Historic context :

The genesis of the Japanese 'Type 38 15cm field howitzer' (38 referring to the year 1905, the 38th year of Emperor Meiji's reign) is similar to that of the Type 38 10cm field gun. In 1905, during a conflict with Russia, Japan ordered German field howitzers based on the 15cm sFH 1902 model and modified to a caliber of 149.2mm, in order to preserve its industrial capacity for the needs of the Imperial Navy.

New units were subsequently produced under license in Osaka from 1911. The howitzer featured an interrupted screw breech, a 12.6-caliber barrel, and a hydro-mechanical recoil system. Its insufficient range (practically 5900m) led to the development of the Type 4 15cm Howitzer in 1915.

Russia ordered 800 howitzers of this type between 1915 and 1917. It seems the ordered guns caliber remained the one of the Japanese design (149.2mm) and and wer not adapted to the standard 6-inch (152.4mm) Russian ammunition. As a result, Russia also placed orders for the shells. But due to Japanese industrial difficulties, only 16 howitzers were delivered, all of which were employed in fortress artillery - 12 in Russian Finland and 4 in Vladivostok - under the name '150 mm M 1905 howitzer'. The pieces in Finland were all captured by the country during the civil war and used.

Technical data :

• Complete description : 150 mm M1905 field howitzer (Japan 15cm Type 38)
• Design year : 1905
• Calibre : 149.20 mm
• Weight in firing position : 2250 kg
• Weight for transportation :
• Tube length in calibres : 12.60
• Grooves : 0 (unknown)
• Projectile weight : 35.9 kg
• Initial speed : 290 m/sec
• Fire rate :
• Range : 12000 m
• Elevation range : 0 to +42.3 degrees
• Direction range : 5 degrees field

• Artillerie im 20. Jahrhundert           Franz Kosar                   Bernard und Graefe   2004  
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