 Like the Vickers, the MG 08's barrel was surrounded by a heavy water-jacket for cooling; the MG 08's component measured 105 mm in diameter.The cooling jacket for both ordnance designs also acted as the frame within which the barrel recoiled on firing, and which the fixed portion of the muzzle booster was mounted on.In 1915 an air-cooled version was created for use as a fixed aircraft gun, designated the lMG 08 (or LMG 08, traditionally with a lower case "L").