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Fiat–Revelli Modello 1914

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The Fiat–Revelli Modello 1914 was an Italian water-cooled medium machine gun produced from 1914 to 1918. It was the standard machine-gun of the Italian Army in World War I, and was used in limited numbers into World War II.[1][2][3] The Fiat–Revelli Modello 1935 was an Italian machine gun, a modified version of the Modello 1914, which had equipped the Italian Army of World War I.[4] It was a vast improvement on the early model, offering superior penetration power due to the adoption of belt fed 8mm (8×59) rounds. The Modello 35 also omitted the oil reservoir found on the earlier Modello 14. Later it was found that the new chamber still jammed and rounds had to be lubricated before use. Despite its faults the Modello 35 saw extensive action during World War II.[5]

Fiat–Revelli Modello 1914

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Fiat–Revelli Modello 1914
TypeMedium machine gun
Place of originItaly
Service history
In service1914 – 1945
Used bySee § Users
Wars
List of conflicts
Production history
DesignerBetel Abiel Revelli
ManufacturerFiat
Produced1914 – 1918
No. built~47,500
Specifications
Mass
43.4 kg (95.68 lb)
(Fully loaded)[1]
  • Gun:
    17 kg (37.48 lb)
  • Water:
    3 kg (6.61 lb)
  • Tripod:
    22.4 kg (49.38 lb)
Length1,180 mm (46.46 in)
Barrel length654 mm (25.75 in)
Cartridge6.5×52mm Carcano
ActionDelayed blowback
Rate of fire
  • Cyclic:
    400–500 rounds/min[1]
  • Practical:
    250 rounds/min[1]
Muzzle velocity800 m/s (2,620 ft/s)[1]
Effective firing range1,000 m (1,100 yd)[1]
Maximum firing range3,000 m (3,300 yd)[1]
Feed system
Sights
  • Front Blade[1]
  • Adjustable Rear Leaf[1]

Overview

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It was very similar to the Maxim in appearance (it had a similar-looking water-cooling jacket and tripod), even though its internal workings were entirely different.

The water jacket has an unusual and thoughtful feature – in addition to the standard filling plug on top, it has two drain plugs on the bottom. One is to relieve steam pressure into a condensing can (as with all water-cooled guns), and the other allows the use of a manual recirculating pump to move condensed water back into the jacket.[2]

It was chambered for the 6.5×52mm Carcano, which eased logistics (as it was the same cartridge of the Carcano rifle) but made it somewhat underpowered compared to higher-calibre weapons, weighed 17 kg (37.48 lb) (the tripod weighed 22.4 kg (49.38 lb)) and had a firing rate of 400-500 rpm, rather low for this type of machine gun.[7]

One feature was the presence of select-fire, which allowed for the choice between single shot, "normal" fire, and full automatic fire.

Magazine

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Fiat-Revelli M1914 magazine.

The Fiat–Revelli Modello 1914 was fed from a 50-round or 100-round magazine referred to as a multi-column strip-feed box magazine (or “squirrel cage” magazine[2]), divided into 10 or 20 separate columns, each holding 5 rounds under pressure with a separate spring. Loading could be done singly, or with a loading tool that allowe you to simultaneously load rounds into 5 of the columns.[2]

The unit is inserted in the left side of the gun, and indexes on the first column of cartridges. Once they are all fired, the box is pulled inward and indexes on the next column, somewhat like a typewriter. This continues until the final column is fired, at which point the box falls out the right side of the gun and a new one can be inserted.[2][3]

Despite being a fairly compact magazine, it had a multitude of problems:

  • Flimsy construction — The magazines could easily be dented (in particular, when they fall out empty). Once dented, they would unlikely to work reliably. If any one of the ten recoil springs becomes weak, or any of the 20 feed lips is not quite right, the gun will malfunction.[2]
  • Lack of compatibility — These magazines had no compatibility with the 6-round Mannlicher type clips Italy was using in their Carcano rifles at the time.[2][3]

This magazine system was changed in the later version of the Revelli, and not used by any other production guns ever.[2]

Further development

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Some sources claim that it had a cartridge-oiling system, but the weapon manual does not mention its presence, and it seems that only a 1930 version briefly incorporated such a system.[8]

The machine gun saw some use within armored vehicles, such as the Ansaldo Light Tank Prototype 1931,[9] a precursor to the L3/33 tankette.

