Looks like he’ll have to come up with a breech block, and likely some linkages and other bits. Although with his connections it may not be such an impossible task.
Ian has a video on a semi-automatic rifle that Japan developed, before the war. It was well made but they ended up not adopting it most likely due to costs.
@@Tunkkis I think that was one of them, there were about three rifles being tested. I was talking about the one from Nippon Special Steel, which Ian said was the best of the lot. The video is 'Japanese Trial Gas-Operated Pederson'.
These tended to get dragged by half a platoon up a mountain with the other half dragging the ammo. It was lighter than their 75mm and 10cm 'mountain guns' which just really couldn't be dragged anywhere in the pacific without a lot more effort. But they also fired a HE round which is a very unpleasent suprise for a lot of the Australians in places like PNG and the Solomons to have one of these start opening up on you from a mountain range across from your position. They were also scary accurate according to my grandfather who rambled all though the pacific and while he didn't like to admit it at the time, he kind of deserved being shot by it for being a bit naughty.
@@BNRmatt "Rambling" usually means walking around your area, I assume he meant that the grandfather would walk off from his unit/where he was meant to be and got shot at on occasion. God knows why on earth you'd want to walk around the jungle with the IJN hanging around.
@@BNRmatt Well, the Japanese were on one ridge line and my grandfather's unit was on another opposite. So in order to not get blown up they are told not to light any fires. Being the miscreant he was, sneaked off a ways away and with a friend proceeded to boil some tea. The first round blew a nearby tree in half which was now the first sign to get out of there and by the time they cleared their little spot the next round blew up directly on top of the fire pit. He did get some shrapnel in his arse for his efforts
@@krissteel4074 "The first round blew a nearby tree in half which was now the first sign to get out of there and by the time they cleared their little spot the next round blew up directly on top of the fire pit." NGL, that's some pretty good accurate fire for a manually aimed gun. Some good shooting if true.
@@SiphonRayzar For sure, as much as the IJ Forces get some ridicule for their weapons being a bit anachronistic, they were otherwise extremely dangerous and highly competent troops. Especially when you get into some of their marine forces which were even a step up in terms of discipline, skill and sheer fighting spirit.
At least, Isoroku, Yoshi and Takahari can pull this thing by hand. In europe, at the eastern front, you could hear them yelling: for the last time, we ate the horses already...
Ian: I appreciate that you are willing to take one for the team and travel to remote tropical islands in the dead of winter to provide us with outstanding forgotten weapon content. Thanks and Happy New Years.
A fascinating look at an item that was quite likely in action against USMC or US Army troops during the campaign for Guadalcanal. You stated that there wasn't any more Japanese AT gun development after the 37mm but they did have the 47mm Type 1, which became the standard Japanese antitank gun for the rest of the war. The Type 1 usually couldn't penetrate the frontal armor of an M4-series medium, but it could penetrate from the sides and rear. The Japanese also made use of the 75mm AA gun in the anti-armor role (just like almost every other country did with their heavy AA guns).
The type 94 was one of the few original japanese A/T designs although it was heavily infuenced by the Rheinmetal M1930, being a bit lack lustre the Japanese soon developed a variant of a 37 mm Pak 36 as the 37 mm Type 97, which relegated the Type 94 to infantry gun status which is probably what it was designed as originally being a replacement for the 37 mm Type 11 which again was a close copy of the French 37 mm 1916 trench gun also used by the US - some even being used in training as a sub calbre mount on various Field artillery types such as the 75 mm Pack gun M1 and 105 mm pack gun M3 and the 105 mm M2A1 HOWITZER.
The 47mm had success against the frontal Armour of our tanks on Iwo where they were concealed in positions that allowed said targets to close without 100m, or less.
The Japanese also took note of the German use of serious (88mm) anti-aircraft guns as ants-tank guns. I think the Spanish civil war was the first outing of the "88" in its AT role, and MOST armies were "taking notes", and then generally ignoring them, as seems to be the practice. The Japanese 90mm guns AA guns laid waste to the dinky M3 light tanks operated by the Australians in northern New Guinea, especially when the M3s were trying to capture an airfield by driving down the middle of it, in daylight. However, being big and heavy, they were out of the question for man or horse -packing through swamps or into the mountains.
Indeed, I also pointed this out. The Japanese developed the later Type 1 37mm and Type 1 47mm anti-tank guns, which were both produced in similar numbers to the Type 94. Neither revolutionized Japanese anti-tank gun design, but they were marked improvements over the Type 94, and were produced in quantity (by Japanese standards). For example, the Type 94 could penetrate 43mm of armor at 0 degrees at 500m, and the Type 1 47mm could penetrate 70mm of armor with the same setup, almost double the effectiveness.
@@bruceinoz8002 Japanese 88 mm gun was a home defence weapon based on SK naval types the 88mm Type 99, the normal Army mobile A/A gun which equates to a medium A/A type (German 88 and British 3.7 inch) was the 75mm Mobile A/A gun Type 88 (hence the common confusion). So unless the Japanese in New Guinea were using some captured piece the 90 mm does not add up.
