TERA rifle
| TERA rifle | |
|---|---|
|
|
| general information | |
| Military designation: | TERA, type 100, type 1, type 2 |
| Country of operation: |
 Imperial Japanese Army
|
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Arsenal Nagoya |
| Development year: | 1940-42 |
| Manufacturer country: |
 Japan
|
| Production time: | 1943-45 |
| Weapon Category: | gun |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | Type 2: 1150 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 4.05 kg |
| Barrel length : | Type 2: 620 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | 7.7 x 58 mm |
| Possible magazine fillings : | 5 cartridges |
| Ammunition supply : | permanently installed box magazine |
| Fire types: | Single fire |
| Twist : | right |
| Visor : | open sights |
| Charging principle: | Multiple loaders |
| Lists on the subject | |
The TERA rifle ( Japanese テ ラ 銃 , Tera-jū , short for 挺進 落下 傘 小 銃 , Teishin Rakkasan Shōjū , German about air storm parachute rifle ) was a concept of the parachute troops of the Imperial Japanese Army to equip their paratroopers with a detachable rifle that could be carried when jumping out of the plane. Between 1940 and 1942 the Type 100, Type 1 and Type 2 rifles were developed.
development
During the Pacific War , Army and Navy paratroopers mostly used the same weapons as the infantry . Only in a few exceptions were weapons that were specially tested for operational requirements used. With the so-called TERA rifles, a collapsible or retractable version should give the paratrooper the opportunity to carry it when jumping out of the aircraft (a full length rifle could have injured the soldier on landing). Although the development of the TERA rifles began in 1940, the first models were not used until 1943.
Models
Type 100
The first TERA rifle was the Type 100 rifle. The designation Type 100 refers to the year of introduction within the Japanese calendar scheme in the year 2600 - in the Gregorian calendar the year 1940. It was based on the Arisaka Type 99 rifle and could be dismantled into two parts. Only prototypes were made.
Type 1
The Type 1 was based on the Type 44 carbine (developed in 1941), which had a collapsible shoulder rest . However, the flexible shoulder rest proved not to be reliable and the status of the Type 1 did not go beyond that of a prototype.
Type 2
In 1942 the Type 2 was developed, which was based on the short version of the Type 99 rifle and could be dismantled into two parts. In the middle of type 2 there was a 10 mm thick pin that held both halves together. This distinctive pen was missing from the Type 100 version and gave the Type 2 the necessary stability. Where the weapon was assembled, the wooden shaft was reinforced with metal. An approx. 5 cm long part of the rifle barrel protruded from the front part of the weapon and was inserted into the rear part of the weapon. Then the pin was inserted from the right in the rear part of the weapon, which locked the inserted rifle barrel. The Type 2 was then ready for use.
The Type 2 fired 7.7 × 58 mm Arisaka cartridges, which were inserted into the weapon via a 5-round magazine. A type 1 bayonet designed exclusively for the type 2 could be attached to the front of the rifle underflow. In order to enable the shooter to aim more accurately when lying down, a foldable monopod was attached below the rifle underflow. 19,000 Type 2s were produced between 1943 and 1945.
literature
- Leland Ness: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 2: Weapons of the Imperial Japanese Army & Navy Ground Forces Helion & Company, 2014, ISBN 978-19099-8275-8
- Will Fowler & Patrick Sweeney: The World Encyclopedia of Rifles and Machine Guns Hermes House, 2010, ISBN 978-184681-162-3
- Rottman & Takizawa: Japanese Paratroop Forces of World War II Osprey Publishing, UK, 2005, ISBN 978-1-84176-903-5
Web links
- TERA Rifles. Taki's homepage, accessed April 1, 2016 (English).
- The M-2 take-down rifle in 7.7mm. japaneseweapons.net, accessed April 1, 2016 .
- TERA Type 2. Takahiro, accessed April 1, 2016 (Japanese). , Picture of the TERA Type 2
- TERA Type 1. Takahiro, accessed April 1, 2016 (Japanese). , Picture of the TERA Type 1