Type 4 7 cm anti-tank rifle
| Type 4 7 cm anti-tank rifle | |
|---|---|
|
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| general information | |
| Military designation: | Type 4 7 cm anti-tank rifle |
| Development year: | 1944 |
| Manufacturer country: |
 Japan
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| Production time: | 1944 to 1945 |
| Weapon Category: | Anti-tank missile |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | 1500 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 8.0 kg |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | 74 mm |
| Ammunition supply : | individually |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Type 4 7 cm anti-tank rifle ( Japanese 試製 四 式 七 糎 噴 進 砲 Shisei shi-shiki nana-senchi funshinhō , German "Experimental Type 4 7 cm rocket launcher"), also experimental Type 4 7 cm anti-tank rifle , was a Japanese reactive anti-tank rifle . It was comparable to the German Panzerschreck and the American Bazooka . The designation type 4 refers to the year of the introduction in the year 2604 in the yearly counting of the (mythological) empire ( Kōki ) used in the empire - in the Christian calendar the year 1944, in today's yearly counting according to era the year 19 Shōwa time .
history
In the course of the Pacific War , the Imperial Japanese Army found itself increasingly exposed to the situation that it had no effective anti-tank defense against enemy tanks . The type 1-37 mm - and -47 mm - anti-tank guns proved under favorable conditions to be effective against light tanks such as the M3 Stuart , however, were against stronger models like the M4 Sherman almost ineffective. In search of alternatives, the Type 99 mine was introduced as a weapon against tanks and vehicles as early as 1939 . Since the Imperial Japanese Navy had priority in armament projects and the allocation of resources , the army was forced to fall back on existing anti-tank equipment. It was not until 1944, in view of the successful Allied offensives, that the army command felt compelled to provide the infantry with stronger anti-tank weapons as soon as possible. The development of an anti-tank rifle was started in 1943 by the 1st Army Research Institute and in mid-1944 the Type 4 7 cm anti-tank rifle was presented. It was to become the standard anti-tank weapon of the infantry. Outwardly it was similar to the German Panzerschreck and the American Bazooka, but when loaded it was considerably heavier (12 kg) and therefore equipped with a bipod on the foreleg.
Production of the Type 4 began in 1944. Around 3500 anti-tank rifles were produced and delivered exclusively to units in mainland Japan. This was a large number compared to other Japanese weapons. The production of the ammunition posed a bigger problem. In April 1944 the production of the 4.08 kg rocket started and in July it reached a monthly quota of 2000 pieces, compared to the number of rocket launchers already produced. This resulted in less training at type 4.
Delivery of type 4 rocket launchers and ammunition to the troops.
| 5th Regional Army | 11th Regional Army | 12th Regional Army | 13th Regional Army | 15th Regional Army | 16th regional army | 55th Army | 59th Army | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thrower | 0 | 100 | 484 | 103 | 960 | unknown | 75 | 38 |
| Missiles | 0 | 0 | 3204 | 287 | 0 | 3824 | 0 | 611 |
Since the Allied Operation Downfall (landing on Japan) no longer came, the Type 4 was never used in combat.
technology
The Type 4 consisted of a front tube to which a bipod was attached and a rear tube. Since the weapon weighed more than 12 kg when loaded, an additional leg was attached to the rear tube to give the shooter stability when aiming. The front and rear tubes were held together by three bolts. Due to fluctuating manufacturing tolerances , the pipe parts of different type 4s could not be exchanged. A kind of pistol grip, the fire mechanism, a protective frame and a shoulder rest were attached to the rear tube. The weapon had to be made ready to fire manually. The anti-tank rifle was fired by activating the fire mechanism, which was connected to a cable. The Type 4 was operated by two men, a shooter and the loader. The visor consisted of a rear sight and two grains . The twist-stabilized projectile weighed just over 4 kg and contained a 260 g propellant charge and 710 g explosives. Although with a muzzle velocity of 100 m / s the maximum range was around 750 m, the effective range was between 50 and 100 meters. Under favorable conditions, between 80 mm and 100 mm of armor could be penetrated.
Technical specifications
- Caliber: 74 mm
- Gun length: 1500 mm
- Weight: 8.0 kg
- Bullet weight: 4.08 kg
- Muzzle velocity V 0 = 100 m / s
- Effective range: 50–100 m
- Maximum range: 750 m
- Penetration: 80 mm
- Number of items produced: approx. 3500
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 .
Web links
- Experimental AT Guns. Taki's homepage, accessed on February 8, 2016 (English).