There's a much better preserved version of this gun at Ft. Benning's National Armor and Cavalry Collection. WHile it isn't open to the public, they are scheduled to have an Open House in April that is viewable to the public. It even has the wooden wheels that Ian spoke of.
Starting in Tarawa the Japanese started to deploy the newer type 1 47mm anti tank gun which was more affective than the type 94 for an anti tank role about 2300 were produced and could penetrate about 67mm of armor at 500 meters it could easily do numbers on Stuart tanks and effective against the sides and rear of Sherman tanks and a version was developed for use in a Japanese medium tank the type 97 shinhoto chi ha which replaced the original turret and gun on the chi ha tank.
For the Japanese, it wouldn't be about how many were produced, as so much of their best was made and hoarded on the home islands instead of seeing meaningful service. Or were sent to China for some actually quite large operations, or were sent to the bottom of the Pacific with both their merchant fleet and navy.
True. Though not that surprising to me. Rain just pouring over it shouldn't do that much damage, especialy when painted well. It's rainwater that pools somewhere and stays there for a while that realy does a number on it.
Correction: this was NOT the only AT gun that the Japanese fielded in quantity. They also had the Type 1 47mm AT gun which could kill a Sherman from the side with ease. Made over 2,000 of those.
The dynamic stabilized camera threw me for a loop, kind of funny to see how your production quality has risen steadily over the years. As always, a lovely video.
It might be interesting to have a video to explain the various types of recoil mechanisms in artillery. For instance; the difference between the system used in the French 75 and its copies, and the "horned" system used in the British 4.5 and 5.5 inch guns.
the horns on British artillery had nothing to do with the recoil mechanism ; they were there to balance the barrel thus making it easier to elevate ; and the British were not the only ones to use them
Great vid, really cool to see a look on another AT gun. Just one point, while it is mentioned there were no other very significant Japanese anti-tank guns produced, I would discuss this one aspect. Japan introduced a larger piece, the 47mm Type 1, not long after the start of the Pacific War, and it was considered a big step up to the Type 94. While fairly small in caliber and not very high performing by the standards of European theater 57, 75mm or above guns, it was still very effective for its size, and was produced in fairly high number (over two thousand). It could deal with Stuarts (and of course vehicles with thinner armor like LVTs) very handily, and could even prove a big threat to Shermans - they were mostly immune from the front but very vulnerable on the sides and rear, which were often open to fire from well hidden guns that weren't spotted. From what I recall the Type 1 accounts for a significant portion of Sherman losses in the Pacific, notably on Okinawa. (Also, for tank nerds, a variant of the Type 1 was the gun used in the improved Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha, the Type 1 Chi-He, and the Type 3 Ka-Chi tanks)
The videos from your pacific tour is fascinating and it really looks like you upped your cinematography game a couple of notches, very nice to look at and as informative as ever.
Fun fact - in Polish (and possibly in many other languages), there is a nomenclatural difference between semi-automatic small arm action and semi-automatic cannon. The first one is called 'samopowtarzalny', which translates basically to 'self-repeating' and the second one - 'półautomatyczny', so literally 'semi-automatic'.
I am so envious of you being able to travel to Guadalcanal. Being from South Africa, getting anywhere is time-consuming and expensive. At least I get to live vicariously through videos like these. 😏😏😏
@@mattyallen3396 I still enjoy life in South Africa. All things considered, I'd rather go to the US. Hungary, despite the culture shock and it being in the EU, would also be an option.
Right up your alley for Forgotten Weapons would be the French 75mm of 1897. This was interesting. The reason for 37mm for anti-tank guns of the late 1930's had to do with the Hague Accords ban on explosive projectiles weighing less than a pound--leftover from St. Petersburg. The 37mm anti-tank guns world-wide had at least armor piercing solid shot and a high explosive projectile--and smoke and cannister were produced in some armies. The reason for something other than armor piercing solid shot was that the ant-tank gun's secondary mission was dealing with enemy fortifications. American 37mm cannister was very useful in the Pacific theater.
Wow! The filming and sound looked fantastic on this clip. Even with the bright sunshine and outdoor sound challenges it looked and sounded beautiful. Often noticed the same on some of your range segments too. Maybe consider doing some of your future segments outside, weather permitting of course 😀👍🏼🎥
There is on display in excellent condition at the Alaska State Library and Museum in Juneau. It was captured on Attu in May 1943 (most likely at Clevesey Pass) and later donated to the Museum by General Buckner.
Haha the I was just listening to Kings in General's Channel talking about Japanese knocking out some of our light tanks with their anti-tank guns. You just brought it full circle for me.
The weapons enthusiast in me laments the heavily weathered and rusted state of that gun. The miniatures painter in me gets excited to see up close how this kind of gun is covered in rust and how one could copy that for a paintjob.
