This page will probably never be completed, but the information is accurate to the available source material. The main purpose is to identify and lay out the basic details of every aircraft gun used by Japan during WWII, of which there is often no data.
Later, sources for individual specs will be added.
*Tables scroll on mobile!
Army Machine Guns & Cannons
| Gun Name | Format | Caliber | Velocity | RPM | Weight | Length | Recoil | Feed | Design | Mfr. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 89 Flexible Machine Gun | Nambu gas-operated | 7.7x58mmSR | 780m/s | 28.2kg | 1,165mm | Magazine | single barrel | ||||
| Type 89 Flexible Machine Gun (Special) | Nambu gas-operated | 7.7x58mmSR | 810m/s | 1,400 | 24.8kg | 1,079mm | Magazine | Kokura Army Arsenal, Nagoya Army Arsenal | twin barrel | ||
| Type 89 Fixed Machine Gun | Vickers recoil-operated | 7.7x58mmSR | 820m/s | 1,100 | 12.3kg | 1,035mm | Belt | Kokura Army Arsenal, Nagoya Army Arsenal | |||
| Te-1, Experimental Single-Barrel Flexible Machine Gun | Recoil-operated | 7.7x58mmSR | |||||||||
| Te-2, Experimental Multi-Barrel Flexible Machine Gun | 7.7x58mmSR | triple barrel | |||||||||
| Te-3, Type 1 Flexible Machine Gun | Gas-operated | 7.92x57mm | 750m/s | 2,200 | 16.7kg | 1,180mm | Magazine | twin barrel | |||
| Te-4, Experimental Single-Barrel Flexible Machine Gun Mod.2 | Nambu gas-operated | 7.7x58mm SR | 810m/s | 730 | 9.3kg | 1,069mm | Magazine | Kokura Army Arsenal, Nagoya Army Arsenal | modified Type 89 used on Ki-48 | ||
| Te-5, Experimental Single-Barrel Fixed Machine Gun | Browning recoil-operated | 7.92x57mm | 810m/s | 1,450 | Belt | Japan Special Steel | became Type 4 HMG for tanks | ||||
| Te-6, Experimental Double-Barrel Fixed Machine Gun | 7.7x58mmSR | Nagoya Army Arsenal | Te-4 revision | ||||||||
| Type 98 Flexible Machine Gun | Recoil-operated | 7.92x57mm | 750m/s | 1,100 | 7.2kg | 1,078mm | Magazine | Nagoya Army Arsenal | |||
| Ho-101, Experimental 12.7mm Fixed Machine Cannon | Gas-operated | 12.7x81mmSR | Kokura Army Arsenal | ||||||||
| Ho-102, Experimental 12.7mm Fixed Machine Cannon | 12.7x81mmSR | ||||||||||
| Ho-103, Type 1 12.7mm Fixed Machine Cannon | Browning recoil-operated | 12.7x81mmSR | 780m/s | 800 | 23kg | 1,267mm | Belt | Chūō Kōgyō | Nagoya Army Arsenal, Chūō Kōgyō | ||
| Ho-103, Type 1 12.7mm Flexible Machine Cannon | Browning recoil-operated | 12.7x81mmSR | 750m/s | 1,000 | 7.2kg | 1,267mm | |||||
| Ho-104, Experimental 12.7mm Flexible Machine Cannon | Gas-operated | 12.7x81mmSR | Kokura Army Arsenal | ||||||||
| Ho-105 | no record, presumed to exist | ||||||||||
| Ho-106 | 12.7x81mmSR | twin barrel | |||||||||
| Type 94 Flexible Machine Cannon | Oerlikon Recoil-operated | 20mm | 680m/s | 280 | 54kg | 1,765mm | Magazine | ||||
| Ho-1, Experimental 20mm Flexible Machine Cannon | Nambu gas-operated | 20x125mm | 820m/s | 400 | 32.63kg | 1,735mm | Magazine | Japan Special Steel, Giken | Kokura Army Arsenal | ||
| Ho-2, Experimental 20mm Fixed Machine Cannon | 20mm | ||||||||||
| Ho-3, Experimental 20mm Fixed Machine Cannon | Nambu gas-operated | 20x125mm | 846m/s | 400 | 45kg | 1,740mm | Magazine | Japan Special Steel, Giken | Kokura Army Arsenal | ||
| Ho-4, Experimental 20mm Flexible Machine Cannon | 20mm | Japan Special Steel | |||||||||
| Ho-5, Type 2 Lightweight 20mm Fixed Machine Cannon | Browning recoil-operated | 20x94mm | 735m/s | 750 | 37kg | 1,444mm | Belt | Chūō Kōgyō | Kokura Army Arsenal, Nagoya Army Arsenal, Hitachi | ||
| Ho-6, Experimental in-Wing 20mm Fixed Machine Cannon | Gas-operated | 20mm | Kokura Army Arsenal | ||||||||
| Ho-7, Experimental 20mm Flexible Machine Cannon | 20mm | Nagoya Army Arsenal | |||||||||
| Ho-10 | 20mm | ||||||||||
| Ho-11 | 20mm | ||||||||||
| Ho-12 | 20x125mm | 900m/s | 600 | 54.9kg | 2,009mm | Belt | |||||
| Mauser | Recoil-operated | 20x82mm | 700m/s | 800 | 42kg | 1,766mm | Belt | Mauser | Mauser | MG 151/20 | |
| Type Ho 25mm Machine Cannon | 25mm | ||||||||||
| Ho-51 | Browning recoil-operated | 25x115mm | 692m/s | 400 | 55kg | Chūō Kōgyō | |||||
| Ho-52 | Browning recoil-operated | 25x150mm | |||||||||
| Ho-151 | 30mm | ||||||||||
| Ho-152 | 30mm | ||||||||||
| Ho-153 | 30mm | ||||||||||
| Ho-154 | 30mm | no record, presumed to exist | |||||||||
| Ho-155I, Experimental 30mm Fixed Machine Cannon | Browning recoil-operated | 30x114mm | 700m/s | 600 | 50kg | 1,930mm | Belt | Nagoya Army Arsenal | Nagoya Army Arsenal | ||
| Ho-155II, Experimental 30mm Fixed Machine Cannon | Browning recoil-operated | 30x114mm | 700m/s | 500 | 44kg | 1,510mm | Belt | Nagoya Army Arsenal | Nagoya Army Arsenal, Kokura Army Arsenal | ||
| Ho-156 | 30mm | velocity increased Ho-155 | |||||||||
| Type 94 37mm Tank Cannon | 37mm | ||||||||||
| Ho-201, Experimental 37mm Flexible Machine Cannon Mod.1 | Gas-operated | 37mm | Kokura Army Arsenal | ||||||||
| Ho-202, Experimental 37mm Flexible Machine Cannon Mod.2 | Recoil-operated | 37mm | Nagoya Army Arsenal | ||||||||
| Ho-203, Experimental 37mm Flexible Machine Cannon Mod.3 | Recoil-operated | 37x111mmR | 570m/s | 140 | 80kg | 1,500mm | 0.7t | Magazine | Japan Special Steel | Japan Special Steel, Nagoya Army Arsenal, Kokura Army Arsenal | |
| Ho-204, Experimental 37mm Flexible Machine Cannon Mod.4 | Browning recoil-operated | 37x144mm | 710m/s | 400 | 130kg | 2,390mm | Magazine | Chūō Kōgyō | Chūō Kōgyō, Nagoya Army Arsenal, Kokura Army Arsenal | ||
| Ho-205 | Browning recoil-operated | 37mm | reduced scale Ho-204 | ||||||||
| Ho-206 | 37mm | ||||||||||
| Ho-301 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 40mm | 220m/s | 400 | 40kg | 1,500mm | Magazine | Chūō Kōgyō | Nagoya Army Arsenal | ||
| Ho-251 | 47mm | 700m/s | 250 | 350kg | 2,667mm | Kokura Army Arsenal | probably automatic Type 1 47mm | ||||
| Ho-401 | Recoil-operated | 57x121mmR | 500m/s | 80 | 150kg | 2,000mm | 1.0t | Magazine | Japan Special Steel | Japan Special Steel, Nagoya Army Arsenal | |
| Ho-402 | Recoil-operated | 57x477mmR | 700m/s | 80 | 400kg | 4,500mm | 1.5t | Magazine | Nagoya Army Arsenal | for killing tanks | |
| Ho-403 | 57mm | 700m/s | 340kg | 2,794mm | Kokura Army Arsenal | ||||||
| Ho-3057 | 57mm | rocket gun | |||||||||
| Ho-3157 | 57x187mmRB | ||||||||||
| Ki-109-Mounted Cannon | 75x497mmR | 720m/s | 20 | 740kg | 3,312mm | 4.8t | Manual | Type 88 7 cm AA Cannon | |||
| Ho-501 | 75x185mmR | 500m/s | 60 | 450kg | uses Type 41 Mountain Gun cartridge | ||||||
