When Japan hung a black cloud over whole China, Chinese under-resourced industry was too weak to build sophisticated warplanes, but still strong enough to mass produce basic equipment, e.g. the magnificent ZB-26 light machine gun. China was the major user of this universal automatic weapon, more than 100,000 ZB-26s were imported or licensed-built in China. According to the records by its Czech originator, Brno, a total of 30,249 ZB-26s were delivered to China between 1927-39. During the Sino-Japanese War, 39,744 "Czech machine guns" were locally made. Formally adopted in 1937, i.e. Republic Year 26, Type-26 (7.92×57mm caliber) became the standard light MG in the Chinese Army. Better known as Czech MG, over 10,000 of them were manufactured by Ordnance Factory 21 along, the largest among all 23 OFs. Unlike the others, 21's housing piece of Czech MG was pre-forged instead of entire milling to save material. The 21 located near Chongqing started this project in 1939, with successive interchangeability improvement until its QC protocol was accomplished in 1942, 9,813 modified units were completed before the VJ Day.
Without sufficient heavy equipment to resist Japan, the light machine gun provided perfect closed fire support for the poorly equipped Chinese army. In an attempt to standardize the Czech MG production, the Ordnance Ministry requested Brno for its blueprint with the initial purchase of 5,000 ZB-26s in 1934. Brno only promised a calibration jig for this mediocre batch, after they were phased out from the Czech Army. However, Chinese created the drawings from the jig and the know how collected by Chinese technicians from their on-site overhaul inspection/audit in Brno. Amid the technical transfer dialogue, Brno downsized its assistance right after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937. Desperate times called for desperate measures, eventually more than 30 manufactures and repair stations joined the Czech MG project.
Following the Dagu OF successfully copied ZB-26 in 1927, the Czech MG was soon adopted by all provincial armies and Nationalist Centre. Before the OM standardized the manufacturing drawings, individual OFs began their Czech MG ventures via reverse engineering. Inevitably, parts interchangeability and metallurgical issues existed among various suppliers. Since 1935, the Northwest Foundry in Shanxi province also began churning out the Czech MG. In 1941 its production was restored in Sichuan after Japanese advanced to Shanxi. The Czech MG project of the Guangdong OF 1 started in 1935, it was re-designated as OF 41 during the war. Henan and Zhejiang provinces participated in the Czech MG production in 1937 and 1938, respectively. During the WWII, China received the modified 7.7mm caliber Czech MG from UK-Bren gun. This ammo supply nightmare persisted until 40,000 Canadian made 7.92 mm Bren guns arrived under the Lend-Lease Act in 1944.
The most quantitative Czech MG producer was the OF 53, which delivered 14,920 units between its establishment in January 1942 and the VJ Day. Though the top Czech MG manufacturer, the 53's quality was least stable due to tungsten steel, quench, and manufacturing tolerance difficulties. The 53 came from the merged OFs 22 and 51 in 1942, the latter was found in Yunnan, 1941, as a Madsen machine gun maker. Soon the 51 switched to the Czech MG, since all its Danish supplied drawings and tooling were destroyed in enemy air raids on the Burma Road in June 1940. During the post-WWII years, the whole ordnance system began to diminish. In 1949 the Chinese Reds took over the entire mainland, only OFs 26, 44, 60 and 61 withdrawn to Taiwan with the Nationalist Centre. In 1952 the Type-41 MG manufactured by OF 60 was still a derivative of Czech MG.
Following the Dagu OF successfully copied ZB-26 in 1927, the Czech MG was soon adopted by all provincial armies and Nationalist Centre. Before the OM standardized the manufacturing drawings, individual OFs began their Czech MG ventures via reverse engineering. Inevitably, parts interchangeability and metallurgical issues existed among various suppliers. Since 1935, the Northwest Foundry in Shanxi province also began churning out the Czech MG. In 1941 its production was restored in Sichuan after Japanese advanced to Shanxi. The Czech MG project of the Guangdong OF 1 started in 1935, it was re-designated as OF 41 during the war. Henan and Zhejiang provinces participated in the Czech MG production in 1937 and 1938, respectively. During the WWII, China received the modified 7.7mm caliber Czech MG from UK-Bren gun. This ammo supply nightmare persisted until 40,000 Canadian made 7.92 mm Bren guns arrived under the Lend-Lease Act in 1944.
The most quantitative Czech MG producer was the OF 53, which delivered 14,920 units between its establishment in January 1942 and the VJ Day. Though the top Czech MG manufacturer, the 53's quality was least stable due to tungsten steel, quench, and manufacturing tolerance difficulties. The 53 came from the merged OFs 22 and 51 in 1942, the latter was found in Yunnan, 1941, as a Madsen machine gun maker. Soon the 51 switched to the Czech MG, since all its Danish supplied drawings and tooling were destroyed in enemy air raids on the Burma Road in June 1940. During the post-WWII years, the whole ordnance system began to diminish. In 1949 the Chinese Reds took over the entire mainland, only OFs 26, 44, 60 and 61 withdrawn to Taiwan with the Nationalist Centre. In 1952 the Type-41 MG manufactured by OF 60 was still a derivative of Czech MG.
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