Went to Guadalcanal in 2006 and I think I visited this facility. Tons of rotted and rusted equipment here, a really cool place to wander around in. The (barefooted) proprietor said there are rumors of a crashed B-17 somewhere in the mountains and he hoped to locate it and drag it out of the jungle sometime. Went to a bar nearby and there were a couple of rusted out Browning .30 cal machine guns complete with several corroded ammo belts draped over them. Definitely a unique port to visit, we had dinner overlooking Iron Bottom Sound one evening.
There's one about 20 minutes from me, in Andover Connecticut at a memorial, for some reason. EDIT: I stopped and saw it today, the plaque says it was captured in the Solomon Islands, by a Sgt "Duke" Baldwin, who disassembled it and mailed it home to Manchester CT where it was donated to a VFW in Manchester CT in 1945. When that VFW closed in 2016 a retired 1st Sgt from Andover got in touch with the Department of Army Donations and had it moved to Andover. It has it's wooden wheels. All black paint, in decent condition. If anyone is ever in Connecticut, it's worth tracking down.
Back in the early 90's, I went to a military vehicle show and a gentleman had the early wooden wheel version of this antitank gun at the show. Having just returned from Japan, I offered to translate whatever I could on it. His was from Nagoya Arsenal and I can't remember the date of manufacture. He then offered to sell it to me for $1000! At the time, I had spent a whopping $500. on my car, so there was no way of affording that. He said that they used it over at the Ponderosa Ranch Amusement Park, but that place has long since closed down and I wonder if it was sold or ended up in garage somewhere. The breech was still intact, if IIRC.
I've watched about a million "bench vise" restoration videos. Would love to see something like that restored. Shame it's just being allowed to rust out.
I've actually got a dummy round for this weapon, a 37 x 165R. I picked it up at a swap meet back in 1986 for $5.00 and was told by the seller that it was a training round. The shell can be completely disassembled to show the fuse components and how they work.
The gun is all fine and dandy but the fact that Ian is running pants and a long sleeve in a place that has 20-29°C in December.. that´s the impressive part. That is a man of the desert if I´ve ever seen one. As a dude living at the north sea, I basicly just steam in the shade at 20°C and only move to flip myself so I don´t stick to the floor.
I recall reading that the Marines used their 37mm A/T guns in much the same infantry-support role defending against Japanese assaults. The main difference was that someone had been smart enough to develop a canister round for the US 37mm gun in addition to AP and HE, which was pretty devastating according to the accounts I've read.
I had read that there was a solitary German 5cm PAK-38 on Guadalcanal. It had been captured by the Japanese from the Chinese, who had in turn bought it from the Germans. I'm guessing that ammunition was a problem ...
@@JGCR59 they only had the one, and it was captured by the US on the island. China bought some, along with other German weapons, like sd.kfz.221 armored cars. The imperial Japanese Navy bought Beretta type 38 sub machine guns from Italy for their marines. Captured Chinese mausers were issued to Japanese snipers because they thought the German rifles were more accurate.
The steel wheels were a retrofit on the Type 94, being standard on the slightly modified Type 1 37mm. They were intended for AT units with motorized transport, such as the Type 98 So-Da tractor or the Nissan Type 81 truck.
If I'm not mistaken, we've got one of those on the lawn in front of Legion Hall in Laguna Beach, California. I've always wondered exactly what it was, thanks for finally satisfying my curiosity.
I think those steel wheels are not only low maintainance - they are a simple stamping and therefore surely easier to make. Depending on the construction of the wooden wheels the steelies could even be a bit lighter.
I saw a lot of Japanese light artillery in San Francisco. They were all outside and the wheels were rotting already. In San Luis Obispo in front of the Veterans Hall is a large (150 mm) Japanese gun. Some type 95 tanks are parked at Camp San Luis Obispo, a National Guard camp, just outta town. I have dug up some Arisaka casings here in a large WWII era civilian dump, and also find U.S. brass to 20mm. Some smaller stuff goes back to 1908. I found an 1880s button from Roual Hawaiian armed forces. I already live here, and there's a good Army museum in Waikiki, the Taft era 14" battery there.
Hi Ian, some years ago i was gifted the sight from one of these guns, it was souvenired by an Australian soldier from the Pacific campaign. It is in excellent condition in its original box. You can sight through it only a few small specs on the lens, the leather shield on the front of the eyepiece still attached. Perhaps I could send you some pics of it that you might like to include at some stage, I am sure there would be some interest. Cheers from King Island Tasmania.
My old Australian Army army unit had a Type 1 and a Type 94 with wood wheels along with a number of Arisakas and bayonets, now used as gate-guards and wall hangers, captured and brought back from the Pacific Theatre. They're all very well maintained, and from some of the staining there's a fairly good chance the previous operators weren't exactly in any condition to ask for them back from the Diggers who nicked them.
Vegalyp 4 hours ago There's a much better preserved version of this gun at Ft. Benning's National Armor and Cavalry Collection. WHile it isn't open to the public, they are scheduled to have an Open House in April that is viewable to the public. It even has the wooden wheels that Ian spoke of.
