By the beginning of World War II, the Japanese armed forces were armed with several types of anti-aircraft machine guns, which differed structurally and used ammunition.
In the fleet, for air defense boats and small displacement vessels, 7, 7-mm machine guns Type 92 and Type 97 were used. The first was a licensed version of the hand-held Lewis, and the second was also a licensed Vickers-E. The Type 92 naval machine gun was also used by amphibious assault units, it was installed on a universal tripod machine, made according to the type of the American M1917A1 and allowed firing at ground and air targets.
Type 92 naval machine gun
The Japanese 7, 7-mm cartridge was based on the English.303 (7, 7x57R) cartridge, which was used in Japanese aviation. The main reason for the transition to this ammunition can be considered the need to expand the range of special bullets, then difficult to carry out in small calibers (6, 5 mm), and to increase the power of machine gun fire. As a result, three 7, 7-mm cartridges of approximately the same power were sequentially adopted into service: Type 89 with a protruding rim of the sleeve (the influence of the British cartridge.303), Type 92 with a low rim and a heavy pointed bullet, Type 99 without a rim and with a lighter bullet … The difficulties of the simultaneous use of different cartridges were somewhat mitigated by the fact that the Type 89 cartridge was used mainly in the Japanese Air Force and Navy, and the army used cartridges without a rim or with a low rim. In parallel, weapons with a caliber of 6, 5 mm remained in service, which significantly complicated the supply of ammunition to the troops.
In the army, a Type 92 machine gun of 7.7 mm caliber was used to fire at low-flying aircraft. Its designation corresponded to the chronology "from the founding of the Empire" (1932 according to the Gregorian calendar corresponded to the Japanese 2592). By its design, the machine gun basically repeated the 6, 5-mm heavy machine gun Type 3. It, in turn, was developed by the designer Kijiro Nambu on the basis of the Hotchkiss machine guns purchased in France before the Russo-Japanese War.
Machine gun Type 92 on a tripod machine in the position for anti-aircraft firing
The machine gun is powered from rigid cassette tapes (like the French Hotchkiss machine gun) with a capacity of 30 rounds, or from semi-rigid belts consisting of hinged rigid links with a capacity of 3 rounds each (83 links in total, total capacity of 249 rounds).
Rigid cassette tape with 30 rounds of 7, 7-mm machine gun Type 92
Ribbon feed - from left to right. In the design of the machine gun, a special oiler was provided to lubricate the cartridges in the tape before they were fed into the barrel, which guaranteed reliable extraction in conditions of contamination of the weapon, but increased its complexity and made operation difficult. The rigid belt was a simple, but not the most convenient solution in combat conditions, since it was easily deformed, and it carried a lot of dust and sand with it inside the machine gun.
A Japanese soldier fires at aerial targets with a 7, 7-mm Type 92 machine gun powered by a rigid 30-round cassette tape. The picture was taken during the fighting near Lake Khasan.
The positive features of the Type 92 included the ability to fire with both cartridges used in the army (Type 92 with a low rim and Type 99 without a rim), ease of loading and unloading, the large size of most important parts and survivability. For firing at aerial targets, the machine gun had an insufficiently high rate of fire - 450 rds / min.
Type 92 was most often used from a special infantry tripod mount, which had an adapter for anti-aircraft shooting. A ring anti-aircraft sight was attached to the machine. The machine gun on the machine weighed about 55 kg, and to carry it across the battlefield on the legs of the machine there were sockets into which tubular handles were inserted - the machine gun was carried like a stretcher.
In 1937, the Type 97 tank machine gun, created using elements of the Czech ZB-26, captured by the Japanese from the Chinese troops, entered service.
Tank machine gun Type 97
On a number of samples of Japanese armored vehicles, anti-aircraft turret options for placing this machine gun were provided. However, in practice this did not happen often, the Japanese industry was unable to saturate the troops with automatic weapons, and machine guns were chronically lacking.
Machine guns of all types used up to eight different non-interchangeable brands of cartridges. Often, different rifle and machine gun cartridges were used within not only one battalion, but a company and a platoon. In addition, Japanese troops widely replenished their stocks with captured machine guns (British "Lewis", "Vickers" and "Bran", as well as American M1917 and M1919 "Browning"). In total, during the Second World War, they used about 20 different machine gun systems.
In general, there were few anti-aircraft machine-gun installations in the Japanese army, and the infantry's salvo firing at the aircraft did not compensate for this.
In 1933, a large-caliber 13, 2-mm machine gun Type 93 was adopted. This machine gun is a slightly smaller French machine gun "Hotchkiss" mod. 1930, licensed by the Japanese government from France.
13, 2-mm armor-piercing bullet Type 93 with an initial speed of 765 m / s pierced a 25-mm steel sheet at a distance of 100 m and was intended to destroy light armored vehicles and aircraft.
Large-caliber 13, 2-mm machine gun Type 93
Initially, power was supplied from a bunker with a spring pusher, which supplied 30 rounds of cartridges to the receiving window of the cassette. Later, a box magazine was developed. The rate of fire of the Type 93 machine gun reached 480 rds / min, the effective range was 1500 m.
