Japanese Type 96 150mm Howitzer (Guadalcanal)

[@LordTuskis]

I was half hoping to get entered to win a 150mm Howitzer.

[@Stevarooni]

S&H not included. 😉

[@Divenity]

Only half?

[@beargillium2369]

Why not

[@earl_r1863]

Imagine going back from work and seeing that at the front door of ur house

[@codygranrud6212]

Only the half that doesn't have to pick it up. Lol

[@jpmangen]

I guarantee at some point a farmer came by and took the wheels and made a cart out of them.

[@allangibson8494]

The hubs are there - the rest of the wheels have rotted away. That’s a problem with the tropics. Wood rots.

[@lavrentivs9891]

@@allangibson8494In fairness, 80 years later exposed to the elements without any maintenance, wood would have rotted away in most climates.

[@MrJoshcc600]

Wood wheels rot

[@casinferneycf45]

Man. That would be a cool thing to have on your front lawn.

[@no1DdC]

It would definitely shorten negotiations with the HOA.

[@Matt-xc6sp]

@@no1DdCThe Final Argument of Karens

[@patrickmcglynn5383]

Nothing says get off My lawn like one of those

[@MrJoshcc600]

Stolen by scrappers in a week

[@reliantncc1864]

It would sort of get the message across to Jehovah's Witnesses and that guy who tries to sell you an overprice vacuum.

[@JohnTBlock]

The Guadalcanal coverage is very moving for me. My Father was Navy, on converted WW I destroyers used as "Fast Attack Transports " to move Marine Raiders around the Canal and Tulagi. He came home, thank God. But the 13 ships of his squadron are still "out there", on Iron Bottom Sound..... (all that was '42 - '43, I wasn't born til '53. Truman dropping Nukes probably saved him from dieing invading the Home Islands, and allowed me to exist!)

[@ximthedespot4673]

Same with my granfather. He was in basics when the bombs dropped.

[@member5488]

My grandfather was captured when the Philippines fell and was shipped to work as a slave at a mine in China. He was 6' tall and weighed around 100#s when freed. The Japanese had a standing order to execute every POW the moment allied boots touched the mainland, so there is no doubt the A-bombs saved his life along with tens of thousands of other POWs held by Imperial Japan at that point.

[@stanislavczebinski994]

@@member5488 No offence guys - but the A-bombs didn't save thousands of GIs - and they didn't end WW2. That's a myth repeated over and over to justify humongous financial expenses and ~200,000 dead Japanese civilians. Even without them Japan could easily have been blockaded by massive US naval dominance. They were (and still are) highly dependent on imports. They were starving already - not much more would have been neccessary.

[@andersjjensen]

@@stanislavczebinski994 It is a hypothesis that it was overkill and that lesser means could have done the trick. It is also a hypothesis that the Japanese would have held out for a considerable amount of time and that famine and decease would have cost a lot more than 200k before they gave in. We will never know for sure as the arguments for both ways are pretty sound.

[@L1ama]

@@stanislavczebinski994 Even more importantly than that, the Soviets invaded Japanese-occupied Manchuria extremely effectively (even taking into account how weak the Kwantung army was by then), and had already started invading the Kuril islands just to the north. Japan was hoping that the Soviets would act as a neutral third party to help them negotiate peace with the western allies, their invasion made it clear that wasn't gonna happen.

[@mildbill2806]

My dad USMC Pvt. C.W. Lyon on Guadalcanal had said that his camp area near Edson's ridge would get hit occasionally by "Ol' Pistol Pete".

[@3of11]

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of forgotten artillery…

[@yeahsteeeve]

It's a weapon so...

[@mrwdpkr5851]

Thank you gun jeebus !

[@andrewp9648]

Really enjoying the Guadalcanal content. Thanks for doing it.

[@williamromine5715]

I can't imagine how they moved this thing in the jungle with just human effort. It was definatley(sp) not a skoot and shoot weapon.

[@felixthecat265]

Interesting observation on the wheels.. Large spoked wheels make the gun much more hand manoeuvrable and although as Ian says, limits the speed on roads. I have played with 13lbr guns as used by the Kings Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, and the ability to grab and pull spokes does make them much easer to move unmounted..

[@stanislavczebinski994]

Without high-speed tractors (and high-speed roads) modern air-filled rubber tires are of limited benefit. IIRC Japan was short on rubber, too. Plus: Rubber tires in the 1940ies were far away from our modern tires. They tended to get flat and their general strength was waay less. In tropical heat and burning sun in the age before uv-protecting additives they would've gone bad quite fast.

