Type 92 Shiki Kikanju

Type 92 Shiki Kikanju Story

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army used the Type 92 Shiki Kikanju heavy machine gun as the standard heavy machine gun. It began with a design by Kijiro Nambu in 1932 and quickly went into production that same year.

Despite its propensity to interfere, the weapon was widely used in World War II, the Korean War, and the Chinese Civil War.

On the eve of World War II, the Imperial Japanese "Great Powers" realized that their 6.5mm cartridges had seen the proverbial days in the sun - surpassed by cartridges used by other world powers around the world. So they took steps to design and build a better interceptor cartridge for their infantry, and this is the new 7.7mm cartridge. The 7.7mm caliber was quickly established as the primary cartridge for many Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) weapons, including the Type 92 Shiki Kikanju (HMG) heavy machine gun, which originated from the Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun and proved to be nothing more than a former IJA Type 3 HMG larger version.

The Type 92 is designed to fire the 7.7mm Type 92 machine gun cartridge, as is the Type 89 aircraft machine gun. Serial production of the Type 92 provided the Type 92 to units of the Imperial Japanese Army between 1932 and 1941.

The Type 92 is a pneumatic air-cooled weapon classified as a "heavy" machine gun with a rated rate of fire between 400 and 450 rounds per minute. 7.7mm Type 92 (Shiki) cartridges (framed and frameless available) are inserted into the mechanism via a 150-round metal bar. The use of these ammunition strips (rather than belt ammunition) was somewhat detrimental to the Type 92 and its crew, resulting in a lower rate of fire than contemporary firepower. Furthermore, this operator-initiated feed action makes them susceptible to interference.

The muzzle velocity was about 2,400 feet per second, and the effective range was reported to be 870 yards. The gun's barrel length is 45.5 inches, and the barrel is over two feet long.

An oil-filled dispenser becomes part of the overall system to ensure smooth delivery of the cartridges to the ammunition supply, and the cartridges themselves are oiled before leaving the Japanese factory - although this well-intentioned coating usually attracts dust and grime, which may will lead to worse congestion. As a result, misfires have proven to be a very common occurrence in the operational history of the Type 92.

Equipped with the necessary tripod, the Model 92 weighed 122 pounds and required several infantrymen to hold it in place. Once set up and ready to fire, the Type 92 crew typically consists of three people. Tripods are known for drilling holes in their feet.

This allowed the rod to be passed through the holes, which served as a carrying handle, and made it easier for two soldiers to transport the machine gun. During the operation, one soldier is responsible for aiming and firing the weapon, while another crew member is responsible for inserting the ammunition clip into the feed mechanism.

A 7.7mm Arisaka rifle cartridge can be used if desired. In addition, the Type 92 can be used as a makeshift anti-aircraft machine gun in addition to its standard anti-infantry and light vehicle roles.

The exterior styling is traditional and functional by early 1930s standards. Ribs in front of the casing and behind the barrel are clearly visible. The main work was concentrated on the rear of the weapon, including the overall downward grip. Ammunition is fed from the left side of the receiver and ejected from a port on the right side of the receiver.

The Type 92 is unique in that its iron sights are slightly offset to the right, rather than center. Optional periscopes of various standard IJA types can also be mounted for improved near-field accuracy.

The Type 92 was dubbed the "Woodpecker" by the Allies because of its pronounced stutter when fired. The German MG42 was for Allied soldiers in Europe, the Type 92 was for Allied soldiers in the Pacific - infantrymen quickly learned to identify weapon systems by their firing behavior alone, and thus know their enemy when they were under attack.

Some captured Type 92s were again used by the US Marines against their former owners during the Iwo Jima and other American island conquests. Likewise, captured Type 92s were used by Chinese troops fighting the invading Japanese.

Despite the cessation of production of the Type 92 in 1945 and the surrender of Japan, the North Korean army continued to use the Type 92 in the upcoming Korean War, still valuing the outdated system. The Type 92 gets the Japanese military designation from the Japanese imperial year "2592", which means the year of introduction to the rest of the world is "1932".

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