Japanese weapons-in-use Photos request

Site Issues 2008 Archive Room
#1

I’ve a hobby of collecting WWII photos related to the different weapons used, at which I’ve spent a lot time searching books and the Internet. Finding pictures of some of the weapons in use has proven difficult, even though I’ve been doing this for more than a decade. So, as a trial balloon, I thought I’d toss out some of the Japanese weaponry photos I’m looking for. Ideally, the photo would be of the entire soldier (or crew) and clearly show the entire weapon, and preferably would have been taken during combat or “maneuvers” (but I’ll take anything I can get!).

So…can anybody point me to a link, book, or other resource that has clear, (relatively hi-rez) wartime photos of Japanese soldiers using:

Type (or Model, if you prefer) 100 Sub-machine gun
Type 97 or Type 99 sniper rifle
Rifle grenade, any type, and mounted on any rifle
Type 1 47mm anti-tank gun

If I can’t find photos, I’d be about as happy with “official” scale-drawn illustrations from wartime user manuals, etc. Any help would be much appreciated!

#2

bump.

#3

Try these websites:

WWII Japanese Army and Navy Websites
http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3023

#4

Thank you, yes, I’ve seen these websites, and they are very good sites. However, unless I’ve somehow missed them, they don’t have the types of photos I’m looking for, when it comes to the weapons mentioned: not just images of the weapon, but of soldiers using the weapon! I appreciate the thought, though…

#5

bump.

#6

I think you are asking the wrong people.

This forum appears to be mostly folks from the west, used to dealing with the western sources of information and publications. You need to look in Japan. There is a fairly good book Japanese book (Gun) from the 1970s that covers WWII firearms from pistols through artillery which has some action shots. Its hard to find in the west, I fought some other idiot on e-Bay for a copy, I woke up and backed off at $1100. I later found a copy on Japanese Amazon.com for under $100, they delivered it to my hotel in Tokyo by courier for free.

There were also a number of Japanese military magazines from the period, homeland propaganda like Yank and such, which show the local boys in action in various theaters. Again these show up on occasion on e-bay, by bidding you are taking a chance on what is inside, but welcome to the club.

If you ever get to Tokyo is has a very large book district, with a few specializing in military publications. You need to do your homework in advance, since this is a largely taboo subject in Japan and these places can be difficult to find. There are not many original books to be found, but the old magazines are piled in every corner. The photo quality varies greatly, but if its the only image available do you take it or do without?

Good luck, JO

#7

Hi Jeff,

Yes, you’re logic is good,but unfortunately going to Japan is not likely anytime soon. I WAS hoping, however, that a forum member might be from Japan (or be visiting, or whatever) and be able/willing to help…

#8

Sorry, can’t help. I was scheduled for a trip there at the end of September, but will be in Lithuania instead. I’ll be in China in Oct/Nov but I’m not scheduled to be back in Japan until next May.

I had the same hopes as you, in my case regarding photos on explosive ordnance, but the forum members I’ve had side discussions with are reluctant to open up. I’ve got a few of the Japanese magazines I picked up looking for ordnance photos, they have numerous weapons photos in them but I am not a weapons guy, just ordnance. I don’t know if they have anything of interest to you or not. You are welcome to look through them if you wish, you can either send an e-mail to me or consider dropping by in December, when we will be having a meeting of Japanese ordnance collectors.

We will have collectors from all over the US (primarily ordnance) coming together to talk bombs and bullets and show some of their stuff, there may be some with similar interests as you or information you can use. The advertisments are coming up in the Banzai and International Ammunition Association Journals, we already have interest from PA, KS, AL, IL, OH and IN with no advertisment out yet.

#9

Hello there,
I live in Japan and I can help. Let me know what I should do. There are tons of books on Japanese weapons with photos, drawings etc so send me a mail!
alfiechan

#10

Hi Alfiechan, Thank you for your offer! I’ll send you a PM.

Ardee

#11

Dear Jeff,
next time you come to Japan let me know.
alfiechan

#12

Alfiechan,
what’s your normal e-mail?

#13

It is alfredharumi@hotmail.com. By the way, I found several websites in Japanese with lots of pics, but for most of them you need japanese language capability for your computer. there is one, however, that you might try out. it has lots of pics of Army weapons but it is in Japanese. just start clicking! Go to http://earth.endless.ne.jp/users/mac0115/japanese%20army.html and see.
Cheers, alfiechan

#14

Go to http://earth.endless.ne.jp/users/mac0115/japanese%20army.html

#15

Oh, I forgot: My address is alfredharumi@hotmail.com. Checked out all the Japanese sites I knew but this is the only one you can access without knowing Kanji. Hope this helps!

#16

Hi alfiechan, I haven’t heard from you since I replied to your PM? Does my idea about an image search not work?

And thank you for the link you cited above. One of the things I found – I’m still looking - is what I am guessing is a prototype of a 9cm “bazooka.” I was aware of the 7cm version, but I don’t believe I have come across this one before. Would you be willing to tell me a little of what the site says about it?

http://earth.endless.ne.jp/users/mac0115/70mmATR.html

Thanks for your willingness to help with the photos – if you have any ideas, let me know!

#17

The 70mm bazooka ( actually 74mm ) was 1.5 m long and weighed 8kgs. It could penetrate 60-90mm of armour and when shot at 100mm armour at 100m penetrated with 60% of shots.
The 90mm was also 1.5 m and weighed 12kgs.it could penetrate 120mm of armour. muzzle velocity was 106m/sec.
Approx.3ooo of both versions were built. The germans sent the Japanese samples of their bazookas in April 1943 and the Japanese developed these 2 weapons after that.

#18

Alfiechan,
thanks for the address. I’m out of country right now (Lithuania) and the internet is a little spotty at this hotel, so I’ll try and get in contact later on after I return to the Netherlands. I’ve got some questions regarding museums and other potential locations for Japanese ordnance to photograph - I’ve hit most of the well known ones, time to get some thought on other options. Appreciate any input.

#19

awesome weapons

#20

There are 2 more good sights with lots of pics but in Japanese. Check out http://moijan0.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ and http://www.horae.dti.ne.jp/~fuwe1a/
Cheers,
alfiechan