Yet the British Army would be armed with the next evolution of the Maxim.
That included inverting the mechanism while at the same time reducing the weight by lightening and simplifying the action.
This also allowed the weapon to be used in tighter defensive positions.
A staged photo showing a Vickers team training with a World War I-era Vickers – note the ammo belt is empty. Image: Private collection
It had an effective range of about 2,000 meters and a maximum range of 4,100 meters.
It was widely employed on a brass or later steel tripod while it was fed from 250-round canvas belts.
As a result of the 170,000 officers and men, some 62,000 became causalities including almost 12,500 killed.
The Vickers was used as the main British heavy machine gun in both World Wars. The one above is representative of aWWII-era gun.
The MCG earned the morbid nickname, The Suicide Club.
The unit was disbanded in 1922, and the Vickers was returned to the infantry.
It wasnt just on the aircraft during World War II and beyond in which the Vickers found a role.
The fluted barrel helps identify this as a World War I Vickers manned by an Australian team. Image: Private collection
A few have even been used in the 21st century, most recently in the Syrian Civil War.
Unfortunately the Vickers hasnt gotten the love from video game designers, at least not yet.
The Vickers was among the first of the Maxim-based machine guns to feature a muzzle booster on the front. This helped with stability and accuracy.
The Vickers was a heavy machine gun, and as a result needed a tripod for optimal use.
The classic Vickers design is easily recognizable to military collectors around the world.
The Vickers fired from a closed bolt which made it suitable for use in WWI biplanes in addition to its more traditional role shown here.
The Vickers was seen in famous war movies including 1962’sLawrence of Arabia. Image: Horizon Pictures
The Vickers machine gun could be seen alongside Uzi SMGs and FN FAL rifles in the 1978 mercenary yarnThe Wild Geese. Image: Euan Lloyd Productions
