Author Topic: HO-155 30mm (Read 648 times)

-=Silo=- · « **on:** November 26, 2001, 12:15:00 PM »

Does anyone know anything about this gun? Specifically, the rounds used. I am pretty much interested in the weights of the 30mm rounds. Also cutaway diagrams would be very much appreciated as well

Thanks.

Tony Williams · « **Reply #1 on:** November 26, 2001, 01:36:00 PM »

Well, it's described and illustrated (along with the ammo) in "Rapid Fire"

However, to put you out of your misery while you eagerly await delivery of the book, it was basically a scaled-up belt-fed Browning firing 30x114 ammo, with loadings variously described as 235 g at 700 m/s or 270 g at 600 m/s. Since writing Rapid Fire I have learned of more research which has shown that there were two different versions; the Ho-155 I which weighed 50 kg (less than thought before) and the slimmer Ho-155 II, designed for fitting in fighter wings, which weighed only 44 kg - a remarkable power to weight ratio. Rate of fire was 400-500 rpm. The guns were associated with the Ki-61 and Ki-84, but were too late to get much beyond the experimental test stage.

Tony Williams
Author: "Rapid Fire: The development of automatic cannon, heavy machine guns and their ammunition for armies, navies and air forces"
Details on my military gun and ammunition website:
PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF ADDRESS http://website.lineone.net/~a_g_williams/index.htm
Military gun and ammunition discussion forum: http://www.delphi.com/autogun/messages

-=Silo=- · « **Reply #2 on:** November 26, 2001, 02:10:00 PM »

Thanks Tony! I saw your book at Barnes and Noble on my lunch break a few months back. Didnt have money to pick it up at the time, and now I can never seem to find a copy

I guess I'll head to Amazon. <S>

Tony Williams · « **Reply #3 on:** November 27, 2001, 01:47:00 PM »

Yup, that's the cheapest way to get it. There's a direct link to the appropriate page of Amazon from the description of the book on my website.

Tony Williams
Author: "Rapid Fire: The development of automatic cannon, heavy machine guns and their ammunition for armies, navies and air forces"
Details on my military gun and ammunition website:
PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF ADDRESS http://website.lineone.net/~a_g_williams/index.htm
Military gun and ammunition discussion forum: http://www.delphi.com/autogun/messages