lewis machine gun a game changer
DESCRIPTION
This is a presentation delivered by Tony Edwards to a monthly meeting of the Historical Breechloading Smallarms Association (HBSA) of Great Britain in London, UK. Website: www.hbsa-uk.org Illustration from the development, promotion, adoption and use of this iconic machine gunTRANSCRIPT
H.B.S.A.Annual Bisley Lecture
Tony Edwards
25 August 2012
The Lewis Gun
The Game Changer
Isaac Newton Lewis
1858 -
Crozier
The Lewis Range Finder
Samuel Neal McClean
1857 - 1930
McClean Automatic Musket
McClean Magazine
Modified McClean with condensing tubes
McClean with Lewis Air-cooling modification
U.S. Benet-Mercier Model of 1909
Savage first prototype
First ever firing of a machine gun from the air7 July 1912
Bisley November 1913Stickledown Range
Bisley 1913Examining the target from Stickledown
Bisley November 1913Short Century Range
B.S.A and the Lewis
Agreement 191250 guns in 7 calibres made by mid -19132 were for War Office and 1 for Admiralty£135. 0. 0. eachDelivered December 1913
These were all the Model 1913 firing from closed bolt50 round magazines
Following the Bisley Demonstration B.S.A made the following changes:
Magazine reduced to 47 rounds to reduce drag and weight
Diameter of radiator and jacket reduced
Rear sight folded from back
Most importantly
Fired from open bolt
Early British orders:
31.7.1914 5 guns W.O.* £175 ea. Plus 5 guns Admiralty. £175 1.8.1914 5 guns W.O. £16516.8.1914 15 guns W.O.* £16519.8.1914 30 guns W.O.* £16527.8.1914 100 guns W.O. £165 7.9.1914 100 guns W.O. £16512.9.1914 2 guns W.O.* £16511.2.1915 400 guns W.O. £16512.3.1915 400 guns W.O. £16521.5.1915 2,000 guns W.O. £16523.6.1915 3,000 guns W.O. £155
* For use in aeroplanes
Total Production:
1914 81915 3,6501916 21,6151917 45,5281918 62,3031919 Planned 62,020
30% of all British MG production
Price:
1914 £1751915 £1651916 £85/£80*1917 £85/£80*1918 £25/£24.10s*
*Air Service guns
Sectioned Drawing from “The Machine Gun”Longstaff and Atteridge
Early Mark I
Mid War Mark I
Oil bottle
Late War Mark I with AA sights
Why a “Game Changer”?
German Musketoon CompanyWith Madsens
Captured Lewis guns
Mauser made 7.92mm drum
SS143
SS143
1917 edition
SS143 1918 edition
SS143 1918 edition
Air Service
Scarff Ring
Twin Lewis guns on Scarff ring
Stripped Mark I with 97 round magazine
Mark II
97 round drum on stripped Mark I
From Admiralty Technical History
Case catcher bag
Norman Vane foresights
Lewis AA Mounting
Tools and accessories
Cleaning kit
Combination Tool
Clearing Plug
Gas regulator cleaners
Spanner
Luminous sights
Magazine Box
Magazine pouch
Mark III*WW2 conversion of Aircraft gun to ground role
Mark III for Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships (DEMS)