[@dermotthompson2115]

Good to see it restored

[@VeraTR909]

One of those things you don't think of when designing but reveals itself in testing

[@dabootvv]

@@VeraTR909 reveals itself *on the battlefield :D

[@trioptimum9027]

Yeah, I suspect that the wheels were more benefit than drawback for the guns in actual service. Note that Ian mentions them as the least-modern aspect of the gun, which is accurate, but doesn't say that was a problem or that it needed fixing. Wooden wheels would also have been easier to repair in the field. For that limited road speed to really matter, you need enough high-speed transport to move every other element of your force, AND you need good roads, AND you need no railroads. There just weren't a lot of places in the Japanese sphere of influence where that was the case: in the sorts of places where there were going to be good roads, there were likely to be railroads as well, and so you could put the guns on a train.

[@GrasshopperKelly]

This was a fun one, despite the wreckage. I always loved that Ian covered large arms too.

[@kevinmcfalls945]

There was still some substantial rifling left in that bore. That barrel was by no means "shot out." Kind of expected Ian to comment on that.

[@therandommemecat7738]

Perfect home defense weapon that doesn't exis-

[@brianreddeman951]

The urge to restore is strong

[@thelaughinghyenas8465]

Did anyone else notice the critter in the barrel peering up at Ian at 2:34?

[@sadlegume]

Nothing some WD-40 won't fix up

[@michaelmoorrees3585]

Missing breech block. No problem, we'll make one out of duct tape !

[@tommccauley5316]

I hope you continue to expand your videos into other military equipment. Your research and ability to explain how things work is exceptional. Good job. Big fan.

[@richb313]

Thanks for the brief history lesson along with the example of this Howitzer.

[@hugo511]

can't wait for the shooting range video!

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

It belongs in a museum!

[@Hali_Eagle05]

I'm surprised that doesn't have a bayonet attatchment

[@mikehipperson]

Or a sliding ammo rack?

[@caalsigo]

It is ideal for home defense

[@Alderak1]

It did actually. The Japanese Type 32 Cavalry saber, mounted on the howitzer via the right hand of a Japanese artillery corporal sitting on a Japanese Type 95 Cavalry Saddle which is strapped to the gun barrel. Isn’t history neat?

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

It had eight, commonly referred to as "crew" ;)

[@ROBERTN-ut2il]

Ian said in the video that this weapon was based on the French Schneider 155 Howitzer, which was one of the best pieces of medium artillery in the Great War. The US adopted pieces purchased from France as the M1917, while US built examples were the M1918. Under the "Square Division" of WWI, the Artillery Brigade had two regiments of 75mm guns with each in direct support of a brigade of two Infantry regiments. A 155mm howitzer regiment was in general support of the entire division. When the square division was eliminated in 1940-41 in favor of the triangular division of 3 infantry regiments, Division Artillery was composed of three DS battalions with 105mm howitzers and a GS battalion of 155mm howitzers. It wasn't until 1943 that the M1917/1918 was replaced by the M1 (later M114). The older weapons reverted to training or were passed on to American Allies like China.

[@williamarmstrong1050]

Those battlefield tours must be great you have a very cool job/interest

[@bburchellphotos]

Dang it! I saw the title and thought, "I can't wait to see this firing!". Sadly, I don't think that's gonna happen 😅 Kinda interested in the items in the background too. Looks like a tank turret and a barrel of something else.

[@jamesuthmann940]

He didn't even field-strip it! 🙃

[@bennettrogers7921]

It is a turret from a Japanese type 95, good eye! They have a number of aircraft there too, including a P-38.

[@classifiedad1]

Turret looks like a Type 97 medium tank. Unsure of the barrel though.

[@robertoroberto9798]

@@bennettrogers7921Doesn’t look like a Type 95 Ha-Go to me. Looks like a Type 97 Chi-Ha with the 47mm gun due to the turret shape (More specifically, the rear hatch with a machine gun mount on the left).

[@bennettrogers7921]

@@robertoroberto9798 I think you are correct, I looked at my photos from there, and there are two hatches up top. I believe the 95 only had one. I initially thought it was a type 95 due to the size and that I didn’t think that the Japanese had type 97’s at Guadalcanal. But my photos follow what you’ve said. 👍🏻

[@timbaskett6299]

Going to boot camp at Ft. Sill, OK really made me appreciate the power of Artillery. Thanks Ian.

