Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

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Viktor.S
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Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

#1

Post by Viktor.S » 15 May 2020, 11:39

Hello everyone,

I have some questions about this weapon.

>How many were produced in total? And is there any breakdown of unit production per-year available?
>Was this weapon only used by the Japanese military, or were any donated to Japan's wartime allies, or used post-war by other armies?
>Are there any English translations of technical manuals for this weapon? I would like to learn more about how it operated.

Thanks.

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fontessa
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Re: Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

#2

Post by fontessa » 15 May 2020, 13:31

Hello Viktor.S,
Viktor.S wrote:
15 May 2020, 11:39
>How many were produced in total? And is there any breakdown of unit production per-year available?
According to Japanese WIKI, total production was 32,380 (21,000 in 1944).
Viktor.S wrote:
15 May 2020, 11:39
>Was this weapon only used by the Japanese military, or were any donated to Japan's wartime allies, or used post-war by other armies?
Only in Japan including IJA.
Viktor.S wrote:
15 May 2020, 11:39
>Are there any English translations of technical manuals for this weapon? I would like to learn more about how it operated.
The below is the US report on Japanese AA guns including Type96 25mm Machine Cannon.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160304193 ... %20N-2.pdf

fontessa


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Akira Takizawa
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Re: Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

#3

Post by Akira Takizawa » 15 May 2020, 13:58

After WWII, Type 96 25mm was used by Chinese Army, Vietnam Army and Bougainville Revolutionary Army.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_96_2 ... bat_record

Taki

Viktor.S
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Re: Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

#4

Post by Viktor.S » 15 May 2020, 14:17

fontessa wrote:
15 May 2020, 13:31
Hello Viktor.S,

According to Japanese WIKI, total production was 32,380 (21,000 in 1944).

Only in Japan including IJA.

The below is the US report on Japanese AA guns including Type96 25mm Machine Cannon.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160304193 ... %20N-2.pdf

fontessa
Thank you very much fontessa.
Akira Takizawa wrote:
15 May 2020, 13:58
After WWII, Type 96 25mm was used by Chinese Army, Vietnam Army and Bougainville Revolutionary Army.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_96_2 ... bat_record

Taki
Interesting, thank you. It's impressive to hear that after all those years the gun in Bougainville was still functional.

A question to either of you about these guns: were they fired using a foot pedal (for example like the German Flak 38), or did it have a hand-fired trigger of some kind (and if so, what kind and where on the gun)?

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Akira Takizawa
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Re: Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

#5

Post by Akira Takizawa » 15 May 2020, 16:44

Single 25mm was by trigger. Twin and triple 25mm were by food pedal.

Taki

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fontessa
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Re: Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

#6

Post by fontessa » 15 May 2020, 17:03

Hello Viktor.S,

Type96 25mm Machine Canons were available in single, twin, and triple weapon types. In the case of a single gun, the trigger was fired, and in the twin gun and triple gun, the foot pedal fired.

The triple type firing will be described. The three machine guns are not firing at the same time. First, the gun on the left fires a loaded shot (15 or less), then the gun in the center fires, and then the gun on the right fires. Meanwhile, the guns that have fired are loaded. Gun firing is done by pedaling of the gunner. Left pedal fires left and right guns, right pedal fires middle gun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XA-hd8FZ54



AAGun1.jpg
AAGun1.jpg (110.31 KiB) Viewed 3997 times


AAGun2.jpg
AAGun2.jpg (73.17 KiB) Viewed 3997 times

fontessa

Viktor.S
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Re: Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

#7

Post by Viktor.S » 15 May 2020, 17:37

Akira Takizawa wrote:
15 May 2020, 16:44
fontessa wrote:
15 May 2020, 17:03
Thank you both for your replies.

Fontessa, I really appreciate the diagrams and description of operation, it's a big help to gain a better understanding of these weapons.

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fontessa
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Re: Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

#8

Post by fontessa » 12 Jun 2020, 23:47

Hello Viktor.S,

I previously described the Type 96 25 mm Machine Cannon. For large ships such as battleships, many of these were operated by remote control. I would like to explain it briefly.

The figure below shows the Yamato bridge structure at the time of construction. One Type 95 fire controller controlled two type 96 triple 25mm machine cannons. The fire controller was operated by 6 men. The turning, elevation and firing of each turret was controlled by the handle of the gunner of fire controller. Each turret only supplied ammunition. When remote control became impossible due to disconnection of the circuit, it was directly operated by personnel in the turret.


Yamato1.jpg

The figure below shows the fire controllers and turrets on the port side of Yamato at the end of the war. For both of fire controller and turret, the shape of the blast shield was different from when Yamato was built. Each turret was controlled by the same color controller. White also shows turret and controller without blast shield.


Yamato2.jpg

fontessa

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fontessa
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Re: Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

#9

Post by fontessa » 26 Aug 2020, 06:28

Hello Viktor.S,

I mentioned about Type 96 Triple Machine Canon operation in YAMATO. In tere, 2 Type 96 Triple Machine Canons was controlled by a Type 95 Director. This system was installed on large ships that was more than heavy cruisers.
The aiming of the Director's gunner was transmitted to the gun turrets by an electric signal, which was operated by the turning and elevation motors. The personnel on the gun side only loaded the bullets.

I found composition of Type 96 Machine Canon system for SHOKAKU class aircraft carrier at the time of construction. The system consisted of 6 Type 95 Derectors and 12 Type 96 Triple Machine Canon. Of the directors, only the two located behind the chimney had a shield to prevent smoke emission of the chimney.

Shokaku.jpg

fontesa

Felix C
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Re: Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

#10

Post by Felix C » 26 Aug 2020, 21:28

Were the open triple 25mm manually directed by each gun captain? No director?

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fontessa
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Re: Japanese Type 96 25mm AA (?)

#11

Post by fontessa » 28 Aug 2020, 13:02

Hello Felix,
Felix C wrote:
26 Aug 2020, 21:28
Were the open triple 25mm manually directed by each gun captain? No director?
Yes.

fontessa

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