A machine gun weighing 39, 45 kg was mounted on a 57, 15 kg tripod machine. But due to the fact that the infantry machine had an insufficient elevation angle, various semi-handicraft turrets were often used for firing at aircraft.
For anti-aircraft shooting in small quantities, a paired version was released with vertical and horizontal aiming mechanisms of circular rotation with automatic anti-aircraft sights and a foot pedal for firing.
The American 12.7-mm large-caliber Browning M2 machine guns, captured in significant numbers, were very popular in the Japanese armed forces. A copy of this machine gun, put into production in 1941, received the designation Type 1.
Due to the lack of a developed design school and traditions of independent creation of samples of small arms and artillery weapons, Japan was forced to acquire licenses to produce or illegally copy foreign samples to equip its own armed forces. This fully applies to small-caliber anti-aircraft guns.
Adopted in 1938, the Type 98 20-mm automatic cannon, in its design, was the same as the French Hotchkiss machine gun mod. 1930 This weapon was originally developed as a dual-use system: to combat lightly armored ground and air targets.
20-mm automatic cannon Type 98
The high bed rested on two wooden spoked wheels and was towed by a light truck or horse team. It was also possible to disassemble the gun for transportation in packs. At the position, the legs of the bed were spread apart, forming two rear supports, in addition to the third, front one. After the final installation of the tripod paws (for a calculation of 2-3 people, this process took 3 minutes), the gunner-gunner was located on a small seat. It was possible to shoot directly from the wheels, but in the process of firing the gun became unstable and its accuracy deteriorated seriously.
A gun with a vertical guidance angle: -10 ° - + 85 ° could fire at targets in a sector of 360 °. The round of the Type 98 cannon was quite powerful - the same as that of the Type 97 anti-tank rifle. At a distance of 245 m, it penetrated 30 mm of armor … The muzzle velocity is 830 m / s. Height reach - 3500 m.
Despite the relatively low rate of fire (120 rounds per minute) and a 20-round magazine, which limited the practical rate of fire, the gun was widely used in air defense. During the war years, the troops received about 2500 20-mm Type 98.
In Japan, attempts were made to create a ZSU by installing a 20-mm Type 98 on light tanks and various half-track transporters and trucks. Due to the insufficient number of self-propelled chassis and a chronic shortage of anti-aircraft guns in the troops, the Japanese ZSU were produced in very small quantities.
In 1944, the production of a coupled version began, which received the designation Type 4. Before the end of hostilities, the Japanese industry was able to supply about 500 20-mm twin pairs.
In the framework of military-technical cooperation with Germany, samples and technical documentation were obtained for the 20-mm Flak 38 anti-aircraft machine gun. In 1942, the 20-mm anti-aircraft gun under the Japanese name Type 2 began to enter the troops. Compared to the Type 98 20mm antiaircraft gun, the German copy turned out to be faster, more accurate and more reliable. The rate of fire increased to 420-480 rds / min. Reach in height - 3700 m. Weight in combat position: 450 kg, weight in stowed position: 770 kg.
20-mm anti-aircraft machine gun Type 2
The automatic building sights of these guns generated vertical and lateral lead and made it possible to direct the guns directly to the target. The input data into the sights were entered manually and determined by eye, except for the range, which was measured by a stereo range finder. Together with the anti-aircraft gun, documentation was received for an anti-aircraft fire control device, which could simultaneously transmit data and coordinate the fire of a battery of six anti-aircraft guns, which significantly increased the effectiveness of firing.
At the very end of the war, an attempt was made to launch a paired version of this anti-aircraft gun into production. But due to the limited capabilities of Japanese industry, it was not possible to produce a significant number of such installations.
In the summer of 1937, licensed production of 20 mm Oerlikon automatic cannons began in Japan. Most of these automatic weapons were intended to arm combat aircraft. But a certain number of guns were used by the navy as anti-aircraft guns. There were also attempts to create a ZSU based on light tanks with the use of Oerlikons.
On the basis of the light tank Type 98 "Ke-ni" in 1942, two versions were built experienced ZSU "Ta-ha", armed with 20-mm automatic cannon "Oerlikon".
Perhaps the most famous and massive Japanese small-caliber anti-aircraft machine gun was the 25-mm Type 96. This automatic anti-aircraft gun was developed in 1936 on the basis of the gun of the French company "Hotchkiss". It was widely used during the Second World War, it was the main light anti-aircraft weapon of the Japanese fleet.
Triple 25-mm anti-aircraft gun Type 96
The Type 96 was used in single, twin and triple installations, both on ships and on land. On large ships, the fire of the built installations was controlled from the PUAZO Type 95, guidance was carried out remotely, and the shooters only had to press the trigger. Single installations were guided only manually. In total, over the years of production, more than 33,000 25-mm guns have been produced.
