| Vz. 26 | |
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Czechoslovakian Soldiers with a ZB vz. 26 and a vz. 24. |
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| Type | Light machine gun |
| Place of origin | Czechoslovakia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1924– |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | Second Sino-Japanese War, World War II, Korean War, Chinese Civil War, Spanish Civil War other conflicts |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1923 |
| Manufacturer | Zbrojovka Brno |
| Produced | 1924–1945 |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 10.5 kg (23.15 lb) |
| Length | 1,150 mm (45.3 in) |
| Barrel length | 672 mm (26.5 in) |
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| Cartridge | 8x57mm IS |
| Caliber | 7.9mm |
| Action | Gas-operated, tilting breechblock |
| Rate of fire | 500 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 744 m/s (2,441 ft/s) |
| Effective range | 1,000 m (1,100 yd) |
| Feed system | 20-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Front blade, rear leaf sight |
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.
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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.
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 support fire 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.
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:
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