Ho-103 machine gun

Ho-103 machine gun
12.7 mm Ho-103 machine gun on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Type	Machine Gun
Place of origin	Empire of Japan
Service history
Used by	Empire of Japan
Wars	World War II
Specifications
Weight	23 kilograms (50.7 lb)
Cartridge	12.7 mm x 81SR Breda
Action	Recoil operation
Rate of fire	800 RPM 400 RPM (synchronized)
Muzzle velocity	780 m/s (2,600 ft/s)
Feed system	Belt
Sights	Iron

The 12.7mm Type 1 (1941) was a Japanese aircraft machine gun widely used during World War II and also known as the Ho-104. The Ho-103 was actually a fixed gun and the Ho-104 a flexible gun. It was based on the American .50-caliber M1921 aircraft Browning machine gun but achieved a higher rate of fire by using a smaller, lower velocity Breda (Vickers) cartridge, intermediate in length between the WW II German 13 mm calibre MG 131's 64mm length cartridge, and the long 99mm cartridge of the veteran American M2 Browning .50 calibre gun. Because of this, the gun was frequently loaded with explosive or incendiary ammunition in an attempt to increase terminal effects on aircraft.