Thanks Ian...always wondered about that AT gun and its recoil after learning JFK and his crew grabbed one and strapped it onto PT 109. Unfortunately they didn't get a chance to use it before being run down.
Ian, I am so, so envious. Guadalcanal is thee ultimate pilgrimage for me. One day. I plan to visit all the famous battle sites. From Alligator Creek, to Edson's Ridge, to the Gifu. Cape Esperence will round the visit out.
The equivalent US weapon, M2 37mm ATG, could fire HE, AP and Beehive or flechette rounds. The last type being very effective on massed infantry as in a Banzai charge. I may be mistaken, but I think the main gun in the M3 Light tank used the same ordnance. As Marine tank crews gained experience, they started "borrowing " belts of aviation .50 caliber, with AP, Incendiary and Tracer to hose enemy bunkers with.
Might as well be a BB gun to an M4 Sherman. People are quick to remember that the M4 was hardly a match to the late German tanks, but not so much to remember that it was the other way around with the Japanese.
I wish I could go to Guadalcanal, the winter weather here sucks, + you get to go on Easter egg hunts for old Japanese war machines like the zeros in the computer game Far Cry!
I know that there is no need for all of your videos to look like this but, good-god-damn, this is WORLDS nicer to look at. Kudos to the folks at Battlefield Expeditions, no doubt.
Back in the late 50s and early 60s I had a friend whose dad had been in 1st Marines and had been a tank driver on one of those Stewarts on Guadalcanal. He liked to tell stories, and one that I remember was of coming up with a little 37mm cannon. He and his buddies amused themselves by firing it at random targets. This must have been the same type gun he was talking about, and may have been the actual gun!
Can't help but imagine a whole platoon of US GIs deciding to band together to take home a single artillery piece as a souvenir, with two guys trying to subtly cram giant steel wheels into their bags.
I love Ian cause occasionally he’ll just be like “imma just review a anti tank gun it counts as a small arm”
Do not question gun Jesus. He moves in mysterious ways... ^-^
The youtube-channel is called Forgotten Weapons, not Forgotten Small Arms! So perfectly OK :)
It's a forgotten weapon so it counts.
more or less anything counts as small arm for the US army
@@johndane9754 This particular one is - for sure.
*checks calendar* "Yup, it's Friday." I look forward to seeing him shoot this piece tomorrow!
As nice as it looks considering its age, firing it would probably turn parts of it into a fine mist of rust.
Looks like he’ll have to come up with a breech block, and likely some linkages and other bits.
Although with his connections it may not be such an impossible task.
@@NBSV1 Just spray it with 15WD40 while praying the Omnissiah, while in the presence if Gun Jesus, of course.
This should do.
The Emperor protects.
The Japanese managed to make their 37mm howitzers more semi-automatic than their rifles.
Ian has a video on a semi-automatic rifle that Japan developed, before the war. It was well made but they ended up not adopting it most likely due to costs.
well, not that it is loaded faster than their bolt action rifles anyway.
@@onii-chandaisuki5710 Wasn't that largely a clone of a Czechoslovakian design, or have I got it confused with something else?
That was the case with everyone but the US upto WW2.
@@Tunkkis I think that was one of them, there were about three rifles being tested. I was talking about the one from Nippon Special Steel, which Ian said was the best of the lot. The video is 'Japanese Trial Gas-Operated Pederson'.
These tended to get dragged by half a platoon up a mountain with the other half dragging the ammo. It was lighter than their 75mm and 10cm 'mountain guns' which just really couldn't be dragged anywhere in the pacific without a lot more effort. But they also fired a HE round which is a very unpleasent suprise for a lot of the Australians in places like PNG and the Solomons to have one of these start opening up on you from a mountain range across from your position. They were also scary accurate according to my grandfather who rambled all though the pacific and while he didn't like to admit it at the time, he kind of deserved being shot by it for being a bit naughty.
Neat anecdotes. I gotta ask, "naughty " how?
@@BNRmatt "Rambling" usually means walking around your area, I assume he meant that the grandfather would walk off from his unit/where he was meant to be and got shot at on occasion. God knows why on earth you'd want to walk around the jungle with the IJN hanging around.
@@BNRmatt Well, the Japanese were on one ridge line and my grandfather's unit was on another opposite. So in order to not get blown up they are told not to light any fires. Being the miscreant he was, sneaked off a ways away and with a friend proceeded to boil some tea.
The first round blew a nearby tree in half which was now the first sign to get out of there and by the time they cleared their little spot the next round blew up directly on top of the fire pit.
He did get some shrapnel in his arse for his efforts
@@krissteel4074 "The first round blew a nearby tree in half which was now the first sign to get out of there and by the time they cleared their little spot the next round blew up directly on top of the fire pit."
NGL, that's some pretty good accurate fire for a manually aimed gun. Some good shooting if true.
@@SiphonRayzar For sure, as much as the IJ Forces get some ridicule for their weapons being a bit anachronistic, they were otherwise extremely dangerous and highly competent troops. Especially when you get into some of their marine forces which were even a step up in terms of discipline, skill and sheer fighting spirit.
