Ho-5 cannon

Type-97 (top), Ho-103 (middle), Ho-05 cannon (bottom) in Royal Thai Air Force Museum

The Ho-5 (Army Type 2) was a Japanese aircraft autocannon used during World War II. Developed from the Ho-103 machine gun, it was a version of the American Model 1921 Browning aircraft machine gun. It replaced the Ho-1 and Ho-3 (Army Type 97) in general service. The Ho-5 was belt-fed using typical Browning-style steel disintegrating links. The cartridge used was a shortened version of the Allied 20 x 110mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404.

The Ho-5 was used mostly as wing mounts in late-war fighters, but saw limited use as cowl mounted in fighters and as flexible mounted (retrofit) in bombers.

Specifications

• Caliber: 20mm (0.8 in)
• Ammunition: 20 x 94 (84.5 g)
• Weight: 37 kg (77 lb)
• Rate of fire: 750 rounds/min
• Muzzle velocity: 750 m/s (2,460 ft/s)
• Magazine: 150-round belt

References

• Gunston, Bill "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Combat Aircraft of World War II" Salamander Books, Ltd. 1978 ISBN 0-89673-000-X
• 20 mm Aircraft Cannon Ho 5 (Browning Principle)
• Japanese Ammunition