Type 38 10 cm Cannon
Encyclopedia
The was a field gun
used by the Imperial Japanese Army
during World War I
, the Second Sino-Japanese War
and World War II
. It was a licensed copy of a 1905 Krupp
design. By 1941 it was thoroughly obsolete and relegated to second-line service.
. As warship production in Japan had priority during the 1890s, the technology and industrial infrastructure to construct medium or large caliber
weapons was reserved for the Imperial Navy
, as a consequence, the first twenty units were imported from Germany in 1905. Further units were produced under license in Japan by the Army’s Osaka Arsenal under the direction of arms designer General Arisaka Nariakira from 1907, and began appearing in front line combat units from 1911.
After experience in the First World War, the Type 38 was upgraded to the “C” version, with a lengthened bore
and modified carriage to permit a higher angle of fire. This modified version was already obsolete by the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, but continued to be used by reserve and second-line forces through the end of World War II
.
and a solid box trail. It had a hydrospring
recoil system, interrupted screw type breechblock, and 1/16-inch gun shield.
It was designed to be towed by a team of eight horses, or by an arms tractor.
The Type 38 105 mm Field Gun was capable of firing High-explosive, armor-piercing warhead
, shrapnel, incendiary, smoke and illumination and gas
shells.
in World War I. It was later used in rear echelon formations in Manchukuo
and in various campaigns in mainland China
in the Second Sino-Japanese War. Due to its obsolescence, it was not encountered by Allied forces
in the Pacific. Some units were also used for shore defense in coastal artillery
batteries in the Boso Peninsula
, and Tokyo Bay
in the Japanese home islands
In 1914, 120 guns were ordered by Russian Empire
, converted to use 4,2-inch (106,7 mm) Russian munition for 107 mm gun M1910
. These guns continued service in Red Army
until World War II (there were still 88 such guns in 1936).
Weapons captured by the Chinese remained in use in China by both the National Revolutionary Army
of the Kuomintang
government and People’s Liberation Army of the Chinese communist government at least through the Chinese Civil War
.
Field gun
A field gun is an artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march and when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances, as to opposed guns installed in a fort, or to siege cannon or mortars which...
used by the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was a licensed copy of a 1905 Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
design. By 1941 it was thoroughly obsolete and relegated to second-line service.
History and development
Interest in the Krupp 105 mm field gun was expressed by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff in November 1904, during the height of the Russo-Japanese WarRusso-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
. As warship production in Japan had priority during the 1890s, the technology and industrial infrastructure to construct medium or large caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
weapons was reserved for the Imperial Navy
Imperial Navy
The phrase Imperial Navy may refer to:*The Austro-Hungarian Navy*The German Navy between 1872 and 1918*The Imperial Japanese Navy from 1869 until 1947*The Imperial Navy of Imperial Qing government*The Imperial Navy from the fictional Star Wars universe....
, as a consequence, the first twenty units were imported from Germany in 1905. Further units were produced under license in Japan by the Army’s Osaka Arsenal under the direction of arms designer General Arisaka Nariakira from 1907, and began appearing in front line combat units from 1911.
After experience in the First World War, the Type 38 was upgraded to the “C” version, with a lengthened bore
Gauge (bore diameter)
The gauge of a firearm is a unit of measurement used to express the diameter of the barrel. Gauge is determined from the weight of a solid sphere of lead that will fit the bore of the firearm, and is expressed as the multiplicative inverse of the sphere's weight as a fraction of a pound . Thus...
and modified carriage to permit a higher angle of fire. This modified version was already obsolete by the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, but continued to be used by reserve and second-line forces through the end of World War II
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
.
Design
The Type 38 105 mm Field Gun was a conventional design, with crew seats on the gun shieldGun shield
thumb|A [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine]] manning an [[M240 machine gun]] equipped with a gun shieldA gun shield is a flat piece or section of armor designed to be mounted on a crew-served weapon such as a machine gun or artillery piece, or, more rarely, to be used with an assault rifle...
and a solid box trail. It had a hydrospring
Hydrospring
A Hydrospring is a mechanical device that performs a similar function to a spring. The advantage of a hydrospring over a normal spring is the increased damping that it performs...
recoil system, interrupted screw type breechblock, and 1/16-inch gun shield.
It was designed to be towed by a team of eight horses, or by an arms tractor.
The Type 38 105 mm Field Gun was capable of firing High-explosive, armor-piercing warhead
Armor-piercing shot and shell
An armor-piercing shell is a type of ammunition designed to penetrate armor. From the 1860s to 1950s, a major application of armor-piercing projectiles was to defeat the thick armor carried on many warships. From the 1920s onwards, armor-piercing weapons were required for anti-tank missions...
, shrapnel, incendiary, smoke and illumination and gas
Chemical warfare
Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from Nuclear warfare and Biological warfare, which together make up NBC, the military acronym for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical...
shells.
Combat record
Type 38 10 cm field gun was initially at the Battle of TsingtaoBattle of Tsingtao
The Siege of Tsingtao was the attack on the German-controlled port of Tsingtao in China during World War I by Imperial Japan and the United Kingdom....
in World War I. It was later used in rear echelon formations in Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
and in various campaigns in mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
in the Second Sino-Japanese War. Due to its obsolescence, it was not encountered by Allied forces
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
in the Pacific. Some units were also used for shore defense in coastal artillery
Coastal artillery
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
batteries in the Boso Peninsula
Boso Peninsula
thumb|Locationthumb|Landsat image with high-resolution data from Space Shuttle is a peninsula in Chiba prefecture on Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It forms the eastern edge of Tokyo Bay, separating it from the Pacific Ocean....
, and Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
in the Japanese home islands
In 1914, 120 guns were ordered by Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, converted to use 4,2-inch (106,7 mm) Russian munition for 107 mm gun M1910
107 mm gun M1910
107-mm gun model 1910 was a Russian field gun of World War I era. The gun was initially developed by the French arms manufacturer Schneider, but afterwards was built by Putilovski Works in Saint Petersburg....
. These guns continued service in Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
until World War II (there were still 88 such guns in 1936).
Weapons captured by the Chinese remained in use in China by both the National Revolutionary Army
National Revolutionary Army
The National Revolutionary Army , pre-1928 sometimes shortened to 革命軍 or Revolutionary Army and between 1928-1947 as 國軍 or National Army was the Military Arm of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of party rule...
of the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
government and People’s Liberation Army of the Chinese communist government at least through the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
.