The Parabellum LMG 14 (also seen as Parabellum MG 14 or LMG 14/17 for later variants) was Germany’s purpose-built aircraft adaptation of the Maxim family of machine guns. Designed and manufactured by DWM (Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken), it was lightened and reworked for aerial use — featuring an air-cooled or reduced-jacket barrel, cloth-belt feed, high cyclic rate and a much smaller, lighter receiver than the MG 08 infantry gun. The gun was widely used as an observer’s flexible defensive weapon in German two-seat reconnaissance machines, bombers and airships, and it also featured in early experiments with synchronisation on Fokker prototypes.

Typical installations & variants

• LMG 14 (MG 14) — aircraft version introduced c.1914, optimised for flexible mounts and airship use (light weight, high rate of fire).
• LMG 14/17 — later refinement with slimmer jacket and sights; common in surviving examples and late-war mounts.

The weapon normally fed from a closed drum or short cloth belt spool and was mounted on observer ring mounts or flexible pintles; it was favoured where a high rate of fire and reduced weight were required.

Aircraft equipped with the Parabellum LMG 14

• Halberstadt CL.II – observer’s flexible defensive gun.
• Gotha G.IV – bomber defensive mounts.
• Rumpler C.IV – observer’s defensive gun on two-seat reconnaissance aircraft.
• LVG C.V – two-seat reconnaissance planes with flexible mounts.
• Gotha G.I – early bomber defensive armament.

Historical significance

The Parabellum LMG 14 was a crucial development in German aviation armament. It allowed observers and airship crews to carry a reliable, high-rate-of-fire machine gun without the weight penalties of standard MG 08s. It also contributed to the early experiments with synchronized guns, paving the way for fixed forward-firing armament on fighter aircraft.

The set includes one turned brass barrels with drilled cooling jacket. It is very simple to use in your model, and makes it extremely realistic. Simply cut off the original plastic barrel and drill a hole in the remaining plastic parts and insert the metal barrel using Cyanoacrylate adhesives. We advise soldering to join metal parts together.{{freeshipping_code_1}}{{payment}}