by Bernard Martin
Just a few months back we had to opportunity to mount a MG34 machine gun on the Zündapp KS 750 that was one of our longer projects. It took 20 years to find all the parts for the Zündapp and this was the first time that machine gun was actually fired from the bike in decades!
Just a few months back we had to opportunity to mount a MG34 machine gun on the Zündapp KS 750 that was one of our longer projects. It took 20 years to find all the parts for the Zündapp and this was the first time that machine gun was actually fired from the bike in decades!
| The video begins with Dave Ley driving a restored 1942 Zündapp KS 750 mounted with a period correct MG-34 DOT Light Machine Gun. The Zündapp KS 750 is a World War II-era motorcycle and sidecar combination developed for the German Armed Forces during the Second World War by the German company Zündapp G.m.b.H. Based on an ingenious rigid frame design and incorporating many unique and refined features, after entering service in 1941 this sophisticated motorcycle served on all the major German battlefronts, and thanks to its versatility and ruggedness it was extensively used in a variety of roles. Again, this example took Dave over 20 years to restore. |  1942 Zündapp KS 750 with MG 32 Machine Gun |
This MG-34 DOT is fine example of an early WWII German light machine gun. They were used throughout WWII by all German forces and were originally developed prior to WWII by Rheinmetall and initially produced by the Mauser factory. Eventually, they were also produced by the Steyr-Daimler, Gustloff Werkes and BRNO Czechoslovakian factories during WWII.
This example was manufactured in Czechoslovakia and then served in Israel. They were an excellent, highly refined and very reliable machine gun that had all machined parts that were, in many cases, hand fitted with exacting tolerances. This proved to be too costly and time consuming to produce, and they were eventually replaced by the later stamped and machined MG-42. This example was manufactured by the BRNO factory in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
This example was manufactured in Czechoslovakia and then served in Israel. They were an excellent, highly refined and very reliable machine gun that had all machined parts that were, in many cases, hand fitted with exacting tolerances. This proved to be too costly and time consuming to produce, and they were eventually replaced by the later stamped and machined MG-42. This example was manufactured by the BRNO factory in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
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