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 The Type 98 20 mm AA machine cannon was the most common light anti-aircraft gun of the Imperial Japanese Army. It entered service in 1938 and was used until the end of World War II. After World War II this gun was used by the Indonesian Army ...

, Type 2 20 mm had higher maximum rate of fire, could be elevated to 95 degrees and had a central fire-control system.Global Security: "Type-2 20mm light automatic anti-aircraft gun"
/ref> 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 Flak 30 (''Flugzeugabwehrkanone 30'') and improved Flak 38 were 20 mm anti-aircraft guns used by various German forces throughout World War II. It was not only the primary German light anti-aircraft gun but by far the most numerously prod ...

.Taki’s Imperial Japanese Army Page: "AA Weapons"
/ref> 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 The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

.War Department TM-E-30-480 ''Handbook on Japanese Military Forces'', September 1944, p. 400.

Variant

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 The Type 98 20 mm AAG (anti-air gun) tank was a Japanese self-propelled anti-aircraft gun using a twin Soki Type II 20 mm anti-air gun. They were combined with the chassis of the Type 98 Ke-Ni. The gun crew worked from a raised platfor ...

was equipped with this twin Type 2 variant as its main armament. The Type 98 20 mm AAG tank did not enter production.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * 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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Type 2 20 Mm Aa Machine Cannon Artillery of Japan World War II anti-aircraft guns Anti-aircraft guns of Japan World War II weapons of Japan 20 mm artillery Autocannon Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1942