Ferenc Gebauer

Ferenc Gebauer (25 June 1888 – 1958) was an Austrian-born Hungarian firearms designer and pilot during the First World War.

Early life and career Gebauer was born as Franz Gebauer on 25 June 1888 in Velké Heraltice | (Groß Herrlitz in German) in Austria-Hungary to Wawra Józefa. From 1901 to 1911 he worked as a plant manager for a car factory in Germany, He served in World War I in the Austro-Hungarian Air Force (KuK Luftfahrtruppen) as a car courier officer of the army headquarters (August 21, 1914 to March 1915), Colonel Uzelac of the K.u.K. Luftfahrtruppen – Fliegerarsenal (Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops) was impressed by the inventor's ideas and pushed through plans for three prototypes to be created over four months.

Trials started in 1917, and in June 1918 the test pilots gave favorable results to the third prototype. This resulted in the creation of the Gebauer Machine Gun 1918.M (GMP 1918.M), of which 100 (later 500) were ordered from the Öfam-Sollux Company. While the 1918.M was developed too late for practical use in World War I, it was tested on various types of aircraft, including the Albatros D.III, Halberstadt D.II, Fokker D.VII, and WKF D.I.

Notable weapons + GKM = Gebauer Kényszermeghajtású Motorgéppuska (Gebauer Positive-Driven Motor-Machine Gun) Model Caliber Feed Type Length Weight Rate of Fire Muzzle Energy Muzzle Velocity Installed On Notes Gebauer Machine Gun 1918.M 8×50mmR Mannlicher Belt, 500 rounds per barrel 1150 mm 42.5 kg 1,500 rpm WKF D.I Double-barreled. Not used in combat due to the end of World War I. As it was driven directly by the engine's speed, the rate of fire varied. RoF listed represents the maximum rounds/min. On the WKF D.I, this also reduced the engine's power by up to 10%. Gebauer Machine Gun 1926/31.M 7.92×57mm Mauser Belt, 500 rounds per barrel 1150 mm 15.5 kg (single) 42.5 kg (double) 1,330 rpm (per barrel) Fiat CR.32 IMAM Ro.37

Heinkel He 46

Weiss WM-16 Budapest

Weiss WM-21 Sólyom Installed in both single and double barrel configurations. Gebauer 1934.M GKM 7.92×57mm Mauser Drum, 100 cartridges 1100 mm 9.5 kg 1,200 rpm 3569.87 J 730 m/s Caproni Ca.101 Caproni Ca.310

Heinkel He 46

Heinkel He 70K Blitz

Junkers Ju 86 K-2

Weiss WM-16 Budapest

39M Csaba

43M Turán III

Weiss Manfréd WM-23 Ezüst NyílOnly wing-mounted Gebauer machine gun. Gas-operated. Could fire as fast as 2,038 rpm. Was not developed further and only few were produced as 8 mm machine guns were deemed as too weak for defeating aircraft in 1939. Gebauer GKM Machine Gun 1940.M 12.7x81mmSR Belt, 600 rounds (300 per barrel) 1290 mm 15.5 kg (single) 44 kg (double) 2,000 rpm (double barrel) 1,200 J 800 m/s Fiat CR.42 Falco MÁVAG Héja II

Weiss Manfréd WM-23 Ezüst Nyíl Installed in both single and double barrel configurations. Engine-driven machine gun. Some sources say rate of fire was as high as 2,600 rpm for the double barrel gun (1,300 rpm per barrel). Chambered for the same ammunition as the Italian 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT. In 1943 Italy purchased the licence to produce the Gebauer 1940.M GKM, although it is unknown if the Italians made any.