Tag: gun

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Japanese

8 cm (7.62) High Angle Gun, Type 3

8 cm (7.62) High Angle Gun, Type 3 - Japanese

This weapon, previously erroneously called the Type 10, is a naval type antiaircraft gun, mounted on a pedestal which permits a traverse of 360 degrees. The gun tube, of built-up construction, recoils inside a sleeve type cradle. A guide on the bottom of the tube rides in a groove, preventing rotation of the tube. Since the trunnions are located at the rear of the tube, muzzle preponderance is compensated for by an equilibrator inside the pedestal.

A hand-operated, semi-vertical sliding type breechblock and a hydrospring recoil mechanism are used. Recoil and recuperator are located over the tube. A small cylinder above the recoil cylinder is apparently for storing an oil reserve.

The elevating handwheel is located to the left of the weapon, and the traversing handwheel to the right. Two platforms, one on either side attached to the superstructure, allow the layers to move with the gun in traverse.

A bracket on the left of the piece is believed to mount a telescope and range drum.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber       76.2 mm (3 ins.)
Weight of gun and mount5,290 lbs.
Weight of gun1,100 lbs.
Length of barrel40 cals.
Length of tube9 ft., 6 ins.
Height (traveling position)
Height (firing position)
Width (overall)
Length of chamber1 ft., 8 ins.
RiflingR. H. twist
No. of grooves24
Width of grooves
Depth of grooves
Width of lands
Muzzle velocity (H.E. shell)2,200 f/s
Max. range (horizontal)
Max. range (vertical)26,000 ft.
Rate of fire10 to 12 r.p.m.
Traverse360°
Elevation75°
Depression5°
Length of recoil
AmmunitionH.E. w/ powder train time fuze

Wt. of projectile12 lb., 11 ozs.

Japanese: p. 114.1 (August 1, 1945)

Categories
Japanese

300 mm Short Howitzer, Type 7

Japanese 300 mm Short Howitzer, Type 7

This howitzer was captured on Luzon. The emplacement, circular in shape and measuring 33 feet in diameter and 8 feet in depth, was camouflaged by a house on rails which was rolled back when the guns were to be fired. A small garden of banana trees was planted around the emplacement to add to the effect.

The howitzer tube is believed to be a built-up type. The liner is rifled with a uniform right hand twist, calculated to be one turn in 9.4 calibers. Two air flasks are mounted on the carriage for blowing out the tube after firing. Two equilibrators are mounted below the tube. The breech mechanism is an interrupted screw type having 8 segments of 20 threads. A percussion hammer firing mechanism is operated by a lanyard. A short cartridge case is used for obturation.

The upper carriage is a rectangular steel frame approximately 18 feet, 9 inches long, and 4 feet, 8 inches wide, fixed to a baseplate. The lower carriage is a truncated steel cone embedded in concrete approximately 6 to 8 feet under the ground. The upper carriage baseplate rests on a rail above a worm wheel, fixed to the lower carriage which engages a spur rack fitted to the base of the upper carriage.

The traversing handwheel is mounted in a horizontal position engaging a vertical shaft which terminates in the worm gear. The elevating handwheels, one on either side of the tube, are mounted on the carriage in a vertical position. A direct shaft from the elevating handwheel terminates in a spur gear which engages the elevating arc.

A panoramic sight is mounted on the right side of the gun.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber     305 mm (12 ins. approx.)
Weight (firing position)
Length of tube and breech16 ft., 6 ins.
Length of carriage base18 ft., 9 ins.
Width of carriage base4 ft., 8 ins.
Length (firing position)
Height (firing position)
Width (overall)
Length of bore
No. of lands72
Width of grooves
Depth of grooves
Width of lands
Muzzle velocity (shell)
Max. range (horizontal)—Trans. document13,000 yds.
Max. range (vertical)
Rate of fire
Traverse360°
Elevation, scale reading70°
Depression, scale reading3°
Length of recoil, scale reading420 mm
Ammunition
Wt. of projectile—Trans. document970 lbs.

