ZB vz. 26

The '''ZB vz. 26''' was a Czechoslovak light machine gun developed in the 1920s, which went on to enter service with several countries. It saw its major use during World War II, and spawned the related ZB vz. 27, vz. 30, and vz. 33. The ZB vz. 26 influenced many other light machine gun designs including the Bren light machine gun, FM 24/29 light machine gun, and the Type 99 Light Machine Gun. The ZB-26 is famous for its reliability, simple components, quick-change barrel and ease of manufacturing. This light machine gun in the Czechoslovak army was marked as the '''LK vz. 26''' ("LK" means "lehký kulomet", light machine gun. "vz" means "vzor", Model). ZB vz. 26 is incorrect marking because "ZB" is factory marking (Československá zbrojovka v Brně) and "vzor" or "vz" is army marking.

Development
Development of the ZB-26 began in 1923 after the Czechoslovak Brno arms factory was built. Designer Václav Holek was charged by the Czechoslovak army with producing a new light machine gun. He was assisted by his brother Emmanuel, as well as two expatriate Poles: Marek and Podrabsky. Holek was a genius as a firearms designer; he quickly began work on a prototype and within a year the quartet had created an automatic light machine gun that was later known as the ZB. The Czechoslovak army quickly adopted the ZB as the vz. 26, and many other countries later adopted the ZB or similar designs.

Deployment
The ZB-26 saw service with the Czechoslovak infantry, as well as being the primary or secondary armament on many later model Škoda armored vehicles. The gun possessed a bipod and could also be mounted on a tripod for better fire support efficiency if needed.

The Wehrmacht soon adopted the ZB-26 after the occupation of Czechoslovakia, renaming it the MG 26(t); it was used in the same role as the MG 34, as a light machine gun. In the opening phases of World War II, the ZB-26 in 7.92 mm Mauser caliber was used in large numbers by elements of the German Waffen SS, who at first did not have full access to standard Wehrmacht supply channels. In its most famous incarnation the ZB-26 was modified by ZB and British technicians, entering service as the famous Bren gun. Many more countries imported or produced the design under license, including China, Yugoslavia, and Lithuania. Chinese Nationalist forces used the ZB-26 in 8x57 IS in their struggle with Communist Chinese and later Japanese forces. According to Brno, from 1927 to 1939, a total of 30,249 ZB-26 were exported to China. During this time due to high demand, Chinese small-arms factories, state owned as well as those controlled by various warlords, were producing the ZB-26. During the Korean War, Chinese Communist forces employed the ZB-26 against UN forces, and PVA ZB gunners developed a well-deserved reputation for long-range marksmanship. During the First Indochina War with French and later South Vietnamese forces, the ZB-26 was found in the hands of both North Vietnamese army and Viet Minh guerrillas.

Variants

 * ZB vz. 24: the weapon's predecessor.
 * ZB vz. 27: later variant.
 * ZB vz. 30: later variant.
 * ZGB 30: final modifications to the vz. 30 for British trials.
 * ZGB 33: in its final form was virtually identical to the British Bren light machine gun.
 * ZB 39: commercial variant of the Bren, chambered in various different rounds and having different sights, among other minor changes.

More designations appear depending on the adopting army, though generally the gun retains its 'ZB 26' initials in one form or another.

Although the ZB 26 had few variants, some weapons were closely based on it:


 * Japanese Type 96 and Type 97 light machine guns: were closely modeled on the ZB 26 and the Bren.
 * Finnish Kk 62 light machine gun.
 * German MKb 42(h) assault rifle: used a virtually identical, although inverted, bolt/bolt carrier system.
 * Spanish Fusil Automatico Oviedo (F.A.O.).

Users

 * 🇧🇴 Bolivia
 * Czechoslovakia
 * 🇪🇨 Ecuador
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * Nazi Germany
 * 🇱🇹 Lithuania
 * Manchukuo
 * North Vietnam
 * 🇵🇪 Peru
 * People's Republic of China
 * 🇵🇭 Philippines (used by the Philippine guerrilla resistance during World War II)
 * Republic of China
 * Republic of Korea (Korean Liberation Army Used at during Second Sino-Japanese War by National Revolutionary Army)
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇸🇰 Slovakia
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden
 * 🇹🇷 Turkey
 * Kingdom of Yugoslavia
 * 🇰🇵 North Korea
 * 🇮🇷 Iran
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia