Ho-5 cannon (original) (raw)

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20 mm autocannon

Ho-05 cannon
Type-97 (top), Ho-103 (middle), Ho-05 cannon (bottom) in Royal Thai Air Force Museum.
Type Aircraft autocannon
Place of origin Empire of Japan
Service history
Used by Imperial Japanese Army Air ServiceImperial Japanese Navy Air Service
Wars World War II
Specifications
Mass 37 kg (82 lb)
Length 1,444 mm (56.9 in)[_citation needed_]
Barrel length 900 mm (35 in)
Cartridge 20×94mm
Calibre 20 mm (0.79 in)
Action Short recoil-operated
Rate of fire Early version: 820 rounds/minLater version: 700-750 rounds/min500 rounds/min (synchronized)
Muzzle velocity 735 m/s (2,410 ft/s)
Feed system 150-round Belt

The Ho-5 (Army Type 2) was a Japanese aircraft autocannon used during World War II. Developed from the Ho-103 machine gun, it was a version of the American Model 1921 Browning aircraft machine gun. It replaced the Ho-1 and Ho-3 (Army Type 97) in general service. The Ho-5 was belt-fed using typical Browning-style steel disintegrating links. The cartridge used was a shortened version of the Allied 20 x 110mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404.

The Ho-5 was used mostly as wing mounts in late-war fighters, but saw limited use as cowl mounted in fighters and as flexible mounted (retrofit) in bombers.