Engineering:Type 2 20 mm AA machine cannon

Type 2 20 mm AA machine cannon
Type	Autocannon
Place of origin	Empire of Japan
Service history
In service	1942–1945
Used by	Imperial Japanese Army
Wars	World War II
Production history
Produced	1942–1945
Variants	20 mm Twin AA machine cannon
Specifications
Mass	550 kg (1,210 lb)
Barrel length	1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) L/70
Shell	20 x 142 mm
Calibre	20 mm (0.79 in)
Barrels	1
Action	Gas operated
Elevation	-15° to +95°
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	420 to 480 rounds/min (maximum)
Muzzle velocity	950 m/s (3,100 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	5,500 m (18,000 ft) (horizontal) 3,500 m (11,500 ft) (altitude)
Feed system	20 round box

The Type 2 20 mm AA machine cannon was a Japanese-designed anti-aircraft gun, based on the assembly of the German Flak 38. It entered service in 1942.

Design

Introduced in 1942, compared to the earlier Type 98 20 mm AA machine cannon, Type 2 20 mm had higher maximum rate of fire, could be elevated to 95 degrees and had a central fire-control system. The central fire-control system developed for the Type 2 could control and direct six of the guns at once. The gun was based on the German 2 cm Flak 30/38/Flakvierling. The Type 2 number was designated for the year the gun was accepted, 2602 in the Japanese imperial year calendar, or 1942 in the Gregorian calendar.

Variant

Type 2 20 mm Twin AA machine cannon

Two of the guns mounted together formed a variant known as the Type 2 20 mm twin AA machine cannon. The prototype Type 98 20 mm AAG tank was equipped with this twin Type 2 variant as its main armament. The Type 98 20 mm AAG tank did not enter production.

References

Bibliography

• Tomczyk, Andrzej (2007). Japanese Armor Vol. 5. AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371799. 
• War Department TM-E-30-480 Handbook on Japanese Military Forces September 1944

External links

• Global Security: "Type-2 20mm light automatic anti-aircraft gun
• Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page - Akira Takizawa