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Thread: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

  1. #1
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    Default Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    I've been looking everywhere to find good documentaries on Japanese weapons of WWII, especially fighters and bombers, but I can't find anything. I mean, there are plenty of documentaries about Nazi planes, British, and American ones, but I can't find anything on Japanese planes except for some silly "Secret Japanese Planes of WWII" thing.

    Anyone have anything?

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    it´s in german:
    about the last turn of the yamato https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k4fJXw-a-Q
    and about japanese kamikaze https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAi_QH4FY4Y

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    an other docu about an japanese submarine air crafter https://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v...ture=endscreen

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Thanks for those, Tartaros, unfortunately most of those came across my YouTube searches as well!

    There are numerous videos which, for example, are 40-50 minute documentaries on specific aircraft or tanks, such as the FW-190 or the P-51, etc., but while these types of videos exist for America, Germany, Britain, and the USSR, I can't find any for Japan. Perhaps there simply hasn't been enough interest in making such documentaries, or they simply haven't been uploaded.

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    RedGuard's Avatar Protector Domesticus
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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    well just about the only weapon that was uniquely Japanese was the Arisaka rifle. other than that the t-99 and type 100 hundred were copies of British guns and their heavy guns were based on the Vickers. they also took design cues from Mauser for their cavalry and carbine rifles.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Well by "weapons" I mean the whole Japanese war-making arsenal, not just small arms.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Issue being most Japanese arms of WWII were well decades outdated before the war started, their tanks would be considered worse than what Germany invaded Poland in in most cases. Their aircraft were the only things that that shined in the entire Imperial arsenal, and there were so few aircraft worth covering.

    Most advanced aircraft the Japanese designed were just copies of German aircraft, which were of course modified to suit Japanese requirements by the Japanese themselves. Most of these aircraft never flew, and those that did never made it to mass production by the end of the war.

    In general there is not much interest in Japanese arms from WWII, either tanks/aircraft or small arms. I can only name two Japanese aircraft worth mentioning and they're the most well known being the Zero and the Oscar, and anyone who likes the Zero over the Oscar should be shot, because even American pilots respected the Oscar as a flying beast when compared to the Zero.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Good to know that you are willing to shot people on the account of their opinions. I cant bare to think how you can handle internet.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    lol, Zero is only the most popular Japanese fighter because it was the most well known. Not because it was actually good or not, technically it's a piece of crap, and was only fast/agile because of what it was made out of. The Oscar was a true Japanese fighter plane at par or better than the best aircraft we used in the Pacific all the way up till the end of the war, and unlike the Zero, the Oscar could take damage and hits and still keep fighting.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lumina View Post
    Issue being most Japanese arms of WWII were well decades outdated before the war started, their tanks would be considered worse than what Germany invaded Poland in in most cases. Their aircraft were the only things that that shined in the entire Imperial arsenal, and there were so few aircraft worth covering.

    Most advanced aircraft the Japanese designed were just copies of German aircraft, which were of course modified to suit Japanese requirements by the Japanese themselves. Most of these aircraft never flew, and those that did never made it to mass production by the end of the war.

    In general there is not much interest in Japanese arms from WWII, either tanks/aircraft or small arms. I can only name two Japanese aircraft worth mentioning and they're the most well known being the Zero and the Oscar, and anyone who likes the Zero over the Oscar should be shot, because even American pilots respected the Oscar as a flying beast when compared to the Zero.
    The idea that Japanese planes were just copies of German and American ones is a long-dispelled myth which was only begun in WWII since the Allies didn't know better, and I'm sure it fit into the racial portrayal of the Japanese in any case.

    In any case, the Hayabusa and the Reisen are about on the same level, since neither had armor or self-sealing fuel tanks (don't know where you got the idea that it could take a punishment), but the Reisen did have more powerful armament. The best Japanese fighters of the war in any case were definitely the Frank and George (Ki-84 and N1K-J), and the only plane I can think of which had a clear German lineage was the Ki-61 Tony, which had a German engine.

