History and Development
The Type 4 15 cm Howitzer was designed by the Army’s Osaka Armory to rectify the shortcomings of the Type 38 15 cm howitzer – namely its lack of portability. The Type 96 15 cm Howitzer was intended to replace it, but it remained in use throughout World War II. Weapons captured by the Chinese remained in use at least through the Chinese Civil War. The Type 4 (1915) 150-mm Howitzer was designed during World War I to replace the Type 38 150 mm Howitzer. It was manufactured in considerable quantities and remained the standard Japanese medium artillery piece until 1936. It still has by no means been completely superseded, and has been encountered during the present war on many fronts.
The Type 4 is the first Japanese weapon to replace the hydrospring recoil system with the hydropneumatic. Its modified box trail allows it to fire at extreme elevations, increasing its usefulness in jungle or rugged terrain.
Read more about this topic: Type 4 15 Cm Howitzer
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