You never know where Ian's going to turn up, a real globe hopping gun guru.
Where in the world is Ian Sandeigo?
@@bossbeartherock6034 love the reference you made!
Btw have you checked San Diego?
@@paleoph6168 no ......
@@bossbeartherock6034 then let's go! Maybe Ian is or was there, we'll ask some witnesses once we arrive.
@@bossbeartherock6034 gotta ask waldo
At least, Isoroku, Yoshi and Takahari can pull this thing by hand.
In europe, at the eastern front, you could hear them yelling: for the last time, we ate the horses already...
Ian: I appreciate that you are willing to take one for the team and travel to remote tropical islands in the dead of winter to provide us with outstanding forgotten weapon content. Thanks and Happy New Years.
A fascinating look at an item that was quite likely in action against USMC or US Army troops during the campaign for Guadalcanal. You stated that there wasn't any more Japanese AT gun development after the 37mm but they did have the 47mm Type 1, which became the standard Japanese antitank gun for the rest of the war. The Type 1 usually couldn't penetrate the frontal armor of an M4-series medium, but it could penetrate from the sides and rear. The Japanese also made use of the 75mm AA gun in the anti-armor role (just like almost every other country did with their heavy AA guns).
The type 94 was one of the few original japanese A/T designs although it was heavily infuenced by the Rheinmetal M1930, being a bit lack lustre the Japanese soon developed a variant of a 37 mm Pak 36 as the 37 mm Type 97, which relegated the Type 94 to infantry gun status which is probably what it was designed as originally being a replacement for the 37 mm Type 11 which again was a close copy of the French 37 mm 1916 trench gun also used by the US - some even being used in training as a sub calbre mount on various Field artillery types such as the 75 mm Pack gun M1 and 105 mm pack gun M3 and the 105 mm M2A1 HOWITZER.
The 47mm had success against the frontal Armour of our tanks on Iwo where they were concealed in positions that allowed said targets to close without 100m, or less.
The Japanese also took note of the German use of serious (88mm) anti-aircraft guns as ants-tank guns. I think the Spanish civil war was the first outing of the "88" in its AT role, and MOST armies were "taking notes", and then generally ignoring them, as seems to be the practice.
The Japanese 90mm guns AA guns laid waste to the dinky M3 light tanks operated by the Australians in northern New Guinea, especially when the M3s were trying to capture an airfield by driving down the middle of it, in daylight. However, being big and heavy, they were out of the question for man or horse -packing through swamps or into the mountains.
Indeed, I also pointed this out. The Japanese developed the later Type 1 37mm and Type 1 47mm anti-tank guns, which were both produced in similar numbers to the Type 94. Neither revolutionized Japanese anti-tank gun design, but they were marked improvements over the Type 94, and were produced in quantity (by Japanese standards).
For example, the Type 94 could penetrate 43mm of armor at 0 degrees at 500m, and the Type 1 47mm could penetrate 70mm of armor with the same setup, almost double the effectiveness.
@@bruceinoz8002 Japanese 88 mm gun was a home defence weapon based on SK naval types the 88mm Type 99, the normal Army mobile A/A gun which equates to a medium A/A type (German 88 and British 3.7 inch) was the 75mm Mobile A/A gun Type 88 (hence the common confusion). So unless the Japanese in New Guinea were using some captured piece the 90 mm does not add up.
There's a much better preserved version of this gun at Ft. Benning's National Armor and Cavalry Collection. WHile it isn't open to the public, they are scheduled to have an Open House in April that is viewable to the public. It even has the wooden wheels that Ian spoke of.
Starting in Tarawa the Japanese started to deploy the newer type 1 47mm anti tank gun which was more affective than the type 94 for an anti tank role about 2300 were produced and could penetrate about 67mm of armor at 500 meters it could easily do numbers on Stuart tanks and effective against the sides and rear of Sherman tanks and a version was developed for use in a Japanese medium tank the type 97 shinhoto chi ha which replaced the original turret and gun on the chi ha tank.
For the Japanese, it wouldn't be about how many were produced, as so much of their best was made and hoarded on the home islands instead of seeing meaningful service. Or were sent to China for some actually quite large operations, or were sent to the bottom of the Pacific with both their merchant fleet and navy.
Loving the production of this video. Big thanks and happy new year from former Varusteleka employee 🙏
For being outside through (I assume) 80 monsoon seasons, it's not in bad shape
True. Though not that surprising to me. Rain just pouring over it shouldn't do that much damage, especialy when painted well.
It's rainwater that pools somewhere and stays there for a while that realy does a number on it.
If I remember the Guadalcanal book by Norman Frank right, the Japanese actually knocked out 4-5 M3s with those on one occasion.
Excellent that leaves only a couple hundred more m3 and m4 to go
@@jessicaregina1956 excellent, 100s of m3 Tanks that are not at coming fast to Guadalcanal.
Pity the breechblock is missing' but still a nice example.
Love that you explained every detail of this anti-tank. I have learned something new. Thanks to you, Ian
Correction: this was NOT the only AT gun that the Japanese fielded in quantity.
