List of Japanese military equipment of World War II

Imperial Japanese Military
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History of the Japanese Military
Military History of Japan during World War II

The following is a list of Japanese military equipment of World War II which includes artillery, vehicles and vessels, and other support equipment of both the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA), and Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from operations conducted from 1937 through 1945. The Empire of Japan forces conducted operations over a variety of geographical areas and climates from the frozen North of China bordering Russia during the Battle of Khalkin Gol (Nomonhan) to the tropical jungles of Indonesia. Japanese military equipment was researched and developed align two separate procurement processes, one for the IJA and one for the IJN. Until 1943, the IJN usually received a greater budget allocation, which allowed for the Super Battleships, advanced aircraft such as the Mitsubishi A6M series, and the world's largest submarines. However, the Imperial Japanese Army suffered from severe lack of supply which eventually impacted its use of tactics in the engagements during the run up and including World War II.

The basic rifle was the Arisaka Type 38 which was antiquated when Japan entered World War II in 1941. Its 6.5mm round lacked lethal ability at range due to a frequently underpowered propellant. The bolt system was cumbersome and to chamber another round the operator had to remove his head from the sighting position, thus breaking his aim and requiring a complete re-aming procedure when the round was chambered. Machine Guns were heavy, required up to four personnel to transport, and a lack of belt fed systems limited their prolonged fire.

The Japanese commanders, faced with equipment that was substandard when engaging the industrial Western Powers of the UK and US, and even some of the Chinese armies that were equipped by the Germans in 1937, would initially resort to the "Banzai" or bayonet charge to attempt to close quickly with the enemy and negate the superior firepower in hand-to-hand combat. Although by 1940 an increasingly isolated Japan made the controversial decision to join the Axis, very little in the way of technological transfer occurred, and as a result Japanese equipment maintained independent development for the most part, however in some of the cases where limited exchanges of design did take place, Japan's lack of industrial capacity limited these to either prototypes for testing, or limited production runs for home defense only.

A majority of the materials used were cotton, wool, and silk for the fabrics. Wood for weapon stocks. Leather for ammunition pouches, belts, etc. But by 1943 material shortages caused much of the leather to switch to cotton straps as a substitute.

Swords and bayonets

Model Blade length From: Comments
Guntō (Type 98 Military Sword) 73 cm 1938 -
Type 30 bayonet 40 cm 1897 fitted on rifles from Type 30 to Type 99
Type 4 bayonet ? cm 1911 integrated with Type 44 Cavalry Carbine
Type 2 bayonet 19.5 cm 1942 fitted on Type 2 TERA Rifle and Type 100 SMG
Pole bayonet 38.6 cm 1945 last-ditch weapon

Small arms

Pistols (manual and semi-automatic)

Automatic pistols and submachine guns

Rifles

[1]

Type Base model Maker Rounds Cartridge From: Produced Weight Comment
Type 30 Rifle Type 30 Arisaka 5 6.5×50mm Arisaka 1897 599,000 3.95 kg limited distribution in 1945
Type 38 Rifle Type 38 Arisaka 5 6.5×50mm Arisaka 1905 3,400,000 3.95 kg main IJA rifle
Type 38 Cavalry Carbine Type 38 Arisaka 5 6.5×50mm Arisaka 1905 ? 3.3 kg main armament of IJA auxiliary troops
Type 44 Cavalry Carbine Type 38 Arisaka 5 6.5×50mm Arisaka 1911 91,900 3.3 kg foldable
Type 97 sniper rifle Type 38 Arisaka 5 6.5×50mm Arisaka 1937 22,500 3.95 kg 2.5x telescopic sight
Type 99 (short) rifle Type 99 Arisaka 5 7.7×58mm Arisaka 1939 3,500,000 3.7 kg intended to replace Type 38
Type Mo rifle I, II Karabiner 98k Mauser 5 7.92×57mm Mauser 1937 40,000 3.9 kg imported, version I for infantry and II for cavalry
Type Mo rifle III vz. 24 Považská Bystrica 5 7.92×57mm Mauser 1937 10,000 4.2 kg imported, for both infantry and cavalry
Type 99 (long) rifle Type 99 Arisaka 5 7.7×58mm Arisaka 1939 ? 4.09 kg scarce
Type 2 TERA Rifle Type 99 Nagoya 5 7.7×58mm Arisaka 1943 21,200 3.7 kg takedown variant for paratroopers
Type 99 sniper rifle Type 99 Arisaka 5 7.7×58mm Arisaka 1939 8,000 (approx.) 3.7 kg 2.5x or 4x telescopic sight
Type 100 TERA rifle Karabiner 98k unknown 5 7.7×58mm Arisaka 1940 500 (approx.) 3.9 kg detachable barrel for paratroopers
Type 1 TERA rifle Type 38 Cavalry Carbine Nagoya 5 6.5×50mm Arisaka 1941 250 (approx.) 3.3 kg foldable for paratroopers
Type I Rifle Type 38 Carcano 5 6.5×50mm Arisaka 1939 60,000 3.95 kg built in Italy for IJN
Type 4 Rifle M1 Garand Yokosuka 10 7.7×58mm Arisaka 1945 20 4.14 kg (also known as Type 5) semi-automatic

