Type 4 40 cm rocket launcher
| Type 4 40 cm rocket launcher | |
|---|---|
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| General Information | |
| Military designation: | 四 式 四十 糎 噴 進 砲 |
| Manufacturer country: |
 Japan
|
| Development year: | 1943 |
| Production time: | 1944 to 1945 |
| Weapon Category: | Rocket launcher |
| Technical specifications | |
| Pipe length: | 3.22 m |
| Caliber : |
400 mm |
| Weight ready for use: | 220 kg |
| Elevation range: | +40 to +65 degrees |
| Side straightening area: | 0 ° |
| Furnishing | |
| Ammunition supply: | individually |
The Type 4 40 cm rocket launcher ( Japanese 四 式 四十 糎 噴 進 砲 , Yon-shiki yonjissenchi funshinhō ) was a rocket launcher that was used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Pacific War from 1944 to 1945. The designation Type 4 indicates the year the troops were introduced, the year Kōki 2604 or 1944 according to the Gregorian calendar.
history
In the course of the Pacific War , the Japanese became more and more aware of their artillery inferiority compared to the Allies . To compensate for this, they developed rocket launchers for close support, with which they had had good experiences. Due to their low weight compared to guns and howitzers , they were much more mobile than the latter and still had considerable firepower. Due to the growing scarcity of raw materials in the Japanese Empire , it was also easier for Japanese industry to manufacture rocket launchers, which basically consisted of a barrel and a bipod , than to produce time-consuming and complicated guns. In 1943, the 7th Army Research Institute began developing the Type 4 20 cm rocket launcher and had good successes in terms of accuracy. Therefore, in 1943, the 7th Army Research Institute began developing a 40 cm rocket launcher. This was mainly shot at a 45 ° angle, the range being controlled by a kind of release valve. Production of the rockets started in May 1945 and by the end of the war in September 1945, 50 projectiles were manufactured per month. The Type 4 40 cm rocket launcher was intended exclusively for the defense of the Japanese mainland and was not used in any combat operations.
technology
The launcher of the Type 4 40 cm rocket launcher showed significant differences from the 20 cm version. Instead of a metal tube, a wooden frame was used, which saved valuable resources and costly production facilities. With the experience of the accuracy of the 20 cm rocket launcher, the research institute was convinced that the lack of a pipe would not affect the accuracy of the hit. Instead of delivering the wooden frame to the rocket companies , they mostly provided blueprints for building the frame with the ammunition. The rocket troops then had to manufacture the frame from the materials available to them. If no material was available, as with the Type 4 20 cm rocket launcher, hollows were dug into which, in turn, a slight depression was made in the direction of fire. By the end of the war, 1700 launchers had been manufactured, which far exceeded the total production of around 250 bullets.
The type 4 fired a six times more powerful warhead than the 20 cm version. The front part of the projectile was filled with 98.3 kg of explosives and had a devastating effect on the target. The rocket launcher fired a twist- stabilized projectile with a weight of 508 kg, which had to be carried to the launcher by eight men. While the front part of the projectile contained the warhead, the rocket propellant charge was attached in the lower part. The warhead and the rocket propellant were connected with screws. The lower plate of the rocket propellant charge had six holes drilled into the plate at an inclined angle to give the projectile a spin and increase its flight stability. The maximum range was 3700 m and could be reduced by widening the exit holes in the propellant charge plate.
Technical specifications
- Caliber: 400 mm
- Tube length (glide path of the thrower): 3.22 m
- Elevation range: + 40 ° to + 65 °
- Side straightening range: 0 °
- Gun weight: 220 kg
- Bullet weight: 508 kg
- Explosive charge: 98.3 kg
- Muzzle velocity V 0 : 220 m / s
- Maximum range: 3,700 m
literature
- Steve J. Zaloga: Defense of Japan, 1945 (= Fortress. 99). Osprey Publishing, Oxford et al. 2010, ISBN 978-1-84603-687-3 .
- Leland Ness: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937–1945: Volume 2: Weapons of the Imperial Japanese Army & Navy Ground Forces Helion & Company, 2014, ISBN 978-1-909982-75-8 .
- Chris Bishop: The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II Metrobooks, 2002, ISBN 978-1-58663-762-0 .
Web links
- Type 4 16 '' rocket launcher. Taki's homepage, accessed on June 28, 2016 (English).
- Japanese Infantry Rocket Artillery of World War II. YouTube, accessed April 14, 2016 .