This is a Japanese 7.7 x 58 mm gas-operated machine gun that consists of two paired Type 11 machine guns referred to as the “Flexible Type”. The modified Type 11 barrels of this gun had no cooling fins and a breech loader with tube fixed to the housing. Characteristic for this Dual Type 89 is the Y-shaped ammunition supply with spade grips on top of the gun consisting of two attachable compartment magazines that housed 90 cartridges each.
Aircraft Gun
During World War Two the Dual Type 89 was commonly used as a tail gun on various Imperial Japanese Air Force aircraft like the Mitsubishi Ki-21, Ki-67 and Nakajima Ki-49 heavy bombers, the Mitsubishi Ki-30, Ki-51 and Kawasaki Ki-32 light bombers.
The machine gun was also used on the ground for assault and anti-aircraft purposes.
Specifications
- Kaliber
7.7 mm - Cartridge
7.7 x 58 mm Single Round - Rate of fire
1,500 rounds/min - Muzzle velocity
∼ 730 m/s - Weapon length
1,069 mm (42.1 in) - Barrel length
605mm - Mass
28 kg (62 lb) - Manufacturer
Nagoya Arsenal (Japan) - Manufacturing date (of the gun on display)
1943
Visit
This WW2 Japanese 7.7 mm Type 89 Dual Flexible machine gun is on display in the WTS in Koblenz.
NOTE: exhibitions tend to change over time. Always check ahead if an item is still on display.
