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List of Japanese World War II navy bombs

This is a complete list of all aerial bombs used by the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second World War.

Types

The Japanese navy produced a large number of different types of bombs, these were sub-divided into three main categories:

  • Land bombs - for use against land targets. They were normally not produced to a high standard consisting of a simple cylindrical case, riveted or welded to a cast steel nose.
  • Ordinary bombs - for use against ships. They were produced in general purpose and semi-armor-piercing types. They were of higher quality and generally had a smooth machined case
  • Special bombs - for various purposes.

Color coding system

Bombs

Rocket bombs

The Japanese produced a number of bombs with rocket motors installed, intended for air-to-air use against bomber formations, or as armor-piercing weapons. Only two saw service, the Type 3 No.25 Mk 4 armor-piercing rocket bomb, and the Type 3 No.6 Mk.27 air-to-air rocket bomb.

Incendiary bombs

  • Type 99 No.3 Mk 3
  • Type 3 No.6 Mk 3 bomb model 1
  • Type 2 No.25 Mk 3 bomb model 1
  • Type 98 No.7 Mk 6 bomb model 1
  • Type 98 No.7 Mk 6 bomb model 2
  • Type 1 No.7 Mk 6 bomb model 3 mod 1

~ Type 45 No.44 Mk 6 bomb model 1

Gas bombs

  • No. 6 Mk 1
  • Type 1 No.6 Mk.1
  • Type 4 No.6 Mk 1

Cluster type bombs

  • Type 2 No.6 Mk 21 bomb model 1
  • Type 2 No.6 Mk 21 bomb model 2
  • 1 kg hollow-charge bomb
  • 1 kg anti-personnel bomb

Practice bombs

  • 1 kg Practice bomb Mod 2
  • 1 kg Practice bomb Mod 3
  • No.3 Practice bomb Model 1
  • Type 99 No.3 Practice bomb

Flares

  • Type 96 landing flare
  • Landing flare
  • 5 kg parachute flare Model 2 mod 1
  • Type 0 parachute flare Model 1
  • Type 0 parachute flare Model 1 mod 1
  • Type 0 parachute flare Model 2
  • Type 0 parachute flare Model 3 mod 1
  • Experimental model 11 parachute flare
  • Type 94 float light
  • Experimental float light
  • Type 94 model 2 float light
  • Type 0 model 1 float light

Smoke floats and markers

  • 2 kg smoke float
  • 43 kg smoke float
  • Type 0 Model 1 sea marker
  • Type 0 Model 2 sea marker
  • Cardboard type sea marker
  • Type 3 No.6 target marker bomb
  • Type 2 2 kg target indicator

Misc

  • 2 kg Window (Chaff) bomb

Fuzes

Japanese Navy bomb fuzes designation system was unknown to the Allies until after the end of the Second World War. As a result, a designation system was created to describe the fuzes as follows. It consists of a capital letter, a numeral and a lower-case parenthetical letter.

The capital letter designates the fuzes type as follows:

  • A - nose impact
  • B - tail impact
  • C - long delay fuze
  • D - airburst fuze
  • E - protective fuze

The numeral approximates the order in which the fuzes were captured by the allies. Finally the lower-case letter in parentheses indicates the different but similar designs.

Where possible the original Japanese designation is given.

  • A-1(a)
  • A-1(b)
  • A-1(c)
  • A-3(a) Type 97 Mk 2 nose fuze
  • A-3(b) Type 1 nose fuze model 2
  • A-3(c) Type 2 nose indicator
  • A-3(d) Type 97 Mk 2 nose fuze Model 1
  • A-3(e) Type 3 nose indicator
  • A-3(f) Type 2 No.50 Ordinary bomb fuze model 1
  • A-3(g)
  • A-5(a)
  • B-2(a) Type 99 No.25 Ordinary bomb fuze
  • B-2(b) Type 99 No.80 Mk 5 Bomb fuze
  • B-3(a) Type 15 tail fuze model 2
  • B-3(b) Type 15 tail fuze model 1
  • B-5(b)
  • B-5(c)
  • B-6(a) Type 97 rail initiator
  • B-9(a) tail fuze
  • B-10(a) tail fuze
  • C-1(a) Type 99 special bomb fuze
  • C-2(a) Type 99 special bomb nose fuze
  • D-2(a)
  • D-2(b)
  • D-2(c)
  • D-3(a)
  • D-4(a) parachute flare fuze
  • Type 3 electric firing device

See also

References