Type 99 88 mm AA gun

History and development

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces captured a number of German-made SK C/30 anti-aircraft guns from the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China. These weapons were originally 88 mm SKC/30 naval dual-purpose guns for Germany's Kriegsmarine, and should not be confused with the more famous FlaK 88 mm anti-aircraft gun.

Realizing the superiority of this design in terms of range and firepower over the domestic Type 88 75 mm AA gun, the Japanese Army Technical Bureau quickly reverse engineered it and placed it into production when the Type 88 anti-aircraft gun began to show increasing obsolescence against modern military aircraft. Approximately 946 units were built.

Design

The Type 99 88 mm AA gun had a mono-block gun barrel, semi-automatic vertical sliding breech block, and hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism. The firing platform was supported by five legs, each of which (along with the central pedestal) had adjustable screwed foot for leveling. The gun barrel could easily be removed from the breech end-piece, and the entire assembly could be broken down into six separate assemblies for ease of transportation. It fired a 9 kg high explosive projectile to an effective altitude of 10420 m. Armor-piercing shells were also developed for potential anti-tank use.

Projectiles

• High-explosive –　9 kg
• Incendiary – 9.5 kg
• Armor-piercing – 10 kg

Combat record

The Type 99 88 mm AA gun was primarily deployed in defense of the Japanese home islands against Allied air raids and against the perceived threat of Allied invasion.

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Bishop, Chris (eds) The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Barnes & Nobel. 1998.
• Chant, Chris. Artillery of World War II, Zenith Press, 2001,
• McLean, Donald B. Japanese Artillery; Weapons and Tactics. Wickenburg, Ariz.: Normount Technical Publications 1973.
• Rottman, Gordon L. The Japanese Army in World War II. Osprey (2005)
• War Department TM-E-30-480 Handbook on Japanese Military Forces September 1944

References

1. War Department TM-E-30-480 ''Handbook on Japanese Military Forces'' September 1944 p 400
2. [https://takihomepage.web.fc2.com/99aa.htm Taki's Imperial Japanese Army – Type 99 88mm AA Gun]
3. Bishop, The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. {{page needed. (September 2017)
4. Rottman, The Japanese Army in World War II. p. 40