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machine gun

human history
  • Other Name

    German MG15 Aircraft or Anti-aircraft machine gun (descriptive name)

    Air Service machine-gun, WW2 (descriptive name)

  • Description

    German MG15 Aircraft or Anti-aircraft machine gun, WW2

    Rear gun of a Heinkel III Night Bomber shot down on night of Sept 8th 1940 by a Blenheim Fighter flown by Pilot Officer Herrick

    7.92mm calibre [.390 inch]; aircraft configuration; c/w magazine loaded with dummy cartridges

    markings:

    serial number: 7153-39

    pattern number: FL 45701

    manufacturer Rheinmettal, Germany, 1939-Jan 1940.

    Missing parts: saddle magazines missing

  • Place
    Germany
  • Associated Place

    Germany

    North Sea

  • Accession Date
    13 Apr 1959
  • Other Id

    W1365 (war)

    12 (police firearm registration number)

  • Department

    History

    War History

Images and documents

Artefact

  • Credit Line
    Collection of Auckland Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, W1365
  • Primary Maker

     Rheinmetall-Borsig (Manufacturer)

  • Place
    Germany
  • Date
    1930s-1940s
  • Associated Notes

    German MG15 Aircraft or Anti-aircraft machine gun, WW2

    Rear gun of a Heinkel III Night Bomber shot down on night of Sept 8th 1940 by a Blenheim Fighter flown by Captain Herrick (son of donor), Battle of Britain..

    This is probably Squadron Leader Michael James Herrick, one of four sons of EJ Herrick of Hastings. During an interception patrol on the night of 4th September, 1940, Pilot Officer Herrick sighted two enemy aircraft and destroyed them both. In his attack against the second aircraft he succeeded in closing to within thirty yards and it fell in pieces under his fire.

    Note: Defensive air service weapon for mounting in bomber aircraft, made for 75 round saddle drum magazine.

  • Associated Event
    Battle of Britain; 1940
  • Associated Person

     Michael Herrick

     Royal Air Force

  • Associated Place

    Germany

    North Sea

  • Period

    World War 2/Wars

  • Signature/marks

    7153-39 / patt no FL45701 MB WL266 / FL46162 ?? (firearm serial number)

  • Measurement Reading

    7.92mm

  • Subject Category

    air warfare/wars

  • Classification

    machine gun

    firearms

    arms & armaments

    Gun, Machine

    Firearms

    Armaments

    05 Tools & Equipment for Science & Technology

  • Last Update
    11 Oct 2023
The development of the Auckland War Memorial Museum online collection is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

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