Japanese: p. 116.3 (August 1, 1945)

Categories
German

30 mm Mk. 108 A-3: Aircraft Machine Gun

30 mm Mk. 108 A-3: Aircraft Machine Gun

The Mk. 108 A-3 is an automatic, air cooled, belt-fed weapon operated by blowback and firing electrically from an open bolt. Initial cocking and initial depression of the sear to release the bolt are accomplished by compressed air. The gun is mounted on its side, and fires through the propeller hub in ME 109 G fighters. It is attached at the forward end of the receiver to a blast tube which extends through the engine. This gun is unusual in being a blowback operated, low muzzle velocity weapon.

Sixty rounds of ammunition are fed by means of a disintegrating belt from an ammunition can mounted above the gun. On release of the sear, the bolt travels forward under the action of two driving springs. A projection on top of the bolt passes through the ring extracting a round and forcing it into the chamber. After firing the empty cartridge case reseats itself in its link. The ejection is accomplished by pawls actuated by camming grooves cut in the top of the bolt. Position of a new round takes place by the same action. A feature of the gun is the fact that the barrel and receiver do not move in recoil, the entire force of which is taken up by the rearward motion of the bolt against driving springs which act as buffers on recoil. There is no locking action between the barrel and bolt at any time.

All ammunition found to date has been high explosive, high explosive-tracer, incendiary and incendiary tracer. It is doubtful if the muzzle velocity is high enough for the effective use of armor piercing ammunition.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber         29.6 mm (1.17 in.)
Weight (total) 265 lb.
Weight of gun 136 lb.
Weight of mount 28 lb.
Weight of ammunition can 36 lb.
Weight of ammunition (60 rounds) 65 lb.
Weight of recoiling parts 24 1/2 lb.
Length of gun with blast tube 7 ft. 6 3/4 ins.
Length of gun 3 ft. 5 1/4 ins.
Length of barrel 21 1/2 ins.
Number of lands and grooves 16
Maximum length of recoil of bolt 11 1/2 ins.
Rate of fire 500 rds./min.
Muzzle velocity (approx.) H.E.—1,650 f/s.*

*Not verified

German: p. 255

Categories
German

3.7 cm Flak 43: Antiaircraft Gun

3.7 cm Flak 43: Antiaircraft Gun

The 3.7 cm Flak 43, a light, fully-automatic, gas-operated antiaircraft weapon, may be statically emplaced, transported on a mobile mounting, or mounted on a self-propelled chassis. The gun consists of a removable, monobloc barrel fitted with a muzzle brake with six elongated ports and multi-perforated flash eliminator, and a breech casing which houses the breech mechanism. The gun is fed horizontally from the left in clips of eight rounds from a fixed loading tray, and is operated by the recoil of the gun itself. A hydro-spring buffer with variable recoil is located below the barrel, and two return springs lie side by side above the barrel.

Mounting is of the pedestal type, the gun being hung from a single-ring type trunnion on the right. The feed to the gun is mounted through the ring and on the axis of the trunnion, making unnecessary any alteration in the position of the center of gravity of the gun and other elevating parts with variation in the quantity of ammunition in the clips and feed mechanism. Elevating and traversing handwheels are both on the right of the gun, the former being vertical and the latter horizontal.

The equipment, which is of low build, is fitted with a shield varying in thickness from 9 mm at the center to 6 mm at the outer edges. The shield slopes backward at a 30° angle and is 4.2 feet high. In the middle is a space through which the mantlet elevates and depresses. A twin version of the 3.7 cm Flak 43 also exists. It is known as the 3.7 cm Flakzwilling 43.

