Type 97 light machine gun
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| Type 97 7.7 mm tank machine gun | |
|---|---|
 A Type 97 tank machine gun, shown with telescopic sight, magazine and jacket guard. |
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| Type | Light machine gun |
| Place of origin |  Empire of Japan |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1937–1945 |
| Used by | Imperial Japanese Army |
| Wars | Second Sino-Japanese War, Soviet-Japanese Border Wars, World War II, Chinese Civil War, Korean War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1937 |
| Produced | 1937–1945 |
| Number built | 18,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 12.4 kg (27.34 lb) |
| Length | 1,145 mm (45.1 in) |
| Barrel length | 700 mm (27.6 in) |
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| Cartridge | 7.7x58mm Arisaka |
| Action | Gas-operated |
| Rate of fire | 500 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 724 m/s (2,375 ft/s) |
| Effective range | 540 m |
| Maximum range | 3,420 m |
| Feed system | 20-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Blade front sight and aperture rear sight |
The Type 97 (九七式車載重機関銃 Kyūnana-shiki Shasai-jūkikanjū) was the standard machine gun used on tanks and armored vehicles of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, and also as a light machine gun by infantry forces.[1]
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[edit] Development
Initially, the Type 11 Light Machine Gun was modified by the Army Technical Bureau for use on tanks and other armored vehicles, and was produced for this application under the designation “Type 92 Mobile Machine Gun”. However, the basic design issues with the Type 11 remained, including its tendency to jam under the slightest amount of grit or dirt, and the low lethality and lack of stopping power of its 6.5x50mm Arisaka cartridges.
During the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces captured a number of Czech ZB vz/26 light machine guns from China’s National Revolutionary Army, whose numerous design advantages led to the development of the Japanese Type 92 heavy machine gun. This was used in a modified form for armored vehicles until 1940, when the Japanese Army switched to a rimless 7.7 mm cartridge. The resulting final design was designated to Type 97.
[edit] Design
The Type 97 was mechanically similar to the Czech ZB vz. 26, with a different stock and pistol grip. It had a straight, vertical, 20-round box magazine and used the same 7.7 mm cartridges as were used in the Type 99 rifle. The light gun barrel was easy to overheat, which meant the gunner had to fire in bursts, or the barrel would be shot out.[2]
When fitted to a tank, a fixed focus 1.5x telescopic sight with a 30° field of view was used. To prevent injury to the gunner, a heavy rubber eye pad was attached to the rear of the sight.
When used as an infantry weapon, a bipod was employed. Without the bipod it weighed only 11.25 kg (24.8 lb) in this form.[3]
[edit] Deployment
The Type 97 came into active service in 1937, and was used on all Japanese tanks and other armored vehicles until the end of the war. It was much less common as a stand-alone infantry gun due to its weight.[4]The Imperial Japanese Navy also used the weapon in their combat vehicles such as the Type 92 Jyu-Sokosha. [5]
Aircrafts like Nakajima Ki-43 also used the Type 97 gun.
[edit] References
- Bishop, Chris (eds) (1998). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Barnes & Nobel. ISBN 0760710228.
- Mayer, S.L. (1984). The Rise and Fall of Imperial Japan. The Military Press. ISBN 0517423138.
- Morse, D.R. (1996). Japanese Small Arms of WW2; Light Machine Guns Models 11, 96, 99 97 & 92. Firing Pin Enterprizes. ASIN: B000KFVGSU.
- Popenker, Maxim (2008). Machine Gun: The Development of the Machine Gun from the Nineteenth Century to the Present Day. Crowood. ISBN 1847970303.
- Rottman, Gordon L. (2005). Japanese Infantryman 1937-1945. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841768189.
- US Department of War (1994 reprint). Handbook on Japanese Military Forces, TM-E 30-480 (1945). Louisiana State University Press. ISBN 0807120138.
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes
- ^ Bishop, The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II
- ^ [1] TM-E 30-480 (1945)
- ^ Data card at the Sinbudai Old Weapon Museum, Camp Asaka, Japan
- ^ Morse, Japanese Small Arms of WW2; Light Machine Guns Models 11, 96, 99, 97 & 92
- ^ http://www.dragonsoffire.com/photos_Type97TankMachineGub.htm] Dragonsoffire.com
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