[@enricopaolocoronado2511]

"You can't really tow it at high speed behind trucks." Why do I get the feeling that it hasn't stopped any cheeky bloke from trying anyway?

[@nos9784]

If reason does not stop you, maybe fear of military punishment will?

[@enricopaolocoronado2511]

@@nos9784 Assuming they get caught, of course.

[@LadyAnuB]

Where could you do this on many a Pacific island?

[@michaelinsc9724]

Really enjoying the Guadalcanal videos! So happy for you getting to go. Definitely bucket list dream!

[@eljefeamericano4308]

Looking forward to seeing your footage of trying it out at the range!

[@TheCatBilbo]

Oh, yes! Um, sadly - I think that ship has sailed (to mix metaphors).

[@jimmywilliamson8540]

Alright Ian I know it's gonna be difficult, but you can do it. Get that thing operational for a Saturday shoot.

[@reliantncc1864]

BUG match. It can be the backup for the Schwerer Gustav.

[@MrMiguella]

If you want to do more artillery pieces come to Australia, every RSL club has some kind of arty in the front yard.

[@mikeoxlong6797]

And NZ. Lots of oerlikon, 40mm bofors and howitzers

[@toomanyuserids]

Vaguely reminiscent of the park at Bois de Belleau.

[@djdrack4681]

sees 150mm out in the wild. immediately books trip to get it. ...wonders what the carry on limit is for Japan Air.

[@ianb9028]

I was on Guadalcanal in the 1980’s. Customs searched everyone’s luggage on departure. The story was that a couple of tourists found some live mortar bombs and took them home whereupon these were discovered in their luggage when they arrived.

[@djdrack4681]

@@ianb9028lucky bastards finding that stuff....not so lucky getting caught by the tyrants

[@MrPanzerDragoon]

I really really love watching these old rusty relics. It gives you this eerie feel. It really was once used for destruction.

[@bbbcfitchburg2563]

Everybody ought to own a howitzer!

[@jon-paulfilkins7820]

Those are old school, the modern enthusiasts are all about the Trebuchets!😜

[@nobodynoone2500]

With a media blasting I bet you could get that sucker back in service. Crazy how little rust there is for as moist as it looks, replete with moss!

[@PlakeFilmmaker]

Dang that looks like a Chi-Ha Kai / Chi-He turret casually lying in the background. Would love a closer look.

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , Ian . 🐺 Loupis Canis .

[@crapshot321]

Only 600!? I would have thought that there would be more, given that the state of Japanese industry was not THAT bad.

[@DIEGhostfish]

Not even 100 a year.

[@goforbroke4428]

The IJA never had a high demand for large howitzers. They placed a major premium on mortars and light guns.

[@chaosXP3RT]

Japanese industry really was that bad, I believe

[@SteamCrane]

Good looking piece. Hope you have a lot more from this trip.

[@ThatGeezer]

Only 70° elevation? Should have gone for 90°, for real close-range jungle warfare. :D

[@lauraazure6462]

Always love getting too look at a piece of history!

[@russwoodward8251]

I don't think they will let me take that to the range. But thanks Ian, a truly devastating weapon.

[@legionitalia309]

As much as the super elevation “pit” would appear to be good idea, it would seem to me that the fired shells would fall into a place they couldn’t be easily/safely cleared. They obviously had a method of doing this, but seems like a design flaw rather than an element.

[@tombogan03884]

It was a universal thing that still effects some guns.

[@AdamantLightLP]

Idk, even if it's harder to deal with, the ability to reach such a high angle is more important.

[@gwtpictgwtpict4214]

Depends on what point you eject the shell case. Fire, depress the gun down to something more normal, eject the shell casing and reload. Reloading with the gun at maximum elevation would be a major pain in the arse so dropping back to a roughly level elevation between rounds makes sense.

[@andersjjensen]

With shells as heavy as a 150mm you lower the gun, place the shell on the ramp, ram it, shove in the propellant, close the breech and insert the primer, elevate the gun and go boom. The M109 can also elevate to heights where the loading ramp can't be extended, which also means you can't get the hydraulic rammer behind the shell, so the only viable option is to lower the barrel between shots.

[@andersjjensen]

@@gwtpictgwtpict4214 Cannons of this size don't use "cartridges" like that. You load the grenade and the propellant separately. For reference a 155mm standard HE grenade weighs 47kg/104lbs alone and the maximum charge is some 1.5x longer than the grenade. Imagine how heavy and unwieldy that would be if you also added gigantic brass casing. The whole thing would be as tall as a short soldier.