The weapon fires only the single rotating band projectiles.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber       37 mm (1.45 ins.)
Weight (traveling position)4,180 lbs.
Weight (firing position)2,750 lbs.
Length (traveling position)
Length (firing position)
Height (traveling position)
Height of trunnion29.9 ins.
Length of piece (excluding muzzle brake)9.68 ft.
Length of muzzle brake14.96 ins.
Length of bore7 ft.
No. of grooves20
Width of grooves
Depth of grooves
Width of lands
Muzzle velocity (HE shell)2,750 f/s
Max. range (horizontal)7,200 yds. (approx.)
Effective range (vertical)9,000 ft. (approx.)
Rate of fire (theoretical)250 rds./min.
     (practical)150 rds./min.
Traverse360°
Elevation90°
Depression-6°
Type of recoilVariable
AmmunitionAP/HE; H.E.; HE/T-HE/I/T;
HE/I and HE/I/short T

German: p. 130.2 (August 1, 1945)

Categories
German

10.5 cm Geb. H. 40: Mountain Howitzer

10.5 cm Geb. H. 40: Mountain Howitzer

The 10.5 cm Geb. H. 40, introduced into the German Army in 1942, is the companion piece to the 7.5 cm Geb. G. 36 described on page 118. Its design is basically the same as that of the 10.5 cm le. F. H. 18 (M). The weapon can be split into nine loads for transport.

The barrel, of monobloc construction, is fitted with a double baffle muzzle brake with wide side flanges; the breech mechanism is of the horizontal sliding block type. A hydraulic buffer is built into the cradle on which the barrel slides in recoil, and a hydro-pneumatic recuperator is mounted above the barrel.

The split trail carriage has trails of riveted box construction which are fitted with large detachable spades. It is mounted on wheels of cast light alloy with detachable rims and solid rubber tires. The wheels are mounted on stub axles fitted to the trail legs and remain parallel to the legs when they are opened. Internal expanding brakes, adjusted by a handwheel from the front, are fitted to both wheels. The traversing and elevating handwheels are located on the left and right sides of the carriage respectively.

There are two range drum scales: one in mils ranging from 0 to 1,250; the other in meters ranging from 0 to 1,500 for hollow charge ammunition and from 1,500 to 9,675 for high explosive shells, both with charge 6 in the lower register.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber         105 mm (4.14 ins.)
Weight (traveling position)
Weight (firing position) 3,660 lb.
Length of piece 10 ft., 4 ins.
Length (firing position) 18 ft., 6 ins.
Height (traveling position)
Height (firing position) 4 ft., 11 ins.
Width (overall) 4 ft., 6 ins.
Width of trail spread
Length of bore 9 ft., 5 ins.
No. of grooves 32
Width of grooves
Depth of grooves
Width of lands
Muzzle velocity 1,870 f/s
Max. range (horizontal) 13,807 yds. (Chg. 7)
Max. range (vertical)
Rate of fire
Traverse 25°, 20′ left and right
Elevation 70°
Depression -4°, 47′
Length of recoil (variable) 19.7 ins. to 49.2 ins.
Ammunition 10.5 cm F.H. Gr. Al. (32 lb.)*
10.5 cm F.H. Gr. 38 Al.
10.5 cm F.H. Gr. Buntrauch (32 lb.)
10.5 cm 39 rot HL/A and HL/B (25.8 lb.)–Chg. 6 only.
10.5 cm 39 rot AL/C

*A star shell is also reported to be fired with Charge 6.

German: p. 108.2

Categories
German

27 mm Doppel Schuss: Double Barrel Signal Pistol

27 mm Doppel Schuss: Double Barrel Signal Pistol

The 27 mm double barrel signal pistol is unique in that the basic parts such as the trigger, trigger-guard, lever release, hammer assembly and switch lever, as well as all pins, are made of steel; the remaining parts, with the exception of the wooden forestock and hand grips, are made of an aluminum alloy.

The firing mechanism is of the continuous pull type incorporating concealed hammers. A switch lever is located on the top rear of the pistol frame to control the firing mechanism. By use of this lever, either one of the two barrels, or both, can be fired by action of the trigger. Turning the lever to the left allows only the left barrel to be fired; turning it to the right allows only the right barrel to be fired. With the lever in the center position, both barrels fire simultaneously. Breaking of the piece is accomplished by pushing forward the release lever which is located just forward of the trigger guard. Indicator pins located in the breech plate show whether the respective barrels are loaded. A safety lever is located on the left side of the receiver. The words “Feuer” and “Sicher” indicate the two positions of Fire and Safe.