    And let's not forget Japan's superb navy, which much outclassed any other Axis navy.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Quote Originally Posted by Haçli Sultan View Post
    The idea that Japanese planes were just copies of German and American ones is a long-dispelled myth which was only begun in WWII since the Allies didn't know better, and I'm sure it fit into the racial portrayal of the Japanese in any case.
    *sighs* I was referring to the more advanced jet aircraft the Japanese were building at the end of the war, but never had a chance to really used. All of which the technology was based and designed off their German counter parts, some specs were even provided by the Germans including fully functional engine plans, and some examples when it became evident that Japan would soon be fighting the war alone, giving the Japanese a leep forward in hopes they'd get such aircraft in working order before an Allied invasion. I think I remember hearing about one submarine which was captured that even had an example of the engine used on the Volksjager. The Japanese bought the rights to produce/manufacture that small jet fighter as well.

    On a second note, personally it's one of the most interesting aspects of the war. Since transferring of this information had to be done secretly across half the entire planet in war time conditions. The fact that they Japanese got so far, mostly with just aid, from the Germans and it wasn't like they shipped entire aircraft for the Japanese to copy, the Japanese heavily modified the aircraft to be easier to mass produce, and some may of even performed better than their German counter parts, since German Jets had major reliability issues because of rare metals, though again, the Japanese might of faced the same situation regardless.
    Last edited by Lumina; February 21, 2013 at 05:24 PM.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Ah, so you were referring to those two or three planes which were never developed.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Over half a dozen actually from rocket planes, twin jet engine bombers, fighters, fighter bombers. They had a good number in the works, around two or three would of been in production by the end of 1945. Mostly their Me262 clone both fighter and fighter/bomber versions. One version actually flew, modelled heavily off the Me262, I think it was the figher bomber version being it was more important for fending off a naval invasion, so it took priority. Being that Japan was the 4th Nation in WWII to successfully test a Jet aircraft during the war. So saying that in the situation they were in, that is very impressive even with some help. The US got help for ours mainly engines designs supplied by the British.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    All of which the technology was based and designed off their German counter parts, some specs were even provided by the Germans including fully functional engine plans
    Those "plans" were little more than pictures and one cut-away drawing. That is nowhere near the level of information required to get a working jet engine. Further the Nakakima Nikka was fundamentally its own design, work having started before they ever got help from Germany, with only a superficial resemblance to the 262. Further Japan managed to make their own rocket planes without outside help.

    In general, Japanese design work was up to the standards of everyone else among the major powers. The Ki-84 and Shinano was examples of this. They suffered from poor manufacturing and a lack of fuel. Even tank designs of the late-war period were quite reasonable, they just were never put in production because of a lack of resources.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Not to mention that judging the Japanese war effort based on their tanks isn't really viable, since the Japanese had little use of any of the heavy armor which was to be found in Europe, either in China or in the Pacific.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Quote Originally Posted by Haçli Sultan View Post
    Not to mention that judging the Japanese war effort based on their tanks isn't really viable, since the Japanese had little use of any of the heavy armor which was to be found in Europe, either in China or in the Pacific.
    Which screwed them over considering even the US's Sherman tank could take on most tanks the Japanese could throw out them. Sherman tank was a big help in clearing the various islands the US landed on.

    Regardless anyway, even if the Japanese developed and started producing more heavy tanks, most would never make it to the front lines (due to the ships carrying them being sunk) and the rest would eb destroyed by battleships, aircraft, or other tanks.
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    While you are at it, allow Germany to rearm, it's not like they committed the worst atrocity in modern history, so having a strong army can't lead to anything pitiful.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Quote Originally Posted by Vanoi View Post
    Which screwed them over considering even the US's Sherman tank could take on most tanks the Japanese could throw out them. Sherman tank was a big help in clearing the various islands the US landed on.

