What Is the Lewis Gun and Who Designed and Produced It?
The Lewis Gun is a light machine gun that was designed by U.S. Army Colonel Isaac Newton Lewis in 1911. It was manufactured by the Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) in the United Kingdom and by Savage Arms in the United States. The Lewis Gun is notable for its air-cooled design and a distinctive top-mounted drum magazine.
Armament Specifications
- Caliber: .303 British (7.7 mm)
- Type: Air-cooled, gas-operated light machine gun
- Weight: Approximately 12 kg (26.5 lb)
- Length: 1,219 mm (48 in)
- Rate of Fire: Approximately 500-600 rounds per minute
- Barrel Length: 670 mm (26.4 in)
- Muzzle Velocity: Approximately 730 m/s (2,400 ft/s)
- Effective Range: Up to 800 meters (2,625 ft)
- Feed System: 47 or 97-round drum magazine
- Operating Principle: Gas-operated, fully-automatic
Aircraft That Used This Gun
Numerous aircraft during World War I were equipped with the Lewis Gun, including:
- Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2: This British reconnaissance and light bomber aircraft was one of the first to be fitted with the Lewis Gun for aerial combat.
- Sopwith Camel: One of the most famous British fighter aircraft of World War I, the Sopwith Camel, often mounted a Lewis Gun on the upper wing to engage enemy aircraft.
- Nieuport 17: This French biplane fighter utilized the Lewis Gun as its primary armament, firing through the propeller arc via synchronization gear.
- SPAD VII: A French biplane fighter, the SPAD VII, frequently carried a Lewis Gun for air combat missions, serving alongside the SPAD S.XIII.
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.1 And B.E.2
The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine, two-seat biplane designed by the Royal Aircraft Factory and used during WW1.
Nieuport 17
The Nieuport 17 was a French sesquiplane fighter aircraft designed by the Nieuport company and used during World War I.
SPAD S.VII
The SPAD S.VII was a series of successful French biplane fighter aircraft produced by Société Pour L’Aviation et ses Dérivés and used during WW1.
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel is a British WW1 single-seat biplane fighter that was used in the Western Front in 1917.
A Short History of the Lewis Gun
The Lewis Gun was originally designed as an infantry support weapon, but its versatility and relatively lightweight made it suitable for aircraft use. In 1913, a synchronization gear was developed to allow the Lewis Gun to fire through the propeller arc of aircraft without striking the blades. This innovation greatly increased its effectiveness in air-to-air combat.
During World War I, the Lewis Gun became one of the most widely used aircraft-mounted machine guns by Allied forces. It saw extensive use on aircraft such as fighter planes, reconnaissance aircraft, and light bombers. The Lewis Gun’s reliability and ease of operation made it a favored weapon among pilots during the conflict.
