Description
The MG 151/20 was a 20 mm aircraft-mounted autocannon produced by Waffenfabrik Mauser during World War II. It was widely used on German Luftwaffe fighters, night fighters, fighter-bombers, bombers and ground-attack aircraft. The “Drilling” set-up featured three guns, which are cocked manually and percussion fired, each set coaxially and in the same plane. Each gun is held in a standard MG 151 aircraft cradle, less the body extension. The cradles are bolted to a common block on the top bracket of the pedestal, pivoting on trunnions for elevation and depression. The top bracket is bolted to a bottom conical skirt and the whole rotates freely on a cone pedestal fixed to the floor of the vehicle. Elevation (-5° to 49°) and traverse (360°) are shoulder controlled by the firer. A brake locking device is provided for traverse. The guns, capable of firing 700 r.p.m. each, are belt fed, the belts being contained in steel boxes, one for each gun. A total of 3,000 rounds of ammunition in belts is carried in the vehicle. Penetration of A.P. projectiles fired from the 15 mm MG 151 is reported as 18 mm from 100 meters at 30 degrees. Sighting apparatus consists of a telescopic sight with a magnification of 3 and a field of view of 8 degrees; a cartwheel type antiaircraft sight, and a hand periscope with a magnification of 8 and a field of view of 7.5 degrees.
Sd.Kfz. 251/21 – Schützenpanzerwagen (Drilling MG151s). Anti-aircraft and ground support variant equipped with a triple-mount (“Drilling” in German means “triple”) of MG151 autocannon; early version being MG151/15 mm cannon, later being MG151/20 mm Luftwaffe cannon, on a Kriegsmarine triple mount. Strong firepower, especially when organised into platoons of 6 SPW. However, with a combined rate of fire of 2000 RPM, it could fire off its full load of 3000 rounds in just 90 seconds.
Made of iron and steel, this Mount Assembly would have been manufactured between 1944 and 1945. There is some slight corrosion and damage as you can see in the photos, but VERY solid otherwise! The previous owner cleaned up a lot of the corrosion, but left all the original Dunkelgelb paint on the front. One large crack in the iron mount, but that could be stitched/welded up. Features a prominent part number on the side. Sadly, the rear half is missing, as they were made of magnesium, and never survive as humidity literally melts it away. As this belonged to the center section of the mount, the fixed aiming sight is still present, alsong with the steel protection cage. Normally, this would have also had a thin aluminum sun shield over top (see photos for reference). The remaining steel mount parts contain the main fixing point; 4 buffer springs; and a large section of MG151. A VERY RARE item to obtain, I have indicated its location in the last photos. It would make a SUPERB addition to any collection, display, or restoration project!
