SAFAT M1926 machine gun

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	Weapon: SAFAT M1926 machine gun Type: Heavy Machine Gun Country of Origin: Italy Year Adopted: 1926 Overall Length (mm): 1100.0 Overall Length (in): 43.31 Weight (kg): 8.00 Weight (pounds): 17.64

The SAFAT M1926 was an Italian-designed aircraft machine gun produced by the Societa Anonima Fabrica Armi Torino (SAFAT) in the interwar period. Chambered in the 7.7x56mmR (.303 British) cartridge, the M1926 was developed to equip the growing Italian Air Force with a reliable, belt-fed machine gun suitable for aerial combat. It featured an air-cooled design and was operated by a short recoil mechanism, delivering a respectable rate of fire optimized for its role in fighter planes and bombers.

Production of the SAFAT M1926 began in the late 1920s, and it became one of the standard armaments for Italian military aircraft throughout the 1930s and early 1940s. As aviation technology advanced, the M1926 was increasingly supplemented and eventually replaced by larger caliber weapons like the 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun. However, the M1926 was produced in significant numbers, with tens of thousands manufactured to meet the demands of Italy's expanding air force.

The SAFAT M1926 gained notoriety for its relatively lightweight and dependable operation in aerial combat, though it was eventually outclassed by more powerful armaments used by other nations. It served in conflicts such as the Spanish Civil War and the early stages of World War II, where it provided adequate firepower against lightly armored aircraft. Today, the SAFAT M1926 is remembered as a transitional weapon in the evolution of aerial machine guns, reflecting the rapid technological advancements in warfare during the early 20th century.