[@TheHalflingLad]

The size of the gun seems to be inversely proportional to the length of Ian's video about it. Howitzers and cannons get a few minutes each, meanwhile a pistol like Bergmann or Colt Walker may receive a multi-episode series!

[@andersjjensen]

Probably has something to do with his field of expertise...

[@therideneverends1697]

@@andersjjensen also that theres really not too much mechanical variance between alot of these, alot of them follow roughly the same design principle just scaled up and down as needed

[@sloth7ds]

... anyone else think the WarHistorian logo kinda looks like Bill Murray in Caddy Shack?

[@smplyizzy]

In the US that barrel would have been filled with concrete. Nice to see that example was just left in the end state.

[@enp_55]

These in field videos are the best!

[@kevinpascual]

“We’re at the range today….”

[@b.griffin317]

A howitzer is defined as being capable of both low angle fire like a "gun" and high angle fire like a mortar.

[@damirblazevic4823]

No. That is the definition of a gun-howitzer. Mortar fires at an even higher "register" than a howitzer.

[@andersjjensen]

@@damirblazevic4823 Former artilleryman here: Most mortars only have one charge size, so if you want to hit something nearby you point it at the sky. Most modern large caliber howitzers use variable charge sizes for different distances, however, sometimes you want to come in at an acute angle due to terrain features or buildings being in the way of the optimal trajectory. And then there are the modern GPS guided stuff like Excalibur rounds. Those are "artillery glide bombs". So you fire at an agnle like 78 degrees to get them to max altitude, after which they de-spin themselves and glide to target.

[@lyndonmarquis414]

Really want to see this at a BUG match…

[@MsLoolololololo]

Watching the Pacific atm, how fitting to see this in my YT recommendations

[@davidgoodnow269]

That is quite interesting, thanks for the vacation video. One of my grandmother's brothers died on Guadalcanal with the Marines. Someday it would be good to visit the islands her brothers invaded, I have only made it to one so far. That beastie seems quite well designed and built to purpose!

[@viceadmiralcongo]

Gun shield in front, recuperator underneath, and someone's sandals left in the barrel.

[@ComissarYarrick]

150mm howitzer. I'm pretty sure in Texas this would be concidered "suitable for concealed carry permit" ;)

[@stumpythedwarf8712]

Thank you Ian. Very cool.

[@ncrtrooper7246]

Nice, now dissasemble it

[@GazalAlShaqab]

I LOVE this videos from Ian's travels, ALWAYS interesting! :)

[@rockbutcher]

Tune in tomorrow when we take this puppy out to the range and see how it does.

[@murrayscott9546]

They haddda good run for their money

[@DOMINIK99013]

Despite high speed truck there wasnt even much roads for hig speed, wich than was savig rubber for others thing.

[@CamoGuy76239]

If I were a rich man, I'd add that to my collection of restoration projects.

[@luisrenato4089]

very nice, i cant wait for the video where it is fired!!!

[@crystalrock18]

A “little” ballistol will clean that guy up real nice!

[@outlaworganics5991]

So Ian I had asked a question in the comments section of a video a week or so ago asking if Winchester made anti tank anti aircraft guns, I have what appears to be a 20mm casing stamped with Winchester repeating arms New Haven Conn. U.S.A. The projectile looks like it was probably a fused shell has a crest with 4 towers and says Reims ( perhaps the French chapel Germany bombed during both world wars, I have pictures to share if you’re interested)

[@Farout-d8w]

That thing resembles my vehicles

[@aneeshazmaton3358]

A hoopdie howitzer

[@Farout-d8w]

​@@aneeshazmaton3358yessa, right down to the wooden wheels cmon

[@hoilst265]

Coupla cans of Shift Ya Bastard, she'll good as new.

[@manout-kidin8735]

Yeah that big gun is essentially still a gun with a bigger bullet hence Gun Jesus ep on it . Nice . We need more like these EPs

[@commandplay]

I totally would try to restore that piece if I had a garage.

[@patrickhaggerty7830]

I know your published works mainly consist of small arms, but are there any plans for headstamp to publish books about artillery or armor?

[@ForgottenWeapons]

I don't have any plans to write on those subjects (I don't have the background for it), but we would be happy to consider works by authors who do!

[@patrickhaggerty7830]

@@ForgottenWeapons I thought that might be the case, thanks for replying. Appreciate all the work you do to preserve history!

[@sealove79able]

A great very interesting video and cannon Mr .GJ.Was that filmed at some scrapyard or actual Japanese fire position?Have a good one.