Grenades and grenade launchers

Grenade Launcher Introduced Type Weight, g comments
Type 10 Grenade Type 10 1914 fragmentation 530 inaccurate fuse timing
Type 91 Grenade Type 89 1931 fragmentation 530 improvement of Type 10
Type 92 Grenade Type 10 1933 chemical 530 green (skin irritant) and red (tear gas) versions
Type 97 Grenade No 1937 fragmentation 450 evolution of Type 91 optimized for hand-throw
Type 98 Grenade No 1939 fragmentation 595 copy of Model 24 grenade, long handle
Type 99 Grenade Type 100 1939 fragmentation 300 variant of Type 97 for grenade launcher
Type 2 Grenade (30mm) Type 2 1942 anti-tank 230
Type 2 Grenade (40mm) Type 2 1942 anti-tank 369 98mm RHA penetration
Type 3 Grenade No 1943 anti-tank 830-1,270 shaped charge, fabric body
Type 4 Grenade No 1944 fragmentation ~480 Ceramic (Pottery) grenade

Recoilless rifles

Flamethrowers

Machine guns

Infantry and dual-purpose machine guns

Vehicle and aircraft machine guns

See also List of weapons of World War II Japanese aircraft#Army aircraft (IJA)
and List of weapons of World War II Japanese aircraft#Navy aircraft (IJN)

Artillery

Infantry mortars

Heavy mortars & rocket launchers

Field artillery

Fortress and siege guns

Infantry guns

Anti-tank guns

Anti-tank weapons (besides anti-tank guns)

Anti-aircraft weapons

Occasional anti-aircraft guns

Light anti-aircraft guns

Medium & heavy anti-aircraft guns

Model Caliber Eff. alt. From Produced Weight, kg fire rate, RPM Comment
QF 3.7-inch AA gun Mk1 94mm 7300 1941 0 9317 15 captured from British
Type 11 75mm 6650 1922 44 2061 5(approx.) used as railroad gun and in home islands fortresses
Type 14 100mm 10500 1925 70 5194 5(approx.) civil defense in Kyushu only
Type 10 120mm 10065 1927 2000 7800 11 cheap coastal defense tool, dual-purpose
Type 88 75mm 7250 1928 2000 2740 18 based on QF 3-inch 20 cwt design, mainstay of civil defense
Type 89 naval gun 127mm 9439 1932 1306 20300 11 standard heavy AA gun of IJN
Type 99 88mm 10420 1938 1000 6500 15 2nd most produced after Type 88 for civil defense
8 cm/40 3rd Year Type naval gun 76.2mm 5400 1914 69 2600 13 dual-purpose naval gun, during World War II used on gunboats and for civil air defense
Type 3 12cm 120mm 13000 1944 120 19800 20 the only mass-produced Japanese weapon effective against B-29
Type 4 75mm 10000 1944 70 5850 10 reverse-engineered Bofors gun captured from Chinese, intended to replace Type 88, modified as Type 5 75 mm Tank Gun
Type 5 149.1mm 16000 1945 2 9200 10 had a fire-control electronic computer

Vehicles

Tankettes

Amphibious tanks

Note: Amphibious Tanks were used by the IJN.

