Type 97 90mm (mortar)

History

The 1937 Type 97 Mortar was developed from the existing 1935 Type 94 design in order to reduce production costs and speed up delivery. The original 94 series was developed for the Imperial Japanese Army prior to World War II. It has a sleek design and a fairly traditional look, with a smoothbore bottom plate, bipod and barrel.

Aileron and elevator controls are usually located at the hinge and near the muzzle end of the gun. A recoil cylinder is mounted on one side of the tube to absorb the violent force inherent in any type of mortar weapon. First introduced in 1935, this type has a range of up to 4,000 meters.

The Type 94 was 90mm in caliber, was a large instrument, required multiple crew members, and weighed 350 pounds. It was eventually used on all major Japanese fronts in World War II, including China.

The main difference between the two designs is that there is no Type 97 recoil mechanism like the Type 94. It retains the same 90mm caliber, fires the same shells and has a range of 3,800-4,000 meters.

According to reports, around 600 simplified Type 97s were produced during World War II and in service with the Japanese Army.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes