The Type 96 AA gun prime mover is a Japanese 6-wheeled prime mover used during the Second World War. In entered service in 1937.
| Type 96 AA gun prime mover | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Place of origin | Empire of Japan |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 4 tons |
| Length | 5.75m |
| Width | 1.90m |
| Height | 2.6m |
| Crew | 15 |
Main armament | Towing of a Type 88 75 mm AA gun |
| Engine | air-cooled gasoline or diesel |
| Suspension | wheeled |
| Maximum speed | 60 km/hour |
During the 1920s, the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) used several types of trucks to transport Anti-aircraft guns. In 1936 the Type 96 AA "gun tractor" was developed from the Type 94 6-wheeled truck. The Type-94 was first produced in 1934 and shown to be reliable.[1][2] First produced in 1937, the Type 96 was basically the same as the Type 94, but "the transmission was improved and a winch was added to the tail".[1] The engine utilized to power the Type 96 was produced in a gasoline version (Ko engine) and a diesel version (Otsu engine). The rear platform was "modified to carry crews and equipment" for the Type 88 75 mm AA gun.[1] During World War II, the Type 88 75 mm AA gun was deployed to virtually every anti-aircraft field artillery unit as protection against medium level aircraft attacks.[3]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c Taki’s Imperial Japanese Army: Type 96 AA Gun Prime Mover
- ^ Taki’s Imperial Japanese Army: Type 94 6-Wheeled Truck
- ^ McLean, Donald B. Japanese Artillery; Weapons and Tactics. Wickenburg, Ariz.: Normount Technical Publications, 1973. ISBN 0-87947-157-3.