PRODUCTION HISTORY
DESIGNED | 1912 |
MANUFACTURER | Vickers |
PRODUCED | 1912–1968 |
SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT | 33–51 lb (15–23 kg) all-up |
LENGTH | 3 ft 8 in (1.12 m) |
BARREL LENGTH | 28 in (720 mm) |
CREW | three man crew |
CARTRIDGE | .303 British .30-06 Springfield |
ACTION | recoil with gas boost |
RATE OF FIRE | 450 to 500 round/min |
MUZZLE VELOCITY | 2440 ft/s (744 m/s) |
EFFECTIVE FIRING RANGE | 2,187 yd (2,000 m) |
MAXIMUM FIRING RANGE | 4,500 yd (4,100 m) indirect fire |
FEED SYSTEM | 250-round canvas belt |

An unidentified soldier of the 6th Australian Light Horse Regiment in a trench bay with a Vickers-Maxim machine gun, which was one of the first machine guns to be mounted for anti aircraft work at Anzac. The objective was to get an all round traverse and high angle fire.

The 1st Machine Gun Brigade firing rounds during a practise drill at Serapeum, on the Suez canal, after the evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula. These Maxim heavy machine guns have been mounted on Vickers tripods which have been reversed to enable the weapon to be elevated for anti-aircraft use. The soldiers watching over the proceedings are identified as Walker and McGregor.