Type 94 75 mm Mountain Gun
Encyclopedia
The was a mountain gun
used as a general purpose infantry support gun
by the Imperial Japanese Army
during the Second Sino-Japanese War
and World War II
. It superseded the Type 41 75 mm Mountain Gun
to become the standard pack artillery piece of Japanese infantry divisions. It was superior to Type 41 in range and in weight.
with sliding breechblock
based on German Krupp
designs and a long split-trail carriage with a hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism based on French Schneider
designs. The crew was partially protected by a gun shield
made of 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick armor plate.
The design was modular in construction, and the gun could be broken down into eleven modules within three to five minutes for transport. The heaviest module weighed 210 pounds (95 kg), and the weapon was intended to be transported by six pack horses, or 18 men (although during the Bougainville campaign
because of the tough terrain it was carried by 41 men). The gun could be reassembled within ten minutes.
during the Pacification of Manchukuo
, and during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was also assigned to units in the Southern Expeditionary Army and was sited in defensive positions on islands throughout the Netherlands East Indies and the South Pacific Mandate
. It was one of the most common weapons encountered by Allied forces
towards the closing stages of the war.
Chinese
copies of the Type 94 were used by the North Koreans during the Korean War
.
Mountain gun
Mountain guns are artillery pieces designed for use in mountain warfare and areas where usual wheeled transport is not possible. They are similar to infantry support guns, and are generally capable of being broken down into smaller loads .Due to their ability to be broken down into smaller...
used as a general purpose infantry support gun
Infantry support gun
Infantry support guns are artillery weapons designed and used to increase fire power of infantry units they are intrinsic to, offering immediate tactical response to the needs of the unit's commanding officer. The designs are typically with short low velocity barrels, and light construction...
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 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 superseded the Type 41 75 mm Mountain Gun
Type 41 75 mm Mountain Gun
The Type 41 75 mm mountain gun is a Japanese license-built copy of the Krupp M.08 mountain gun. Originally it was the standard pack artillery weapon. After it was superseded by the Type 94 75 mm mountain gun, it was then used as an infantry "regimental" gun, deployed 4 to each infantry...
to become the standard pack artillery piece of Japanese infantry divisions. It was superior to Type 41 in range and in weight.
History and development
Combat experience with the Type 41 Mountain Gun during the invasion of Manchuria indicated to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff that the existing primary mountain gun lacked not only in firepower and accuracy, but also was not as easily transportable under difficult terrain as had been hoped. The Army Technical Bureau was assigned a project to develop a replacement in 1931. The first prototype was tested in 1932, and the design released for production by September 1934 as the "Type 94". However, plans to re-equip all artillery regiments with the new weapon were continually postponed due to budgetary priorities.Design
The Type 94 75 mm mountain gun had a single piece gun barrelGun barrel
A gun barrel is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion or rapid expansion of gases are released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at a high velocity....
with sliding breechblock
Breech-loading weapon
A breech-loading weapon is a firearm in which the cartridge or shell is inserted or loaded into a chamber integral to the rear portion of a barrel....
based on German 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...
designs and a long split-trail carriage with a hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism based on French Schneider
Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a French global company. It was founded in 1836 by two brothers, Eugène and Adolphe Schneider.In the first part of the 20th century, Schneider et Cie associated itself with Westinghouse Systems, a major international electrical group at the time. The group began manufacturing...
designs. The crew was partially protected by a gun shield
Gun 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...
made of 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick armor plate.
The design was modular in construction, and the gun could be broken down into eleven modules within three to five minutes for transport. The heaviest module weighed 210 pounds (95 kg), and the weapon was intended to be transported by six pack horses, or 18 men (although during the Bougainville campaign
Bougainville campaign (1944-45)
The Bougainville campaign was fought by the Allies in the South Pacific during World War II to regain control of the island of Bougainville from the Japanese forces who had occupied it in 1942. During their occupation the Japanese constructed naval aircraft bases in the north, east, and south of...
because of the tough terrain it was carried by 41 men). The gun could be reassembled within ten minutes.
Ammunition
- High-explosive
- M94 6 kg with 0.8 kg of TNT and M88 impact or delay fuse.
- "A" 6.46 kg with Picric acidPicric acidPicric acid is the chemical compound formally called 2,4,6-trinitrophenol . This yellow crystalline solid is one of the most acidic phenols. Like other highly nitrated compounds such as TNT, picric acid is an explosive...
and dinitroDinitrotoluene2,4-Dinitrotoluene or Dinitro is an organic compound with the formula C6H32. This pale yellow crystalline solid is well known as a precursor to trinitrotoluene but is mainly used in the polymer industry....
and M3 combination fuse. - "B" 6.6 kg with 0.66 kg of Picric acid and dinitro and M88 impact or delay fuse.
- M90/97 6.18 kg with 0.42 kg of TNT and M88 impact or delay fuse.
- M90 Pointed HE 6.35 kg with TNT and M88 impact or delay fuse.
- Armor piercingArmor-piercing shot and shellAn 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...
- M95 APHE 6.2 kg with 0.45 kg of picric acid and dinitro M95 small AP base fuse.
- Shrapnel
- M90 Shrapnel 7 kg with 0.1 kg of black powder with M5 combination fuse.
- M38 Shrapnel 6.83 kg with 0.1 kg of black powder with M3 combination fuse.
- ChemicalChemical warfareChemical 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...
- Star
- M90 Illumination 5.65 kg with M5 combination fuse.
- Incendiary
- M90 Incendiary 6.93 kg with black powder and M5 combination fuse.
- Smoke
- M90 Smoke 5.73 kg with 0.1 kg of picric acid and dinitro with M88 impact fuse.
Combat record
Type 94 75 mm Mountain Gun was used extensively in ManchukuoManchukuo
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...
during the Pacification of Manchukuo
Pacification of Manchukuo
The Pacification of Manchukuo, was a campaign to pacify the resistance to the newly established puppet state of Manchukuo between the Anti-Japanese Volunteer Armies of Manchuria and later the Communist Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army and the Imperial Japanese Army and the forces of the...
, and during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was also assigned to units in the Southern Expeditionary Army and was sited in defensive positions on islands throughout the Netherlands East Indies and the South Pacific Mandate
South Pacific Mandate
The was the Japanese League of Nations mandate consisting of several groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean which came under the administration of Japan after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I.-Early history:Under the terms of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, after the start of World...
. It was one of the most common weapons 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...
towards the closing stages of the war.
Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
copies of the Type 94 were used by the North Koreans during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.