They also had the Type 1 47mm AT gun which could kill a Sherman from the side with ease. Made over 2,000 of those.
The dynamic stabilized camera threw me for a loop, kind of funny to see how your production quality has risen steadily over the years. As always, a lovely video.
It might be interesting to have a video to explain the various types of recoil mechanisms in artillery. For instance; the difference between the system used in the French 75 and its copies, and the "horned" system used in the British 4.5 and 5.5 inch guns.
the horns on British artillery had nothing to do with the recoil mechanism ; they were there to balance the barrel thus making it easier to elevate ; and the British were not the only ones to use them
Sounds like a Q and Rsenal.
No breech block? Darn, I was looking forward to seeing Ian bring this to a backup gun match.
Slightly surprised it wasn't scrapped to be honest, good that it wasn't.
I've always wondered that. How the locals decide what to keep for posterity and what to scrap to recycle the metal.
@@davidcox3076 Same. Logistics perhaps?
My mate Gordon once tried to talk me into, nicking a four barreled Bofors Gun, outside a certain British airbase.
Yeah but did you die doing it😁
Serious duckshooting was on the cards, hey?
I agree with Ian.I’m really surprised the gun.Has lasted 80 years relatively intact!
Very cool! Can’t wait to see more of your trip in Guadalcanal
Great vid, really cool to see a look on another AT gun. Just one point, while it is mentioned there were no other very significant Japanese anti-tank guns produced, I would discuss this one aspect.
Japan introduced a larger piece, the 47mm Type 1, not long after the start of the Pacific War, and it was considered a big step up to the Type 94. While fairly small in caliber and not very high performing by the standards of European theater 57, 75mm or above guns, it was still very effective for its size, and was produced in fairly high number (over two thousand). It could deal with Stuarts (and of course vehicles with thinner armor like LVTs) very handily, and could even prove a big threat to Shermans - they were mostly immune from the front but very vulnerable on the sides and rear, which were often open to fire from well hidden guns that weren't spotted. From what I recall the Type 1 accounts for a significant portion of Sherman losses in the Pacific, notably on Okinawa.
(Also, for tank nerds, a variant of the Type 1 was the gun used in the improved Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha, the Type 1 Chi-He, and the Type 3 Ka-Chi tanks)
well done Ian and nailed all the interesting points of these small anti tank weapons.
The videos from your pacific tour is fascinating and it really looks like you upped your cinematography game a couple of notches, very nice to look at and as informative as ever.
Its still there? Saw it in 1992. Did you get down to Red Beach for all the abandoned landing tanks?
We did go to Red Beach; there are no vehicles there today.
@@ForgottenWeapons Unfortunate but considering how stupid people can be I can see why.
Great camerawork. We can’t expect that on every video but a nice treat here
Fun fact - in Polish (and possibly in many other languages), there is a nomenclatural difference between semi-automatic small arm action and semi-automatic cannon. The first one is called 'samopowtarzalny', which translates basically to 'self-repeating' and the second one - 'półautomatyczny', so literally 'semi-automatic'.
interesting. thanks
That is actually a fun fact.
You do get around. And you constantly come up with weapons for which you reveal a surprising knowledge. Great video! Thank you very much!
I really love the format for this video!
Very cool. Thanks for your work Ian
Was TDY there (Guadalcanal) while stationed in Hawaii. Pretty cool to see/visit the WWII battle sites. Glad you got to see and share this!
Ah been waiting patiently for the Guadalcanal vids to appear!
Happy new year to Ian and all his followers
I am so envious of you being able to travel to Guadalcanal. Being from South Africa, getting anywhere is time-consuming and expensive. At least I get to live vicariously through videos like these. 😏😏😏
You might actually be closer to GC than Ian was before he started his journey...
Namibia is fun and cheap tho
When are you moving to Nz or Australia?
@@mattyallen3396 I still enjoy life in South Africa. All things considered, I'd rather go to the US. Hungary, despite the culture shock and it being in the EU, would also be an option.
Right up your alley for Forgotten Weapons would be the French 75mm of 1897.
This was interesting. The reason for 37mm for anti-tank guns of the late 1930's had to do with the Hague Accords ban on explosive projectiles weighing less than a pound--leftover from St. Petersburg. The 37mm anti-tank guns world-wide had at least armor piercing solid shot and a high explosive projectile--and smoke and cannister were produced in some armies. The reason for something other than armor piercing solid shot was that the ant-tank gun's secondary mission was dealing with enemy fortifications. American 37mm cannister was very useful in the Pacific theater.
so cool see you in guadalcanal hope to see much more
Thank you, Ian, I did enjoy the video.
Great work Sir thank you
Wow! The filming and sound looked fantastic on this clip. Even with the bright sunshine and outdoor sound challenges it looked and sounded beautiful. Often noticed the same on some of your range segments too. Maybe consider doing some of your future segments outside, weather permitting of course 😀👍🏼🎥
One of the local gun shops when I was a teenager had a Japanese 20mm Type 97 anti-tank rifle hanging from his ceiling.
