Type 38 75 mm Field Gun

Infobox Weapon
name=Type 38 75 mm Field Gun


caption=Side view of the Type 38 with its ammunition
origin=Germany
type=field gun
is_ranged=
is_bladed=
is_explosive=
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
is_UK=
service=1905-1945
used_by=JPN
wars=World War I, 2nd Sino-Japanese War, World War II
designer=Krupp
design_date=
manufacturer=Osaka Arsenal
production_date=
number=2000
variants=Improved Type 38
weight=convert|947|kg|lb (Type 38)
convert|1135.7|kg|lb (Improved Type 38)
length=
part_length=convert|2.286|m|in L/31
width=
height=
crew=
cartridge=convert|6|kg|lb
caliber=75 mm (2.95 in)
action=
rate=8-10 rpm
velocity=510 m/s (1,673 ft/s)
range=convert|8350|m|yd (Type 38)
max_range=convert|11600|m|yd (Improved Type 38)
feed=
sights=Panoramic
breech=interrupted screw (Type 38)
horizontal sliding wedge (Improved Type 38)
recoil=hydro-spring
carriage=fixed trail
elevation=-8° to +16° 30' (Type 38)
-8° to +43° (Improved Type 38)
traverse=7°
blade_type=
hilt_type=
sheath_type=
head_type=
haft_type=
diameter=
filling=
filling_weight=
detonation=
yield=
armour=
primary_armament=
secondary_armament=
engine=
engine_power=
pw_ratio=
suspension=
vehicle_range=
speed=The Type 38 75 mm Field Gun was a 1905 Krupp design that was bought by Japan as its standard field gun at the end of the Russo-Japanese War. It was a thoroughly conventional design for its day, complete with crew seats on the gunshield and a solid box trail. At some point prior to the 2nd Sino-Japanese War (sources differ as to when) it was extensively modified. It was given a hollow box trail and the gun mounting was revised to improve the gun's elevation, range and rate of fire to 10-12 rounds per minute. The new version was called the Improved Type 38. It's unclear exactly how many Type 38s were upgraded, but both types were still in service in limited numbers by the start of World War II despite nominally being replaced by the 75 mm Type 90 Field Gun.

It fired HE, armor-piercing, shrapnel, smoke, illumination and gas shells.

External links

* [http://www3.plala.or.jp/takihome/38-75.htm Type 38 on Taki's Imperial Japanese Army page]
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/IJA/HB/HB-9.html#III.html US Technical Manual E 30-480]

References

* Chamberlain, Peter and Gander, Terry. "Light and Medium Field Artillery". New York, Arco