SOLD - Colt Model 1918 11mm Vickers "Balloon Buster" Machine Gun - Transferable

SOLD

$11,995.00

UPC:

SKU:: A1289 - 42434 - RK

Description

04/20/26 - For sale is a Colt 11mm Vickers "Balloon Buster" machine gun chambered in a variation of 11x59r or 11mm Gras. The ammunition would contain an incendiary payload to target observation balloons over the battlefield. Colt would make modifications to the standard Vicker's Machinegun design (which is based on the Maxim Machine gun) to make it usable within an aircraft. An interruptor or a synchronizing mechanism were installed on top of the gun to prevent the gun from firing into the propeller. The adjustment mechanism for the spring tension was also modified to allow the pilot to make changes from the cockpit.

This gun is in excellent condition, with the metal having a nice dark phosphate finish. The left side of the receiver has an area where the finish was ground off, and "US Armaments Corp, Ephrata, PA" was stamped below the feed tray on the left side wall when reactivated. The heatshield around the barrel has a large dent on the left side as a method to deactivate the firearm. The bore is fairly bright but there are spotting of pitting visible in the grooves. The rifling is still strong. The gun cycles properly. Included is another Vickers feeding tray. The serial number of the bolt does not match.