The German flexible aircraft machine gun, M.G. 131, 13 mm, is the Nazi tactical counterpart of the U.S. Browning, cal. .50, M2. Action is a Solothurn type—that is, the locking cam on a rotating bolt head engages a cylindrical locking collar to lock the action for firing. It is fed by a metallic disintegrating-link belt.
The M.G. 131 is used singly and in twin-mounted versions in hand-operated mounts and power-operated turrets in many German bombers. The recoil operation is assisted by a muzzle recoil booster. It is unusual in that the cartridges are ignited electrically instead of by a mechanically operated firing pin.
It is a recoil-operated, gas-assisted, belt-fed, air-cooled, automatic weapon that is coming into more extensive use in the German Air Force.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Caliber | 13 mm (.512 in.) | |
| Weight | 40 lb. | |
| Length | 46 ins. | |
| Rate of fire | 900 rds./min.—cyclic | |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,370 f/s | |
| Sights | Refractor type on mount | |
| Ammunition | 13 mm Solothurn types—A. P., T; H. E., T |
German: p. 222