Land tanks and derivatives

Self-propelled guns

Tank-based

Name Chassis Gun Developed Manufactured Role
Ji-Ro Sha Type 95 Heavy Tank 105 mm ? 1 self-propelled anti-tank gun
Hiro-sha Type 95 Heavy Tank 150 mm ? 1 self-propelled anti-tank gun
Type 5 Ho-Ru Type 95 Ha-Go Type 1 47 mm Anti-Tank Gun 1945 1 SP ATG
Type 4 120 mm Ho-To Type 95 Ha-Go Type 38 12 cm Howitzer 1944 ? self-propelled gun
Type 1 Ho-Ni I Type 97 Chi-Ha Type 90 75 mm Field Gun 1941 26 SP ATG
Type 1 Ho-Ni II Type 97 Chi-Ha Type 91 10 cm howitzer 1941 54 SPG
Type 3 Ho-Ni III Type 97 Chi-Ha Type 3 75 mm Tank Gun 1943 31 to 41 SP ATG
Type 2 Ho-I Type 97 Chi-Ha Type 41 75 mm Mountain Gun 1942 31 SPG
Type 4 Ho-Ro Type 97 Chi-Ha Type 38 15 cm howitzer 1944 12 SPG
Short Barrel 120 mm Gun Tank Type 97 Chi-Ha 120 mm naval gun 1945 12 SPG
Type 5 Ho-Chi Type 97 Chi-Ha Type 96 15 cm howitzer 1945 1 SPG
Type 98 Ta-Se 20 mm Type 98 Ke-Ni Type 98 20 mm AA Machine Cannon 1943 1 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun
Type 98 20 mm AAG Tank Type 98 Ke-Ni twin Type 98 20 mm AA Machine Cannon 1944 1 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun
Ta-Ha Type 1 Chi-He twin 37 mm high-angle gun 1942 0 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun
Type 5 Na-To Type 4 Chi-So medium tracked carrier Type 5 75 mm tank gun 1945 2 SP ATG
Type 5 Ho-Ri Type 5 Chi-Ri 1x105mm, 1x37mm, 2x20mm (AA) 1945 0 SP ATG/AAG

Other

Name Chassis Gun Developed Manufactured Role
Ki-To Type 97 Te-Ke twin Type 98 20 mm AA Machine Cannon 1938 1 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun
Ko-Hi Type 98 half-track Type 2 20 mm AA Machine Cannon 1942 1 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun
Type 4 Ha-To unique Type 3 30 cm mortar 1944 4 self-propelled mortar/rocket launcher

Armored cars

Maker Developed Rail wheels Produced Armament Model
Austin Motor Company/Nissan 1934 No ? none Austin 7
Crossley 1928 No ? none IGA
Wolseley Motors Limited 1928 No ? none unknown
Sumida(Isuzu) 1931 No 200 3x6.5mm Type 11 MG Type 2592 Chiyoda, a/k/a "Chiysda" (misspelled)
Sumida(Isuzu) 1931 No 2 3x6.5mm Type 11 MG (Chiyoda QSW) "Aikoku"
Sumida(Isuzu) 1931 No ? 3x6.5mm Type 11 MG (Chiyoda) "Kokusan"
Sumida(Isuzu) 1932 No ? none Type 2592 Sumida
Sumida(Isuzu) 1931 Yes 1000 1x7.7mm machine gun Sumida M.2593, also known as Type 91 Broad-gauge Railroad Tractor Sumi-Da or Type 91 armored railroad car So-Mo
Mitsubishi 1935 Yes 121 to 135 none Type 95 So-Ki armored APC and railroad car
Osaka Naval arsenal 1933 Yes limited 1× 7.7mm Vickers .303 MG & 4x 6.5mm MG Type 93 Armoured Car (a/k/a Type 2593 "Hokoku" or Type 93 "Kokusan" or "Type 92" naval armored car)
Daidou (Manchu) automobiles 1933 No ? Type 11 37mm gun, Type 11 MG Manchukyo Type 93 armored car[2]
? 1938 Yes ? none Type 2598 railroad car

