 15mm BESA machine gun.
Design
The ZB-60 is an upscaled version of the ZB-53 design. It is a gas operated, select-fire, belt-fed weapon. It is an air cooled weapon that fires from the open bolt position. It uses steel belts feeding from right to left. A quick change barrel system allows for a greater volume of fire. For vehicle use a pistol grip with trigger was fitted. In the infantry role two horizontal handles and butterfly trigger was used.
Firepower
The ZB-60 fires the 15x104mm Skoda round. It is a belt-fed weapon using 40 round belts as designed, or 25 round belts in UK service. It is a select fire weapon with semi and fully automatic settings. Cyclic rate of fire is 420 rpm. Semi-automatic fire was deemed preferable in infantry use and vehicle mounts due to the harsh recoil. Effective range is quoted as 1.8 km. The 15mm rounds could be used against light armor. Testing showed penetration characteristics of 28 mm steel at 50 meters, 16 mm at 350 meters and 6 mm at 1.5 km.
Platforms
In the infantry role the ZB-60 was mounted on a two wheel tripod mount. When employed on its tripod it provided a more stable platform and allowed it to be used in the anti-aircraft role as well. Gun and wheeled mount weighed 205 kg. This could be manhandled in the field by its crew.
Several types of fortification mounts and turrets were tested but never uses. ZB-60 was planned for use on the Skoda T-2 reconnaissance tank, which was never adopted due to the occupation of Czechoslovakia. In UK service the 15mm Besa was used on various marks of Humber armored cars and Mk.VI light tanks. The 15mm Besa was issued with 25 round belts, limiting practical rate of fire. The 15mm Besa was mostly used in semi-automatic due to recoil and these shorter belts.
Users
As early as 1934 the ZB-60 was tested by the Czechoslovak military. Which did not adopt it due to accuracy concerns and excessive recoil even with its weight. For several years it was planned as a fortification gun where the recoil could be easily managed by stronger mounts, until the heavy machine gun was dropped from the fortification concepts. In 1937 the ZB-60 was adopted by Yugoslavia and the UK acquired a license. A batch was sold to Iran. Under Nazi German occupation captured weapons and newly produced ones were used as anti-aircraft guns, including by the Kriegsmarine.
Variants
15mm ZB-60
ZB-60 heavy machine gun seen on its infantry wheeled tripod mount. Unusual setup with pneumatic tires. Reportedly photographed in 1938.
Source: www.modernfirearms.net -
© CC BY-SA 4.0
List of production models
Details
Nomenclature
15mm Besa Mk. II
Right side view of British produced 15mm Besa Mk. II vehicle machine gun.
Source: Unknown author -
© Copyright lies with original owner
List of designations
Media
15mm ZB-60
ZB-60 heavy machine gun used in the infantry role on a tripod. Note that the wheels have been detached.
Source: Bev Fitchett's Guns Magazine
Copyright: CC BY 3.0
15mm ZB-60
Captured ex-Yugoslav Mitralez 15 mm M 38. Known under the Beutewaffe index as Fliegerabwehr-Maschinengewehr 490 (j). Photographed in December of 1941.
Source: Heereswaffenamt
Copyright: Public domain
15mm ZB-60
Italian officers inspecting captured Yugoslav ZB-60 heavy machine guns on tripod mounts.
Source: Archivio Centrale dello Stato
Copyright: Public domain
15mm ZB-60
Former Nazi-German ZB-60 on heavy tripod mount seen on display in the Athens War Museum in 2022.
Source: George E. Koronaios
Copyright: CC BY-SA 4.0
15mm ZB-60
A 15mm ZB-60 in naval service with Nazi Germany during World War 2.
Source: Rwcmilitaria
Copyright: Copyright lies with original owner
15mm ZB-60
Axis forces using a 15mm ZB-60 in the anti-aircraft role during World War 2.
Source: Unknown author
Copyright: Copyright lies with original owner
15mm ZB-60
Axis forces using a 15mm ZB-60 on a tripod mount during World War 2.
Source: Unknown author
Copyright: Copyright lies with original owner
15mm ZB-60
A 15mm ZB-60 in naval service with Nazi Germany during World War 2.
Source: Unknown author
Copyright: Copyright lies with original owner
15mm ZB-60
Axis forces using a 15mm ZB-60 in the anti-aircraft role during World War 2. Note the tree stump mount.
Source: Unknown author
Copyright: Copyright lies with original owner
15mm ZB-60
Axis forces using a 15mm ZB-60 in the anti-aircraft role during World War 2.
Source: Unknown author
Copyright: Copyright lies with original owner
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