    Regardless anyway, even if the Japanese developed and started producing more heavy tanks, most would never make it to the front lines (due to the ships carrying them being sunk) and the rest would eb destroyed by battleships, aircraft, or other tanks.
    But it didn't screw them up. Not having another tank doesn't mean that they didn't have anti-tank weapons, and if they had developed an equal tank it's not as if there'd be tank battles. All the Japanese needed was anti-tank weapons, not tanks.

    The only place where not having tanks screwed them was when the Soviets invaded Manchuria, but considering the Russians had IS-2s, T-34/85s, and complete air superiority, the result would not have been any different.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Quote Originally Posted by Haçli Sultan View Post
    But it didn't screw them up. Not having another tank doesn't mean that they didn't have anti-tank weapons, and if they had developed an equal tank it's not as if there'd be tank battles. All the Japanese needed was anti-tank weapons, not tanks.
    Your missing the point. Japan had anti-tank weapons. The Type 1 47mm anti-tank gun is a good example. Japan also had the Type 4 70mm AT rocket launcher. Not to mention the various AT mines Japan was known to have.

    Anti-tank weapons were not enough. American tanks were often vital in the Island-hopping campaigns because many would be equipped with flamethrower which were necessary to take out fortified Japanese bunkers and such. American tanks in the Pacific were really used in a infantry-supporting role.

    Quote Originally Posted by Haçli Sultan View Post
    The only place where not having tanks screwed them was when the Soviets invaded Manchuria, but considering the Russians had IS-2s, T-34/85s, and complete air superiority, the result would not have been any different.
    Was referring to tanks being used to support infantry in clearing Japanese-held islands. Japan would have been better off if they had tanks to counter American tanks along with their anti-tank weapons. They really just needed tank destroyers if anything.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kyriakos View Post
    While you are at it, allow Germany to rearm, it's not like they committed the worst atrocity in modern history, so having a strong army can't lead to anything pitiful.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Quote Originally Posted by Vanoi View Post
    Your missing the point. Japan had anti-tank weapons. The Type 1 47mm anti-tank gun is a good example. Japan also had the Type 4 70mm AT rocket launcher. Not to mention the various AT mines Japan was known to have.

    Anti-tank weapons were not enough. American tanks were often vital in the Island-hopping campaigns because many would be equipped with flamethrower which were necessary to take out fortified Japanese bunkers and such. American tanks in the Pacific were really used in a infantry-supporting role.
    Right, so what would have been the point of Japanese tanks?


    Was referring to tanks being used to support infantry in clearing Japanese-held islands. Japan would have been better off if they had tanks to counter American tanks along with their anti-tank weapons. They really just needed tank destroyers if anything.
    So the Japanese, on the defensive from an enemy with massive aerial and naval superiority, needed big tanks? Their defensive strategy of hiding in caves and hidden defenses seem much more effective than big targets roaming around.

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    Default Re: Documentary on Japanese Weapons of WWII?

    Quote Originally Posted by Haçli Sultan View Post
    Right, so what would have been the point of Japanese tanks?
    To back up their infantry against American tanks?



    Quote Originally Posted by Haçli Sultan View Post
    So the Japanese, on the defensive from an enemy with massive aerial and naval superiority, needed big tanks?
    You don't need a big tank to take out a Sherman tank. This would have been possible too, considering the US didn't achieve naval superiority until really 1944. All the Japanese needed was a tank with a big enough gun to take out a Sherman. That would not require a big tank.

    Air superiority would be a problem, but look at this from the perspective of the Japanese. Do you think they knew they would lose air superiority to the Americans?


    Quote Originally Posted by Haçli Sultan View Post
    Their defensive strategy of hiding in caves and hidden defenses seem much more effective than big targets roaming around.
    Obviously not if Shermans were rolling up to them and burning them out. Their defensive strategy on most islands was not effective, Hiding in caves and bunkers does not work against an enemy who knows exactly how to defeat those defenses.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kyriakos View Post
    While you are at it, allow Germany to rearm, it's not like they committed the worst atrocity in modern history, so having a strong army can't lead to anything pitiful.

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