Type 94 90mm

History

The Type 94 Infantry Mortar is a large caliber field weapon of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) with a firepower quality closer to that of a field artillery than conventional mortars. The weapon is equipped with a 90mm long launch tube and a heavy base plate, as well as an adjustable bipod.

The Type 94's inherent firepower means it can be used as a portable and highly destructive artillery when such battlefield components are not available. Otherwise, it can be used as a heavy mortar if necessary.

This weapon excelled in jungle warfare, which was common in the Pacific campaigns of World War II.

Like other infantry mortars in this class, the Type 94 consists of three main components, the aforementioned launch tube, base plate, and bipod. The system can be disassembled into these elements for easy transportation. The launch tube makes up the length of the Type 94 system and is smooth in nature (no rifle inside). A recoil cylinder is mounted on the side of the launch tube, with a yoke slider at the rear. The base plate is specially designed to have a rectangular weight to absorb most of the violent recoil of the weapon system when the mortar hits the ground.

The bipod mounts below and behind the muzzle and has two pinned "feet" that penetrate into soft ground for forward support. The bipod also contains adjustment controls that allow the Type 94 crew to control ailerons and elevation with a knob and a rotary handcrank, respectively.

Altitude is limited to +45 to +80 degrees. The barrel is over 4 feet long and weighs 350 pounds (thus requiring multiple crews to handle and transport the weapon). The range is close to 4,100 yards and the muzzle velocity is 745 feet per second.

Due to its weight, the Type 94 works well as a static defensive station. Its bulky and heavy dimensions make it impossible to easily transport it to the dynamic front lines, so it sits in a prepared position waiting for the enemy.

Due to their indirect area fire support, this weapon is quite suitable for jungle environments, and the Type 94 does not disappoint, especially when using the powerful 90m HE round. The Type 94 served in the IJA Infantry's conflict with China and in the Pacific Islands campaign with the Allies, which punctuated World War II.

American troops faced guns in the Battle of the Philippines and the Battle of Guadalcanal, just to name a few of their actions against the Allies worth noting.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes