By Dolf L. Goldsmith
Published by Chipotle Publishing, LLC
Available from:
Dolf Goldsmith
P.O. Box 160249
San Antonio, Texas 78280
Price: $129.95 Plus $10 Shipping and Handling
This monumental 928 page 11&1/4” X 8 & 1/2” hardcover book is the updated and expanded version of Dolf’s original book on the Vickers machine gun, “The Grand Old Lady of No Man’s Land.”
Every aspect of the Vickers gun, it’s history, use, operation, maintenance, etc. is covered in extraordinary detail. Even the types of steels used in the various parts are given along with their alloy composition and heat treatment. Every tool and accessory is shown as are all the variations and experimental versions. Its worldwide use is described country by country. Most people today don’t know that the U.S. used these guns in WW1 and the WW2 Japanese Zero fighter plane had two Vickers guns synchronized to fire through the propeller in addition to two 20MM cannon in its wings.
The Vickers is the British variation of the original Maxim machine gun and like the Maxim it is capable of firing 12 to 15 million rounds, stopping only to change barrels as they wear out, and still be ready to fire again. No guns since then can match this performance. The design life of the parts of the vaunted Browning machine gun varies from 40,000 to 100,000 rounds depending on the part. That certainly pales by comparison to the older designs yet the Browning is also far superior in longevity to more recent designs like the M60 machine gun of the Viet Nam era.
The devastating machine gun fire of the First World War can no longer be effected by todays weapons. They required a water cooled machine gun because even if you have quick change barrels and keep them swapped out the heat will eventually spread to the receiver to the point that the overheated parts expand and the gun locks up until it cools down. Newer is not always better and when the new replacement tools can’t do the job of the old tools it is time to bring the old tools back.
This book is a must for anyone wanting a complete understanding of this iconic weapon.—Jim Dickson
