Ho-5 cannon

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.

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 Service Imperial 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/min Later version: 700-750 rounds/min 500 rounds/min (synchronized)
Muzzle velocity	735 m/s (2,410 ft/s)
Feed system	150-round Belt

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.

Specifications

• Caliber: 20mm (0.8 in)
• Ammunition: 20 x 94 (84.5 g)
• Weight: 37 kg (77 lb)
• Rate of fire: 750 rounds/min
• Muzzle velocity: 750 m/s (2,460 ft/s)
• Magazine: 150-round belt

See also

• List of firearms
• List of weapons of military aircraft of Germany during World War II
• List of common World War II infantry weapons
• M2 Browning machine gun

References

• Gunston, Bill "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Combat Aircraft of World War II" Salamander Books, Ltd. 1978 ISBN 0-89673-000-X
• 20 mm Aircraft Cannon Ho 5 (Browning Principle) Archived 2011-05-25 at the Wayback Machine
• Japanese Ammunition