Great video quality on this.
Big thumbs up, nice quick vid.
loving the field trip videos Ian
wish these guns etc would get restored
Amazing that the example you have there still exists.
An Airacobra in the background; a P-400 armed with a 20mm Hispano cannon instead of the 37mm M4.
Well spotted!
There is on display in excellent condition at the Alaska State Library and Museum in Juneau. It was captured on Attu in May 1943 (most likely at Clevesey Pass) and later donated to the Museum by General Buckner.
Haha the I was just listening to Kings in General's Channel talking about Japanese knocking out some of our light tanks with their anti-tank guns. You just brought it full circle for me.
This video looks great. Hopefully a sign of things to come.
The weapons enthusiast in me laments the heavily weathered and rusted state of that gun.
The miniatures painter in me gets excited to see up close how this kind of gun is covered in rust and how one could copy that for a paintjob.
Great video. The American counterpart, also a 37mm AT gun, saw quite a bit of use in the Pacific shooting HE and canister.
Went to Guadalcanal in 2006 and I think I visited this facility. Tons of rotted and rusted equipment here, a really cool place to wander around in. The (barefooted) proprietor said there are rumors of a crashed B-17 somewhere in the mountains and he hoped to locate it and drag it out of the jungle sometime.
Went to a bar nearby and there were a couple of rusted out Browning .30 cal machine guns complete with several corroded ammo belts draped over them.
Definitely a unique port to visit, we had dinner overlooking Iron Bottom Sound one evening.
It's great to see Ian reviewing and explaining the mechanisms of light and heavy artillery and not just guns, rifles MGs, and shotguns.
There's one about 20 minutes from me, in Andover Connecticut at a memorial, for some reason.
EDIT: I stopped and saw it today, the plaque says it was captured in the Solomon Islands, by a Sgt "Duke" Baldwin, who disassembled it and mailed it home to Manchester CT where it was donated to a VFW in Manchester CT in 1945. When that VFW closed in 2016 a retired 1st Sgt from Andover got in touch with the Department of Army Donations and had it moved to Andover.
It has it's wooden wheels. All black paint, in decent condition. If anyone is ever in Connecticut, it's worth tracking down.
Thank you for your videos.
Thank you Ian.
Back in the early 90's, I went to a military vehicle show and a gentleman had the early wooden wheel version of this antitank gun at the show. Having just returned from Japan, I offered to translate whatever I could on it. His was from Nagoya Arsenal and I can't remember the date of manufacture. He then offered to sell it to me for $1000! At the time, I had spent a whopping $500. on my car, so there was no way of affording that. He said that they used it over at the Ponderosa Ranch Amusement Park, but that place has long since closed down and I wonder if it was sold or ended up in garage somewhere. The breech was still intact, if IIRC.
And I didn't think we'd get anything interesting in the holiday period. AWESOME!
Thank you Mr. Ian
Great little report. Must be great to do a working holiday in the Solomons!
I've watched about a million "bench vise" restoration videos. Would love to see something like that restored. Shame it's just being allowed to rust out.
That's a very fancy, and good sounding microphone, Ian
I've actually got a dummy round for this weapon, a 37 x 165R. I picked it up at a swap meet back in 1986 for $5.00 and was told by the seller that it was a training round. The shell can be completely disassembled to show the fuse components and how they work.
What sort of a cowardly name is that?
Grow up.
@@MichaelKingsfordGray what
@@secretjosh5619 Illiterate anonymous cowards do not get to demand answers from real adults.
Grow up.
wonderful video, as always.
I don't think I've seen anyone say it but this is some camera quality good job Ian
The gun is all fine and dandy but the fact that Ian is running pants and a long sleeve in a place that has 20-29°C in December.. that´s the impressive part. That is a man of the desert if I´ve ever seen one. As a dude living at the north sea, I basicly just steam in the shade at 20°C and only move to flip myself so I don´t stick to the floor.
yesss thank you Ian great to see this peace of history and you over there hope there will be more like this on the future and happy new year 🎉🎊🍻
New camera? Looks very cinematic!
I recall reading that the Marines used their 37mm A/T guns in much the same infantry-support role defending against Japanese assaults. The main difference was that someone had been smart enough to develop a canister round for the US 37mm gun in addition to AP and HE, which was pretty devastating according to the accounts I've read.
Us Armor and Cavalry at Ft Benning has one as well. It has the wooden wheels on it though.
An interesting gun . The stamped steel wheels with hoops stood off by blocks was a genius way to simulate a tire.
I had read that there was a solitary German 5cm PAK-38 on Guadalcanal. It had been captured by the Japanese from the Chinese, who had in turn bought it from the Germans. I'm guessing that ammunition was a problem ...
The Chinese didn't have Pak 38s I think
@@JGCR59 they only had the one, and it was captured by the US on the island. China bought some, along with other German weapons, like sd.kfz.221 armored cars. The imperial Japanese Navy bought Beretta type 38 sub machine guns from Italy for their marines. Captured Chinese mausers were issued to Japanese snipers because they thought the German rifles were more accurate.