[@ForgottenWeapons]

That is the Vilu War Museum...

[@sealove79able]

Thank you.Take no offence.@@ForgottenWeapons

[@ForgottenWeapons]

None taken! It's a "museum" only by a fairly loose definition, but about as good as anything one can find on Guadalcanal. The island (all of the Solomons, really) is very poor, and there simply aren't resources for things like western-style museums. The government has enough trouble just keeping the one main road navigable.

[@sealove79able]

That is amazing or weird to hear.Are they the Haiti of the Pacific?@@ForgottenWeapons

[@bennettrogers7921]

@@ForgottenWeaponsdon’t know if you were able to see the private collection that is there, in an industrial area west of the Matanikau river. Had lots of Ian candy. Can email you photos if you plan on returning some day.

[@54SIBIR54]

У нас на МЛ-20 152 мм, ствол Шнейдера. Похож на японский тип 96.

[@lathanchurch8352]

I really want to see a collab with the devs of gunsmith simulator and forgotten weapons

[@DSS-jj2cw]

That is pretty big for a field howitzer. I remember the National Guard having 105mm howitzers in the 80s.

[@malamutekid8871]

cruiser caliber. that's awesome

[@marcl.1346]

The (in)famous Pistol Pete

[@MrJoshcc600]

Crazy to think this specific gun could have killed my grandfather. What a piece of history

[@-PLAYER0NE-]

Wasn’t there already a video on this a while back? More Japanese stuff please!

[@ForgottenWeapons]

No, the previous video was on a Type 92 100mm gun.

Nice in the field reporting 🙂

[@WormsMaster100]

Where is the bayonet lug?

[@tommyfred6180]

i had no idea these things existed.

[@Drrolfski]

Gun Jesus getting casually invited to all the main historic battlefields in the world.

[@johnhunt2390]

Makes me wonder if Japan could say “Yeah, that is ours. We’ll be taking it back.”

[@3of11]

“Come and take it”

[@stone-hand]

​@@3of11The Ghost of Shinzo Abe approves this message.

[@alltat]

Do they still have the receipt for it? Otherwise no.

[@CptJistuce]

I think the US owns it now. Traded them 140 pounds of uranium and another 15 pounds of plutonium for it.

[@srobertson4035]

i watched the full video on Playeur

[@dillonsnyder1172]

When I saw this video I was praying that I'd see Ian McCollum firing a live Howitzer. I'm slightly disappointed, but I like the video.

[@dutchbiker4825]

Whenever you're in the Netherlands do one on the M114/39 , the piece that I commanded in my days in the artillery. Quite an interesting history!

[@jah886]

I like to inspect the abandoned technical school of World War II. we have abandoned Japanese HA-GO tanks on the Kuril Islands

[@xt301]

I think there's a well-preserved one at the yasukuni shrine.

[@Knuck_Knucks]

Awesome 👌

[@sleigh4019]

Little paint a firing pin she's as good as new!

[@audiencesmember]

Cool piece

[@wcm8909]

You gonna take it to the range?

[@ForgottenWeapons]

It has never left the range...

[@Robert53area]

The one thing the japanese were really good at. Their arty units were very good. They could use these 150mm howitzer as arty or anti tank gun and were very accurate. The hardest part of Guadalcanal was getting them silenced from the hills, as they dug them in.

[@damirblazevic4823]

That is ridiculous.

[@BIG-DIPPER-56]

Very Good - Thanks ! 😎👍

[@1murder99]

Recoil pits are common even with modern artillery.

[@Amil.C]

Got strong armed by youtube. Have the receipts. Took screen shots

[@Amil.C]

Kiss my ass youtube.

[@aquariumengineer]

Love the Solomon Islands content!

[@mikeo8890]

I was hoping you would have gotten a chance to fire it.

[@billechols7136]

Very interesting stuff.

[@Bobafett-lc2vx]

Did Japan ever standardized their artillery? Or was it just a bunch of different models in small to medium batches. (In the case of 105 and 155)

[@jintsuubest9331]

Wdym? 105 shoots a much smaller load than 155. I also don't think WW2 Japan army has 155 guns.

[@Bobafett-lc2vx]

@@jintsuubest9331 in the case of this gun, I meant to say 150mm. But most nations in ww2 and across the globe use 155mm instead.

[@AsbestosMuffins]

interesting the I assume wooden wheels rotted away but the metal that bolted to it didn't

[@kwc0435]

Artillery jesus