Breda-SAFAT machine gun

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Breda-SAFAT machine gun - 12.7x81mmSR

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Breda-SAFAT machine gun - 7.7x56mmR

The Breda-SAFAT machine guns are a pair of related aircraft machine guns developed by Italy during the early 1930s. The smaller gun was developed from the Browning M1919 and chambered for 7.7x56mmR (Italian-produced .303 British) while its larger sibling was developed from the Browning M1921 (which would soon become the Browning M2) and chambered in 12.7x81mmSR (Italian-produced .50 Vickers). The 12.7mm gun was equipped on basically every Italian fighter aircraft of the mid 1930s through World War II, as well as as defensive armament on bombers and other such aircraft, while the 7.7mm gun was also used in defensive positions and as a supplementary weapon to the 12.7mms on some fighters. As rifle-caliber machine guns were quickly deemed ineffective during the war, many fighter pilots had the 7.7mm guns removed to save weight; many late-war fighter aircraft would instead feature German MG 151/20 cannons to supplement the 12.7mm MGs. Although they weren't used in aircraft after WWII, some Breda-SAFAT machine guns were kept in service as AA weapons and similar into the 1980s.

The Japanese Ho-103 machine gun, also developed from the Browning M1921, is chambered for the same Italian 12.7x81mmSR cartridge.

The Breda-SAFAT machine gun appears in the following films and video games used by the following actors:

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Forgotten Hope 2			Mounted on Macchi C.200 Saetta and Macchi C.202 Folgore fighters	2012

Anime

Title	Character	Note	Air Date
Porco Rosso		mounted on Savoia Marchetti S.55; 7.7x56mmR version	1992
Strike Witches 2		12.7mm, mounted in C.202 fighters	2012
Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow		12.7mm, mounted in P.108 bombers	2014-2015

See Also

• Breda Meccanica Bresciana - A list of all weapons produced by Breda.