Oh what an interesting project that would be to restore that.
As a huge fan of Japanese military eqipment i absolute love this kind of video. Please show us more what you find on the island !
The steel wheels were a retrofit on the Type 94, being standard on the slightly modified Type 1 37mm. They were intended for AT units with motorized transport, such as the Type 98 So-Da tractor or the Nissan Type 81 truck.
If I'm not mistaken, we've got one of those on the lawn in front of Legion Hall in Laguna Beach, California. I've always wondered exactly what it was, thanks for finally satisfying my curiosity.
I wish someone brought that inside. Even without maintenance, it would look far better than if it sat outside for 80+ years.
I think those steel wheels are not only low maintainance - they are a simple stamping and therefore surely easier to make.
Depending on the construction of the wooden wheels the steelies could even be a bit lighter.
I saw a lot of Japanese light artillery in San Francisco. They were all outside and the wheels were rotting already. In San Luis Obispo in front of the Veterans Hall is a large (150 mm) Japanese gun. Some type 95 tanks are parked at Camp San Luis Obispo, a National Guard camp, just outta town. I have dug up some Arisaka casings here in a large WWII era civilian dump, and also find U.S. brass to 20mm. Some smaller stuff goes back to 1908. I found an 1880s button from Roual Hawaiian armed forces. I already live here, and there's a good Army museum in Waikiki, the Taft era 14" battery there.
Neat camera work
AWM in canberra has several, but I think they are in their big warehouse conservation centre which is only open a few times a year
Hi Ian, some years ago i was gifted the sight from one of these guns, it was souvenired by an Australian soldier from the Pacific campaign. It is in excellent condition in its original box. You can sight through it only a few small specs on the lens, the leather shield on the front of the eyepiece still attached.
Perhaps I could send you some pics of it that you might like to include at some stage, I am sure there would be some interest. Cheers from King Island Tasmania.
My old Australian Army army unit had a Type 1 and a Type 94 with wood wheels along with a number of Arisakas and bayonets, now used as gate-guards and wall hangers, captured and brought back from the Pacific Theatre. They're all very well maintained, and from some of the staining there's a fairly good chance the previous operators weren't exactly in any condition to ask for them back from the Diggers who nicked them.
Someone's gotta restore that thing to its former glory, id love to see what a brand new one with the optic on it looks like.
Vegalyp
4 hours ago
There's a much better preserved version of this gun at Ft. Benning's National Armor and Cavalry Collection. WHile it isn't open to the public, they are scheduled to have an Open House in April that is viewable to the public. It even has the wooden wheels that Ian spoke of.
@John Smith that's awesome thank you for the info dude
It would be fun to know if a GI do bring one of these back home and how.
Thanks Ian...always wondered about that AT gun and its recoil after learning JFK and his crew grabbed one and strapped it onto PT 109. Unfortunately they didn't get a chance to use it before being run down.
Ian, I am so, so envious. Guadalcanal is thee ultimate pilgrimage for me. One day. I plan to visit all the famous battle sites. From Alligator Creek, to Edson's Ridge, to the Gifu. Cape Esperence will round the visit out.
The equivalent US weapon, M2 37mm ATG, could fire HE, AP and Beehive or flechette rounds. The last type being very effective on massed infantry as in a Banzai charge.
I may be mistaken, but I think the main gun in the M3 Light tank used the same ordnance. As Marine tank crews gained experience, they started "borrowing " belts of aviation .50 caliber, with AP, Incendiary and Tracer to hose enemy bunkers with.
i love that filming style
Great video. Any chance you got some footage of that engine, or that wrecked aircraft back there?
Its crazy how similar things look on guns like this. Pak 36 has a similar setup. Looks similar but definitely not the same.
Might as well be a BB gun to an M4 Sherman. People are quick to remember that the M4 was hardly a match to the late German tanks, but not so much to remember that it was the other way around with the Japanese.
the camera is so much better than the ones in most videos by Ian
I wish I could go to Guadalcanal, the winter weather here sucks, + you get to go on Easter egg hunts for old Japanese war machines like the zeros in the computer game Far Cry!
Thank you , Ian ,
🐺
The barrel steel must be excellent. A mate on Saipan has one, there’s barely any corrosion on the barrel despite the harsh environment.
I know that there is no need for all of your videos to look like this but, good-god-damn, this is WORLDS nicer to look at. Kudos to the folks at Battlefield Expeditions, no doubt.
Back in the late 50s and early 60s I had a friend whose dad had been in 1st Marines and had been a tank driver on one of those Stewarts on Guadalcanal. He liked to tell stories, and one that I remember was of coming up with a little 37mm cannon. He and his buddies amused themselves by firing it at random targets. This must have been the same type gun he was talking about, and may have been the actual gun!
Can't help but imagine a whole platoon of US GIs deciding to band together to take home a single artillery piece as a souvenir, with two guys trying to subtly cram giant steel wheels into their bags.