Another model, a double barrel air force signal pistol of somewhat similar design, is pictured in the inset above.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight         3 1/8 lbs.
Length 13 7/8 ins.
Ammunition types
Weight of barrel
Length of barrel 9 1/8 ins.
Rifling (smooth bore)
Muzzle energy
Maximum range

*Signal cartridge with single star–max. vertical range 260 ft.

German: p. 202.1 (May 1, 1945)

Categories
Japanese

57 mm Tank Gun Model 97

57 mm Japanese Tank Gun Model 97

This gun, manufactured at Osaka Arsenal in 1939, is mounted on the Japanese Medium Tank Type 97. The tube, of monobloc construction, is fastened to the breech ring by twelve interrupted threads and secured by a lock on the right side of the tube. The breech ring is box-shaped. The breechblock of the vertical sliding type rides in two dovetailed slots in each side of the breech ring, and may be operated manually or semi-automatically.

The firing pin is automatically cocked when the breech is opened. The trigger, on the left side of the gunner’s shield, is protected by a trigger guard with a pistol grip. The recoil mechanism is a hydro-spring type.

The gun is mounted in the turret of the tank, and has a 360° traverse. It may also be freely elevated or traversed independently of the turret by means of two sets of trunnions. The inner vertical trunnions are set in a heavy steel bracket fitted to the cradle and permit a 5° left and right traverse. The bracket has a sighting window which may be closed for the gunner’s protection. The outer horizontal trunnions fit into another steel bracket and give approximately 11° elevation and 9° depression.

Although no sighting equipment was recovered with the gun, the appearance and location of the head rest, shoulder rest, and sight bracket indicate that a straight tube telescope is used.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber         57 mm
Weight of tube and breech ring 138 lbs.
Weight (firing position) 293.5 lbs.
Length of tube and breech ring 41 5/8 ins.
Length (firing position)
Height (traveling position)
Height (firing position)
Width (overall)
Width of trail spread
Length of tube and breech ring 41 5/8 ins.
Rifling R.H., uniform twist; approx. 1 turn in 28 1/2 cals.
Length of rifling 32.5 ins.
No. of grooves 20
Width of grooves .25 in.
Depth of grooves .039 in.
Width of lands
Muzzle velocity (shell)
Max. range (horizontal)
Max. range (vertical)
Rate of fire 20 r.p.m.
Traverse 360° with turret and 5° right and left independent of turret
Elevation 11°
Depression 9°
Length of recoil 11 ins.
Ammunition H.E. and A.P.H.E.
Wt. of projectile

Japanese: p. 106.2 (August 1, 1945)

Categories
Japanese

6.5 mm Heavy Machine Gun Model 3 (1914)

6.5 mm Heavy Machine Gun Model 3 (1914)

The Japanese 6.5 mm Model 3 Heavy Machine Gun, a gas-operated, air-cooled, full-automatic weapon with a comparatively low cyclic rate, although obsolescent, is being recovered in small quantities from battle areas. It is similar to the 7.7 mm Model 92, but is chambered for the 6.5 mm cartridge.

The gas piston and bolt assemblies, and the barrel and barrel sleeve may be interchanged in the two weapons. However, it is impossible to convert the Model 3 for use with the 7.7 mm ammunition as the strip feed port in the Model 3 is one-eighth of an inch narrower than that in the Model 92.

Various machining cuts found in the internal parts of the Model 3 were eliminated in the later model, to provide for ease of production. The oil reservoir is of slightly different shape and probably has a lower capacity than that of the Model 92. The trunnions are of two diameters. The part of the trunnion which contacts the trunnion bearing in the mount is of smaller diameter than that portion which extends beyond the mount. The head thus formed tends to reduce transverse motion.