It was developed into the Fiat–Revelli Modello 1935.

Users

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Fiat–Revelli Modello 1935

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Mitragliatrice Fiat–Revelli Modello 1935
A Fiat-Revelli 35, mounted on its tripod.
TypeMedium machine gun
Place of originItaly
Service history
In service1937 – 1945
Used by Italy
Wars
Production history
Designed1934
ManufacturerSocietà Metallurgica Bresciana
Produced1935 – 1943
Specifications
Mass
41.1 kg (90.61 lb)
(Total weight)
  • Gun:
    18.1 kg (39.90 lb)[4][10]
  • Tripod:
    23 kg (50.71 lb)[4]
Length1,270 mm (50 in)
Barrel length653 mm (25.71 in)
Shell8×59mm Rb Breda
ActionDelayed blowback
CarriageTripod
Rate of fire500 rounds/min[4][10]
Muzzle velocity750 m/s (2,460 ft/s)
Effective firing range1,000 m (1,090 yd)[10][5]
Maximum firing range5,200 m (5,690 yd)
Feed system50-round belt[4][10]
Sights
  • Front Blade[5]
  • Adjustable Rear Leaf[5]

Development

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The Modello 1914 had seen widespread use during the World War I, but its flaws[note 1] became more and more apparent as time passed. While the Italian Army was beginning to develop the new Breda M37, it was seen convenient to modernize the many Modello 1914s still existent, and readopting them as the Modello 1914/35 (or Modello 1935).

Overview

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The Modello 35 opted for a more conventional belt feed, air-cooling, rechambering for the 8x59mm RB Breda and, after an unsuccessful attempt, discarding an oil pump to lubricate the bullets as on the Breda 30 light machine gun[11] (but some sources claim that, as the Modello 1914, this weapon still featured this troublesome design, which is not mentioned in any of the technical manuals). Also, the machine gun was prone to the cook-off of the chambered rounds during the pauses of firing.[12]

The gun has an overall length of 1700 mm, including its 650 mm barrel. Unloaded, the gun weighs 17 kg, while the tripod weighed 23 kg. Like the Modello 1914, the Modello 35 is a complete weapon system made up of the machine gun unit, the tripod mounting assembly and ammunition supply, and therefore required a multi-person crew to operate.[13]

The rechambering to the 8mm calibre and the adoption of a belt feed succeeded in improving both the stopping power and the rate of fire of the machine-gun; however, it reportedly suffered from jammings rather often.

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Fiat–Revelli Modello 1935
  • Italian soldiers aiming a Fiat-Revelli 35.
    Italian soldiers aiming a Fiat-Revelli 35.
  • Italian soldiers firing a Fiat-Revelli 35.
    Italian soldiers firing a Fiat-Revelli 35.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The Fiat–Revelli Modello 14 was heavy and cumbersome, being a water-cooled machine gun and its use of the underpowered 6.5×52mm Carcano.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "MITRAGLIATRICE MODELLO 14 - Quartermaster Section". quartermastersection.com. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Fiat-Revelli M1914". forgottenweapons.com. Forgotten Weapons. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Popenker 2010
  4. ^ a b c d e Popenker 2010
  5. ^ a b c d "MITRAGLIATRICE MODELLO 35". quartermastersection.com. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  6. ^ a b Esdaile 2018
  7. ^ Big set N°20 Armi della fanteria (infantry weapons) by John Weeks
  8. ^ Segal 2023
  9. ^ Hills 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d Poggiaroni 2020.
  11. ^ "Fiat-Revelli M1935". forgottenweapons.com. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  12. ^ Jowett 2000, pp. 13.
  13. ^ "FIAT-Revelli Modello 1935 Heavy Machine Gun (1935)". Military Factory. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
Sources
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fiat-Revelli.

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