Type 99 light machine gun
| Type 99 light machine gun | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| general information | |
| Military designation: | Type 99 |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Kijiro Nambu |
| Development year: | 1939 |
| Manufacturer country: |
 Japan
|
| Production time: | 1941 to 1945 |
| Weapon Category: | light machine gun |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | 1181 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 11.4 kg |
| Barrel length : | 550 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | 7.7 × 58 mm rear |
| Possible magazine fillings : | 30 cartridges |
| Ammunition supply : | Bar magazine |
| Cadence : | 800-850 rounds / min |
| Fire types: | Continuous fire |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Type 99 light machine gun was a Japanese machine gun . It was the successor to the well-known Type 11 light machine gun , the standard machine gun used by the Japanese army .
technical features
The Type 99 MG fired 7.7 mm bullets. Earlier MG models of the Japanese armed forces used weaker ammunition, which, due to a design fault in the weapons, also had to be greased in order to (theoretically) ensure reliable function. In practice, however, the lubrication led to more frequent malfunctions, since dust particles inevitably got stuck in the grease, blocking the mechanism.
The design of the Type 99 was improved based on these negative experiences. There was no need to grease the ammunition, the locking mechanism was thus much better protected from dust and dirt, and jamming occurred significantly less often. About 100,000 pieces were made. Although destined to become the standard machine gun, production volumes never kept pace with demand. The Japanese army was forced to use machine guns that were long out of date.
The cam magazine was placed on the gun barrel. Next to the magazine there was a counter that showed how many cartridges were left in the magazine. This gave the weapon a better handling, but the protruding magazine severely impaired the soldier's view. The upward shift of the center of gravity made them, in addition to their strong recoil (for which they were feared), unsuitable for normal handgun use. The weapon was therefore mainly used as a stationary machine gun or as an anti-aircraft gun.
Another unusual feature for a weapon of this class was the locking device for a bayonet attached under the barrel , which turned out to be rather impractical for this weapon due to its heavy weight and the (removable) flash hider at the barrel , which blocked most of the blade when attached .
Type 99 paratrooper machine gun
With the formation of the army parachute troops came the demand for a machine gun that could be dismantled by paratroopers . Development began in 1938 and the Type 99 was quickly classified as a suitable weapon and modified for its new role. The wooden shoulder piece was connected to the clasp with the help of an eyelet secured by a ring. Then the barrel could be removed and at 666 mm it was the longest piece of the dismantled weapon. With this, the dismantled Type 99 paratrooper machine gun could be put into the weapon pocket of the parachute trousers. Furthermore, the bipod could be removed. Another special feature of the dismountable Type 99 version was the replacement of the wooden pistol grip with a metal one. This could be turned 90 ° and folded forward. The prototype was built by the Nagoya Arsenal and the first tests were carried out in 1943. Shortly afterwards it was classified as fit for duty and issued to the troops as a Type 99 Paratrooper machine gun . Only a few hundred copies were produced and used by the air storm troops.
literature
- Chris Bishop: The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II . Barnes & Nobel, New York NY 1998, ISBN 0-7607-1022-8 .
- SL Mayer, The Rise and Fall of Imperial Japan . The Military Press, New York NY 1984, ISBN 0-517-42313-8 .
- Maxim Popenker, Anthony G. Williams: Machine Gun. The Development of the Machine Gun from the Nineteenth Century to the Present Day . Crowood, Ramsbury 2008, ISBN 978-1-84797-030-5 .
- Gordon L. Rottman , Japanese Infantryman 1937-1945. Sword of the Empire . Osprey Publishing, Oxford 2005, ISBN 1-84176-818-9 , ( Warrior series 95).
- US Department of War: Handbook on Japanese Military Forces (1945) . Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge LA 1994, ISBN 0-8071-2013-8 ( accessible online ).
- 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 .
- David Miller: Uniforms, Equipment & Weapons of Axis Forces , Stackpole Books, 2007, ISBN 978-0-8117-0277-5 .
Web links
- Type 99 Light Machine Gun. Taki's homepage, accessed April 1, 2016 (English).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Type 99 Light Machine Gun. Taki's homepage, accessed April 1, 2016 (English).
- ^ Miller, p. 282.
- ↑ a b Ness, p. 47.