Twin 25-mm anti-aircraft gun Type 96
The most serious difference between the Japanese model and the original was the equipment of the German company "Rheinmetall" with a flame arrester. The machine was powered by 15-round magazines inserted from above. Practical rate of fire - 100-120 rounds / min. Total weight: 800 kg (single), 1100 kg (twin), 1800 kg (triple). The muzzle velocity of 320 g of the projectile is 820 m / s. Maximum firing range - 7500 m, effective - 1500 m. Reach in height - 5000 m. Calculation of 3-9 people.
25-mm anti-aircraft guns were also mounted on various vehicles and towed "carts"
Until the mid-1930s, Type 96 25mm anti-aircraft guns were quite satisfactory weapons. But in the course of the war in the Pacific, significant shortcomings came to light. The practical rate of fire was not high; ribbon feed would be optimal for a weapon of this caliber. Another disadvantage was the air cooling of the gun barrels, which reduced the duration of continuous firing. Anti-aircraft fire control systems also left much to be desired, and they were clearly not enough. Single anti-aircraft guns were equipped with a primitive anti-aircraft sight. However, in fairness it should be said that the Soviet 25-mm anti-aircraft machine gun 72-K had exactly the same drawbacks.
Three-barreled 25-mm machine gun on the Oyodo cruiser
When compared with the anti-aircraft guns of the British, Dutch and American fleets, it should be noted that Japan's opponents had more effective short-range anti-aircraft weapons, represented by 20-mm Oerlikon and 40-mm Bofors. The former surpassed the Japanese guns in rate of fire, the latter had a noticeably longer firing range and almost four times heavier projectile. The presence of very sophisticated fire control systems for the Bofors reinforced their superiority. The universal anti-aircraft 25-mm caliber of the Japanese fleet did not combine the advantages of the two calibers, but their disadvantages.
From 1927 to 1935, about 500 40-mm Vickers Mark VIII anti-aircraft guns, also known as "pom-pom", were delivered from Great Britain to equip large Japanese warships. In Japan, these anti-aircraft guns were designated Type 91 or 40 mm / 62 "HI" Shiki.
40-mm anti-aircraft machine gun Type 91
The most famous ships armed with "pom-poms" in the Japanese navy were the Ise-class battleships. By the end of the 30s, these anti-aircraft guns no longer met the increased requirements. The maximum range of the guns was no more than 4500 meters, and the aiming range was half that. Archaic food was a serious problem. The complex system of feeding the cartridge into the chamber itself was aggravated by the regularly sticking cloth cartridge tape. The "pom-poms" on the Japanese ships were not tied into a single anti-aircraft fire control system and were guided each individually.
During repairs and modernization of ships, most of the 40-mm Type 91 guns were replaced by more effective 25-mm Type 96 anti-aircraft guns. However, for lack of a better 40-mm Japanese Type 91 anti-aircraft guns were used throughout the war on auxiliary ships and coastal batteries.
After the Japanese occupied a number of British and Dutch colonies in Asia, a significant number of 40-mm Bofors L / 60 anti-aircraft guns and ammunition fell into their hands. In the course of hostilities, the Japanese pilots more than once had the opportunity to be convinced of the combat effectiveness of these anti-aircraft guns. This time the Bofors were turned against their former owners.
These captured anti-aircraft guns were very actively used by the Japanese army against British and American aviation, especially since their anti-aircraft guns were constantly in short supply. Moreover, the Bofors L / 60 naval anti-aircraft guns were dismantled from captured and sunk ships in shallow water.
Former Dutch naval anti-aircraft guns Hazemeyer, which used twin 40-mm "Bofors", were permanently installed on the coast and used by the Japanese in the defense of the islands.
In 1943, an attempt was made in Japan to copy and start mass production of the Bofors L / 60. The Japanese armed forces were in dire need of this anti-aircraft machine gun, which was very effective for its time.
However, the development of production proceeded with great difficulties. Japanese engineers lacked technical documentation, and the industry was unable to produce parts to the required tolerances.
The guns were actually assembled by hand at the Yokosuka naval arsenal with a release rate at the end of 1944 of 5-8 guns per month. Despite the manual assembly and customization of parts, the quality and reliability of the Japanese 40mm anti-aircraft guns, designated Type 5, were very low. The released several dozen of these anti-aircraft guns, due to the small number and unsatisfactory reliability, did not have any effect on the course of hostilities.
It must be admitted that the Japanese military industry was unable to establish mass production with the required quality of small-caliber anti-aircraft guns to cover their troops from low-altitude attacks by attack aircraft and bombers. Such weapons were primarily sent to the needs of the fleet, the number of 25-mm anti-aircraft guns on the decks of warships increased continuously during the war, and units fighting on land remained unprotected from air threats. This made the Japanese military go to various improvisations.
Perhaps the most original means of air defense of Japanese ground units can be considered mortar rounds of caliber 70 and 81 mm. Each mine contained up to seven fragmentation submunitions, which were thrown out in the upper part of the trajectory at a distance of 900-1200 m and an altitude of about 600 m. After that, the charges were scattered and dropped by parachute. Each submunition was supplied with a contact and remote fuse.
There are great doubts about the combat effectiveness of this anti-aircraft weapon. It is likely that such cluster munitions could be effective against infantry.