The weapon has conventional spade grips provided with two finger triggers fixed integrally with the trigger lever so that either or both will fire the gun. There is no safety device.

Two rear sights are provided: one, a folding ring type anti-aircraft sight, is attached permanently to the rear top of the receiver; the other, a tangent curve, radius arm type, is offset to the right. The latter sight is graduated from 300 meters to 2,200 meters (328 yards to 2,406 yards). It is believed that a cartwheel typefront sight is used, as an adaptor for such a sight is riveted to the front of the cooling jacket.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight (w/ tripod)         122 lbs.
     (w/o tripod) 61.7 lbs.
Length 47.2 ins.
Sight radius 23.6 ins.
Principle of operation Gas
Feeding device Metal strips
Capacity of feeding device 30 rounds
Cooling system Air
Ammunition types Mod. 38, 6.5 mm ball ammunition
Rate of fire Cyclic — 450-500 r.p.m.
  Practical — 200 r.p.m.
Type of sight Two rear sights: folding ring, antiaircraft type; tangent curve, radius arm type, grad. 328-2,406 yds.
Weight of barrel
Length of barrel 29.2 ins.
Length of rifling 26.4 ins.
Rifling
     Twist Uniform, R.H., one turn in 7.88 ins.
     Form Metford segmental
     No. of grooves 4
Depth of grooves
Width of grooves
Chamber pressure 58,800 lbs. per sq. in.
Muzzle velocity 2,434 ft. per sec.
Muzzle energy
Maximum range 4,376 yds.
Effective range 1,500 yds.
Type of mount Tripod
Elevation -15° to +90°
Traverse 33.5°

Japanese: p. 210.1

Categories
Japanese

7.7 mm Lewis Machine Gun Model 92 (1932)

7.7 mm Lewis Machine Gun Model 92 (1932)

The Lewis type machine gun is used widely by the Japanese. Markings on a number of these guns found in the New Georgia area indicate that the weapon as used by the Japanese is of naval origin. It is also believed that the gun is used extensively for ship or air base protection as the tripod mount is adaptable for antiaircraft fire.

The Model 92 is of standard Lewis gas-operated, air-cooled, drum-fed design, equipped with a blade front sight and a rear peep-sight calibrated in hundreds of meters from 0 to 17. No allowance is made for windage or drift. Although no antiaircraft sight was discovered with the gun, a mount for such a sight is attached to the weapon.

The gun is mounted on a tripod having tubular steel legs which may be locked at various angles from the vertical. The tripod legs are attached to flat square plates which have holes in the center to accommodate bolts which are used to secure the tripod to the deck of a ship.

The head of the tripod has a 360° traverse. Without removing the gun from the mount, the main portion of the tripod head can be moved from a horizontal to a vertical position, and the gun attached to the top of the head for antiaircraft use. In this position, the limits of elevation are approximately -80° to +85°. Azimuth is calibrated in 2 mil intervals from 0 to 6,400 mils.

7.7 mm rimmed Navy ammunition fed from a 47-round drum is used. Ammunition chests recovered were found to hold 21 loaded drums.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight gun and tripod       122 lbs.
Length 39 ins.
Principle of operation Lewis gas-operated system
Feeding device Drum magazine
Capacity of feeding device 47 rounds
Cooling system Air
Ammunition types 7.7 mm full-rimmed ammunition
Rate of fire Cyclic-600 r.p.m.
Type of sight Blade front sight: rear peepsight calibrated from 0 to 1700 meters
Weight of gun 49 lbs.
Length of barrel 24 ins.
Length of rifling
Rifling
     Twist Uniform, R.H.
     Form Concentric
     No. of grooves 4
     Depth of grooves
     Width of grooves
Chamber pressure
Muzzle velocity 2411 ft. per sec.
Muzzle energy
Maximum range 4000 yds.
Effective range 500 yds.
Type of mount Tripod
Elevation
Ground mount -15° – +60°
Antiaircraft mount -80° – +85°
Traverse 360°

Japanese: p. 214.1 (June 1, 1945)