The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia
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| Ammunition |
7.7 x 58 SR with AP, ball, HE, incendiary, or tracer rounds |
| Projectile weight
|
0.37 ounce 10.5 grams |
| Velocity | 2660 feet per second 810 meters per second |
| Rate of
fire |
1400 rounds per minute |
| Gun weight |
62 lbs 28 kg |
| Gun power |
32 |
The Type 89 Special was an updated version of
the original Type 89, which it had replaced by 1937. The original Type
89 was a development of the Year 11 Type light infantry machine gun,
consisting essentially of two mirror image Year Type 11 actions set in
a common cradle with a single trigger and fed by 90-round quadrant magazines.
The Type 89 Special modified the magazine so that the empty cartridges
were retained in a captive belt rather than being ejected from the
aircraft. The Type 89 Single
strongly resembled half a Type 89 Special and was often referred to as
a Type 89 even in Japanese documents, which has caused considerable
confusion.
The Type 89 Special was produced throughout the
war. It was used in Army aircraft flexible gun stations wherever it
could be accomodated within the available space and weight
restrictions.Where space or weight were at a premium, the Type 89 Single was used instead.
References
Mikesh (2004)
Williams and
Gustin
(2003)
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia © 2007, 2009, 2013 by Kent G. Budge. Index