| Ho-502 | 75mm | higher velocity Ho-501 | |||||||||
| Ho-503 | 75mm | no record, presumed to exist | |||||||||
| Ho-504 | 75mm | no record, presumed to exist | |||||||||
| Ho-505 | 75mm | recoilless | |||||||||
| Ho-506 | 75mm | no record, presumed to exist | |||||||||
| Ho-507 | 75mm | rocket gun | |||||||||
| Ho-3075 | 75mm | larger Ho-3057 | |||||||||
| Ho-3175 | 75mm | larger Ho-3157 | |||||||||
| Ho-601 | 120mm | 300m/s | for attacking small vessels | ||||||||
| Ho-701 | 150mm | larger Ho-601 plan |
Navy Machine Guns & Cannons
| Gun Name | Format | Caliber | Velocity | RPM | Weight | Length | Recoil | Feed | Design | Mfr. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 92 7.7mm Flexible Machine Gun | Lewis gas-operated | 7.7x56mmR | 740m/s | 600 | 8.5kg | 980mm | Magazine | Toyokawa Navy Arsenal, Yokosuka Navy Arsenal | |||
| Type 97 7.7mm Fixed Machine Gun | Vickers recoil-operated | 7.7x56mmR | 745m/s | 950 | 11.5kg | 1,054mm | Belt | Suzuka Navy Arsenal, Yokosuka Navy Arsenal | |||
| Type 1 7.9mm Flexible Machine Gun | Solothurn recoil-operated | 7.92x57mm | 785m/s | 1,000 | 6.9kg | 1,077mm | Magazine | Tagajō Navy Arsenal, Yokosuka Navy Arsenal | |||
| Type 2 13mm Flexible Machine Gun | Recoil-operated | 13.2x64mmB | 750m/s | 900 | 17.4kg | 1,170mm | Belt | Toyokawa Navy Arsenal | |||
| Type 3 13mm Fixed Machine Gun | Browning recoil-operated | 13.2x99mm | 790m/s | 800 | 27.5kg | 1,530mm | Belt | Suzuka Navy Arsenal, Toyokawa Navy Arsenal | |||
| Type 3 13mm Flexible Machine Gun | Browning recoil-operated | 13.2x99mm | 800m/s | 800 | 34kg | 1,550mm | Suzuka Navy Arsenal, Toyokawa Navy Arsenal | ||||
| Test-14 14mm Fixed Machine Gun | Oerlikon API-blowback | 14.5x100mmRB | 970m/s | 630 | 28kg | 1,640mm | Magazine | ||||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.1 Fixed Machine Gun Mod.2 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x72mmRB | 600m/s | 520 | 23kg | 1,331mm | Magazine | Great Japan Weapons | Great Japan Weapons, Toyokawa Navy Arsenal | ||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.1 Fixed Machine Gun Mod.3 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x72mmRB | 600m/s | 520 | 23.2kg | 1,331mm | Magazine | Great Japan Weapons | Great Japan Weapons, Toyokawa Navy Arsenal | ||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.1 Fixed Machine Gun Mod.4 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x72mmRB | 600m/s | 550 | 27.2kg | 1,331mm | Belt | Great Japan Weapons | Great Japan Weapons, Toyokawa Navy Arsenal | ||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.1 Flexible Machine Gun Mod.1 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x72mmRB | 600m/s | 520 | Magazine | ||||||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.1 Flexible Machine Gun Mod.1 Kai 1 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x72mmRB | 600m/s | 520 | Magazine | ||||||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.1 Flexible Machine Gun Mod.11 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x72mmRB | 600m/s | 520 | Magazine | ||||||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.1 Flexible Machine Gun Mod.11 Kai 1 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x72mmRB | 600m/s | 520 | Magazine | ||||||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.1 Flexible Machine Gun Mod.11 Kai 2 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x72mmRB | 600m/s | 520 | Magazine | ||||||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.1 Flexible Machine Gun Mod.4 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x72mmRB | 600m/s | 520 | Magazine | ||||||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.2 Fixed Machine Gun Mod.3 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x101mmRB | 750m/s | 480 | 37kg | 1,885mm | Magazine | Great Japan Weapons | Great Japan Weapons, Tagajō Navy Arsenal | ||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.2 Fixed Machine Gun Mod.4 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x101mmRB | 750m/s | 500 | 38kg | 1,885mm | Belt | Great Japan Weapons | Great Japan Weapons, Tagajō Navy Arsenal | ||
| Type 99 20mm Mk.2 Fixed Machine Gun Mod.4 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x101mmRB | 750m/s | 620 | 38kg | 1,885mm | 1.5t | Belt | Great Japan Weapons | Great Japan Weapons, Tagajō Navy Arsenal | fire-rate improved during production |
| Type 99 20mm Mk.2 Fixed Machine Gun Mod.5 | Oerlikon API-blowback | 20x101mmRB | 750m/s | 750 | 38.5kg | 1,840mm | 2.5t | Belt | Great Japan Weapons | Great Japan Weapons, Tagajō Navy Arsenal | |
| Test-18 20mm Fixed Machine Gun | Gas-operated | 20x98mm | 750m/s | 700 | 42kg | 1,950mm | 1.5t | Belt | Kūgishō | ||
| Test-17 25mm Fixed Machine Gun | Browning Recoil-operated | 25x163mm | 750m/s | 450 | 75kg | 2,240mm | |||||
| Type 2 30mm Fixed Machine Gun | Oerlikon API-blowback | 30x92mm | 710m/s | 380 | 50.9kg | 2,086mm | Magazine | Great Japan Weapons | Great Japan Weapons | ||
| Type 5 30mm Fixed Machine Gun | Gas/recoil/API-operated | 30x122mm | 750m/s | 350 | 70kg | 2,090mm | Belt | Kūgishō, Japan Special Steel | Toyokawa Navy Arsenal | ||
| Test-17 40mm Fixed Machine Gun | Recoil-operated | 40x150mm | 700m/s | 220 | 180kg | 2,500mm | 3.0t | Belt | |||
| Tentatively Named Type 5 Aerial 8cm Cannon | Manual-loaded | 76.2x405mmR | 600m/s | 520kg | 3,200mm | 4.0t | for Ginga |
Army Gun Naming System
WIP
Navy Gun Naming System
WIP
Absolutely outstanding!
I must say the Te-3 Type 1 flexible machine gun really jumped out at me- 2,200 rpm cyclic rate?! The highest I’ve seen of any WW2 machine gun.
Prototype? Multi-barrel? Belt-fed? Are just a few of the questions I have.
Was a Ginga ever fitted with the Type 5 Aerial 8cm cannon?!
Looking forward to any and all future updates to this section as well!
Thank you!
Hello, sorry for replying late,
Te-3 is a double barrel MG (I added a note now). It received a service name and was fitted to some planes, but did not pass testing for durability. The performance of the gun is contradictory between sources.
Type 5 Aerial 8 cm Cannon was based on 3rd Year Type AA. It was fitted to Ginga and test fired many times in 1945 according to one record, but it is unclear if it flew (it’s written that they managed to stop the decomposition of the airframe while firing…). More clearly, it did not take part in combat. It’s basically the Navy version of Ki-109, and due to 76.2 mm caliber, the largest Japanese aircraft gun actually built.