TABLE OF CONTENTS



CHAPTER 9 - WWII JAPANESE CHEMICAL MUNITIONS





SECTION X - WWII JAPANESE CHEMICAL WARFARE.

1. MARKING OF WWII JAPANESE CHEMICAL MUNITIONS
Indications are that the Japanese attention to war gases has been confined largely to the well-known types such as blister, tear, and vomiting gases. In addition, agents for the production of screening smokes are manufactured. The Japanese distinguish between screening smoke and toxic or tear clouds by referring to the latter as "special smoke". Agent containers are identified according to physiological effect of the gases by a color marking as shown below:

NUM TYPE OF GAS BAND COLOR

1. Choking --------- Blue.

2. Tear --------- Green.

3. Blister --------- Yellow.

4. Vomiting --------- Red.

5. Blood and nerve poisons --------- Brown.

6. Screen smokes --------- White.



The complete munition is referred to in the same manner, that is, a "red" shell contains vomiting gas. Chemical projectiles and most chemical aerial bombs are generally gray in color. Filled shells usually have a red band at the nose, followed by a blue band to indicate the necessity for special handling because of the chemical filling. The type of gas filling is indicated by a colored band, about twice as wide as any other color band on the shell. A narrow yellow band is believed to indicate an HE burster charge, while a narrow white band indicates that the projectile is constructed of steel.



2. WWII JAPANESE GAS BOMBS
A Type 92 (1932) 50-kilogram (110 pound) gas bomb has been encountered. This bomb contains 50.6 pounds of 50 percent mustard and 50-percent lewisite mixture. It may be recognized by the gray body and tail, a red and a blue band around the nose, two yellow bands, and one white band around the body. It is 45 inches long, 7.5 inches in diameter, and weighs 110 pounds.

3. WWII JAPANESE GAS SHELLS

a. General.
It is believed that gas munitions are provided for many types of weapons. The following shells are known to be filled with war gases (as of 1944).

b. Type 92 (1932) 75-mm vomiting gas (red) shell.
The exterior of the shell is of conventional design. However, an inner canister, containing a large bursting charge, extends the full interior length of the shell. The space between the canister and the body of the shell contains a relatively small quantity of chemical agent. This projectile may be fired from any Japanese 75-mm field guns were fitted with the suitable cartridge case. When fired from the Type 38 (1905), Type 38 (1905) improved, Type 41 (1908) cavalry, Type 41 (1908) mountain, and Type 90 (1930) field guns, the complete shell (projectile and case) is known as the Type 92 (1932) red shell. When used with the Type 94 (1934) mountain gun it is called the Type 94 (1934) red shell.

Characteristics;

1. Weight fuzed --------- 13.6 pounds.
2. Weight, without fuze --------- 13.2 pounds.
3. Length, fuzed --------- 14.3 inches.
4. Length, without fuze --------- 12.0 inches.
5. Nature of chemical filling --------- Diphenylcyanarsine ("red Mark I").
6. Weight of chemical filling --------- 6.3 ounces.
7. Weight of burter charge --------- 15.9 ounces.
8. Type of fuze --------- Type 88 (1928) instantaneous.
9. Markings --------- Gray body; red band around fuze adapter followed by blue band;

Yellow band below bourrelet;

Wide red band around body;

White band above rotating band;





c. Japanese Type 92 (1032) 75-mm blister gas (yellow) shell.
This projectile consists of two parts: The shell body and the burster assembly. The burster tube, containing a pressed pellet of picric acid, screws into the nose of the shell. The shell body is filled with a mixture of mustard and lewisite.

It is believed that this projectile may be fired from any Japanese 75-mm field guns when fitted with the suitable cartridge case. When fired from the: Type 38 (1905),
Type 38 (1905) improved,
Type 41 (1908) cavalry
Type 41 (1908) mountain
Type 90 (1930)
field guns, the complete shell (projectile and case) is known as the Type 92 (1932) yellow shell. When used with the Type 94 (1934) mountain gun it is called the Type 94 (1934) yellow shell.

Characteristics;
1. Weight of projectile, fuzed --------- 12.5 pounds.
2. Weight of projectile without fuze --------- 12.1 pounds.
3. Lenght, fuzed --------- 13.8 inches.
4. Length, without fuze --------- 11.5 inches.
5. Nature of chemical filling --------- Lewisite 50 %, Mustard 50 %.
6. Weight of chemical filling --------- 1.84 pounds.
7. Type of fuze --------- Type 88 (1928) instantaneous.
8. Markings --------- Gray body;
Red band around fuze and adapter, followed by blue band;
Yellow band below bourrelet;
0.5 inch red band between bourrelet and fin assembly;
White band at tail joint;


d. Japanese Type 92 (1932) 75-mm choking gas and smoke (blue-white) shell.
The body of this projectile is identical with that of Type 92 (1932) blister gas shell. The filling consists of a mixture of phosgene and a smoke agent. Similar to the Type 92 (1932) blister and Type 92 (1932) vomiting gas shells, it may be fired from any of the Japanese 75-mm field guns and follows the same system of type designation.

Characteristics;
1. Weight of projectile, fuzed --------- 12.3 pounds.
2. Weight of projectile, without fuze --------- 11.9 pounds.
3. Length of projectile, fuzed --------- 13.8 inches.
4. Length of projectile, without fuze --------- 11.5 inches.
5. Nature of chemical filling --------- Phosgene 90% ("blue Mark I"),
Smoke agent 10% ("White Mark I")
6. Weight of chemical filling --------- 1.9 pounds.
7. Type of fuze --------- Type 93 (1933) instantaneous and short delay.
8. Markings --------- Not known (as of 1944), but assumed to have a black body; red band around fuze adapter followed by blue band; 0.5-inch yellow band between bourrelet and fin assembly; white band at tail joint.




e. Japanese Type 95 (1935) 90-mm vomiting (red) mortar shell.
It is believed that this shell closely ressembles the standard Type 94 (1934) 90-mm HE shell in external appearance, except for color markings. This shell may be fired from both the Type 94 (1934) and Type 97 (1937) 90-mm mortars.

Characteristics;
1. Weight of projectile, fuzed --------- 11.9 pounds.
2. Weight of projectile without fuze --------- 11.5 pounds.
3. Nature of chemical filling --------- Diphenyleyanarsine ("Red Mark I")
4. Weight of chemical filling --------- 8.4 ounzes.
5. Type of fuze --------- Type 93 (1933) instantaneous and short delay.
6. Markings --------- Black body; red around fuze adapter followed by blue band;
Yellow band below bourrelet;
0.5 inch red band between bourrelet and fin assembly;
White band at tail joint.


f. Type 95 (1935) 90-mm blister gas (yellow) mortar shell.
This sell closely ressembles the Type 95 (1935) 90-mm vomiting gas shell in general appearance. The color markings, however, are different. The Type 95 (1935) bliter gas shell may be fired from both the Type 94 (1934) and Type 97 (1937) 90-mm mortars.

Characteristics;
1. Weight, fuzed --------- 12.2 pounds.
2. Weight, withuot fuze --------- 11.8 pouds.
3. Nature of chemical filling --------- Lewisite: 50%, mustard: 50%
4. Weight of chemical filling --------- 1.9 pounds.
5. Type of fuze --------- Type 93 (1933) instantaneous and short delay.
6. Markings --------- Not shown, but assumed to have a black body; red band around fuze adapter followed by blue band; 0.5 inch yellow band netwwen bourrelet and fin assembly; white band at tail joint.


g. Japanese Type 90 blood-nerve poison (Brown) mortar shell.
Although little is known about this unrecovered shell, it is reported to contain hydrocyanic acid and has a total weight of 14.4 pounds. It is fired from both Type 94 (1934) and Tyope 97 (1937) 90-mm mortar.

h. Japanese Type 9h (1933) 105-mm pointed vomiting-gas (red) shell.
This hsell is characterized by a single, copper rotating band, a copper bourrelet, and a long, pointed ogive. In general appearance, with exception of teh color markings, it closely resembles the pointed HE shell. The Type 93 (1933) 105-mm pointed vomitting gas shell can be fired from both the Japanese 105-mm guns and howitzers when fitted with the suitable cartridge case.

Characteristics;
1. Weight, fuzed --------- 36.3 pounds.
2. Weight, without fuze --------- 35.9 pounds.
3. Length, fuzed --------- 21.4 inches.
4. Length, without fuze --------- 19.1 inches.
5. Nature of chemical filling --------- Diphenylcyanarsine ("red Mark I").
6. Weight of chemical filling --------- 1.4 pounds.
7. Markings --------- Not kown.


i. Japanese Type 92 (1932) 105-mm blister-gas (yellow) shell.
Little information is available concerning this unrecovered projectile. It is believed to have a total weight of 34.8 pounds and a chemical filling of 4.9 pounds. It is assumed that it is fitted with the Type 88 (1928) instantaneous fuze, and may be fired from both Japanese 105-mm guns and howitzers.

j. Japanese 105-mm choking-gas and smoke (blue-white) shell.
All that is known of this projectile is that it contains 4.3 punds of 90 % phosgene and 10 % smoke agent.



k. Japanese Type 93 (1933) 150-mm pointed vomiting-gas (red) shell shell.
This projectile is characterized by a single, copper rotating band, a copper bourrelet, and a long, pointed ogive. The body is made in two sections. The forward section, which contains the bursting charge, is threaded to the rear section well forward of the bourrelet. The chemical filling is contained in the rear section. The Type 93 (1933) 150-mm pointed vomiting gas shell is known only to be fired from the Type 4 (1915) 150-mm howitzer. It is possible, however, that it also may be fired from the Type 38 (1905) howitzer and, perhaps, guns of this caliber as well, when the shell is fitted with the suitable cartridge case.

Characteristics;
1. Weight, fuzed --------- 65 pounds.
2. Weight, without fuze --------- 64.6 pounds.
3. Length, fuzed --------- 24.2 inches.
4. Length, without fuze --------- 21.9 inches.
5. Nature of chemical filling --------- Diphenylcyanarsine ("Red mark I")
6. Weight of chemical filling --------- 7.2 pounds.
7. Type of fuze --------- Type 88 (1928), instantaneous.
8. Markings --------- Not known.


l. Japanese Type 92 (1932) 150-mm pointed blister gas (yellow) shell.
This projectiles has a one piece steel body; characterized by a single, copper rotatig band, a copper bourrelet, and a long, pointed ogive. The bursting charge is in the form of a long booster consisting of three pellets of TNT. The Type 92 (1932) 150-mm pointed blister gas shell is known to be fired from the Japanese Type 4 (1915) 150-mm howitzer. It is possible that when fitted with the suitable cartridge case it may be fired also from the other 150-mm howitzers and guns.

Characteristics;
1. Weight, fuzed --------- 68.9 pounds.
2. Weight, without fuze --------- 68.5 pounds.
3. Length, fuzed --------- 25.1 inches.
4. Length, without fuze --------- 22.8 inches.
5. Nature of chemical filling --------- Lewisite : 50 %, mustard: 50 %
6. Weight of chemical filling --------- 12.6 pounds.
7. Type of fuze --------- Tpe 88 (1928) instantaneous.
8. Markings --------- Not known.




m. Japanese Type 92 (1932) 150-mm pointed choking gas and smoke (blue-white) shell.
It is believed that this shell uses the same body as the Type 92 (1932) pointed blister-gas shell and can be fired from the same weapons.

Characteristics;
1. Weight, fuzed --------- 67.3 pounds.
2. Weight, without fuze --------- 66.9 pounds.
3. Length, fuzed. --------- 25.1 inches.
4. Length, without fuze --------- 22.8 inches.
5. Nature of chemicalfilling --------- Phosgene: 90 % ("Blue Mark I")
Smoke agent 10 % ("white Mark I")
6. Weight of chemical filling --------- 11.1 pounds.
7. Type of fuze --------- Type 88 (1928) instantaneous.
8. Markings --------- Not known.


n. Japanese 150-mm blood-nerve poison (brown) shell.
Unlike the other 150-mm chemical projectiles, this is not a pointed shell but has a short, rounded ogive. In addition, it has a flat base and lacks the copper bourrelet. It is probably fired from the same weapons as the other Japanese 150-mm chemical shells.



Characteristics;
1. Weight, fuzed --------- Approximately 71 pounds.
2. Length, fuzed --------- Approximately 25.5 inches.
3. Nature of chemical filling --------- Hydrocyanic acid.
4. Weight of chemical filling --------- 7 pounds.
5. Type of fuze --------- Type 88 (1928) instantaneous.
6. Markings --------- Not known. Probably has wide, brown band around body.




o. Japanese 150-mm gas mortar shells. No details are known of gas-filled mortar shells of this caliber. However, it is believed that shells exist filled with vomiting, blister, and blood-nerve poisons.