Armored carriers

Armored trains

Railroad vehicles

Wagons

Locomotives

Locomotives Type 97/98/100

Railroad cars

Japanese has used routinely road-railroad convertible automobiles. These are covered in "Armoured Cars" section

Engineering and command

See List of Japanese Army military engineer vehicles of World War II

Trucks

Passenger cars (not armoured)

Motorcycles

Tractors & prime movers

Miscellaneous vehicles

Army vessels

River-crossing crafts

Landing craft

Motorboats

Gun boats

Landing craft/aircraft carriers

Transport vessels

Aircraft

Secret weapons

Army secret weapons

Radars

Imperial Japanese Army radars

Ground-based radar

Airborne radar

Shipborne radar

Imperial Japanese Navy Radars

Land-based radar

Airborne radar

Shipborne radar

Missiles & bombs

name type introduced weight, kg role user comment
Kawasaki Ki-147 I-Go Type1 – Ko guided missile 1944 1400 air-to-surface IJA Radio-guided
Kawasaki Igo-1-B guided missile 1944 680 air-to-surface IJA Radio-guided, also known as Ki-148 or I-Go Type 1-Hei
Ke-Go guided missile 1944 680 air-to-surface IJA IR homing version of Ki-148
Funshin-dan unguided missile 1943 40 surface-to-air IJN used in battle of Iwo Jima
Funryu guided missile 1943 1900 surface-to-air IJN Radio-guided, models Funryu-1 to Funryu-4
Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka guided missile 1945 2140 surface-to-air IJN guided by suicide pilot
Type 92 No. 1 bomb 1932 15 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 92 No. 25 bomb 1932 250 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 92 No. 50 bomb 1932 500 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 94 No. 5 bomb 1934 50 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 94 Mod. No. 5 bomb 1934 50 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 94 No. 10 bomb 1934 100 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 94 No. 10 Mod. bomb 1934 100 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 97 No. 6 bomb 1937 60 air-to-surface IJN used in Pearl Harbor attack
Type 98 No. 25 bomb 1938 30 air-to-surface IJN used in Pearl Harbor attack
Type 99 No. 3 Mod. bomb 1939 30 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 99 No. 80 bomb 1939 800 anti-ship IJN used in Pearl Harbor attack
Type 99 No. 25 bomb 1939 30 anti-ship IJN used in Pearl Harbor attack
Type 1 No. 5 bomb 1941 50 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 1 No. 10 bomb 1941 100 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 1 No. 25 bomb 1941 250 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 3 No. 10 bomb 1943 100 air-to-surface IJA -
Type 3 No. 25 bomb 1943 250 air-to-surface IJA Skipping bomb
Type 4 No. 10 bomb 1944 100 anti-ship IJA -
Type 4 No. 25 bomb 1944 250 anti-ship IJA -
Type 4 No. 50 bomb 1944 500 anti-ship IJA -

For more details on naval bombs, see List of Japanese World War II navy bombs For more details in land bombs, see List of Japanese World War II army bombs

Unclear IJA bombs

Unclear IJN bombs

Unclear bomb

Cartridges and shells

Cartridges

High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) shells

Gun Caliber Weight Length Penetration
Type 90/97 Tank Gun 57mm 1.80 kg 189 mm 55 mm
Type 92 Infantry Gun 70 mm 3.38 kg 281 mm 90 mm
Type 41 Mountain Gun 75 mm 3.95 kg 297 mm 100mm
Type 38 12 cm Howitzer 120 mm 13.03 kg 387 mm 140 mm
Type 4 15 cm Howitzer 149 mm 21.04 kg 524 mm 150mm

Among them, the HEAT of Type 41 Mountain Gun was used in action and destroyed several Allied tanks in Burma and other places. The use of the HEAT for other guns is not known.

Other HEAT shell was the projectile of Type 94 Mountain Gun. The HEAT of Type 94 Mountain Gun was not produced though it was developed.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Standard Catalog of Military Firearms: The Collector's Price and Reference Guide, edited by Phillip Peterson, ISBN 978-1-4402-3692-1
  2. ↑ http://henk.fox3000.com/fairey.htm
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