Type 38 75 mm Field Gun

The Type 38 75 mm Field Gun (三八式野砲, Sanhachi-shiki yahō^?) was a 1905 German design which was purchased by the Empire of Japan as the standard field gun of the Imperial Japanese Army at the end of the Russo-Japanese War.

History and development

Although Japan had extensive experience with artillery, as the result of its war with Russia in 1904-05,^[1][2] and had the technology and industrial infrastructure to construct medium or large caliber naval weapons prior to World War I, planners at the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff turned to Krupp in Germany, for the latest trend in artillery design. Initial units were imported, and then eventually over 2000 units, which were designed “Type 38” in Japan, were produced under license by the Army’s Osaka Arsenal.^[3]

After World War I, these weapons were considered largely obsolete. However, by this time, Japanese production capabilities had improved, and the Type 38 underwent a re-design in Japan to improve the carriage, with a corresponding increase in elevation, range and rate of fire to 10-12 rounds per minute.^[4]

Design

The Type 38 75 mm Field Gun was a thoroughly conventional design for its day, complete with crew seats on the gun shield and a solid box trail. It had a hydrospring recoil system, interrupted screw type breechblock, and 1/16-inch gun shield.^[4]

At some point prior to the Second Sino-Japanese War (sources differ as to when) the Type 38 was extensively modified. It was given a hollow box trail and the gun mounting was revised to improve performance. The new version was called the "Improved Type 38".^[3] Some 400 units were produced in Japan, and it is unclear exactly how many Type 38s were upgraded to the improved version: however, but both types were still in service in limited numbers by the start of World War II, despite efforts to replace the design with the Type 90 75 mm Field Gun.^[5]

The Type 38 75 mm Field Gun (improved) was capable of firing High-explosive, armor-piercing warhead, shrapnel, incendiary, smoke and illumination and gas shells.^[6]

Combat record

Despite its obsolescence, the Type 38 75 mm Field Gun was found in theatres of operation in the Second Sino-Japanese War, Soviet-Japanese Border Wars and in the Pacific War.^[7]

References

• Bishop, Chris (eds) The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Barnes & Nobel. 1998. ISBN 0760710228
• (British) General Staff, War Office. "The Russo-Japanese War"; Reports From British Officers Attached To The Russian Forces In The Field. Vol. III, July 1907.
• Chamberlain, Peter and Gander, Terry. Light and Medium Field Artillery. Macdonald and Jane's (1975). ISBN 0356082156
• Chant, Chris. Artillery of World War II, Zenith Press, 2001, ISBN 0760311722
• McLean, Donald B. Japanese Artillery; Weapons and Tactics. Wickenburg, Ariz.: Normount Technical Publications 1973. ISBN 0-87947-157-3.
• Mayer, S.L. The Rise and Fall of Imperial Japan. The Military Press (1984) ISBN 0517423138
• Neuffer, William LT. "What Lessons In The Employment Of Field Artillery Should Be Deduced From The Experiences Of The Russo-Japanese War?" The Field Artillery Journal (Artilleristische Monatshefts. No. 35 November 1909); by William Neuffer, Lieutenant of the 3rd Bavarian (Prince Leopold) Regiment of Field Artillery
• US Department of War, TM 30-480, Handbook on Japanese Military Forces, Louisiana State University Press, 1994. ISBN 0807120138

External links

• Type 38 on Taki's Imperial Japanese Army page
• US Technical Manual E 30-480

Notes