Suzuka Naval Arsenal
The Suzuka Naval Arsenal (鈴鹿海軍工廠, Suzuka kaigun kōshō) was a production facility for aviation ordnance, light arms, and munitions for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. It was located in the city of Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan, and opened in June 1943.
The sixth prototype Mitsubishi J2M Raiden was tested at Suzuka in 1943, and the facility produced J2M2 Model 11 and J2M3 Model 21 aircraft.[1]
Armaments produced
[edit]
Machine guns
[edit]- Navy Type 97 7.7 mm Fixed Machine Gun (License-built Vickers machine gun)[2]
- Navy Type 2 13 mm Flexible Machine Gun (License-built MG 131)[3]
- Navy Type 3 13 mm Flexible and Fixed Machine Guns (Copy of Browning machine gun)[2]
Aircraft
[edit]Legacy
[edit]Along with many other military sites, the former Suzuka Naval Arsenal has become an area visited by peace activists.[4] The city of Suzuka is and was an industrial area, and the area around the arsenal was redeveloped into an industrial area. The main road to the Arsenal still exists, and is called "Navy Highway" 海軍道路 (Kaigun dōro).[5] The overall Suzuka Naval Yard is one of the three areas in Mie Prefecture (all located in Suzuka) of the 47 total to be classified as Class A War Remains (Ａ級の戦争遺跡) by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ Izawa, Yasuho and James Holmes. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 129: J2M Raiden and N1K1/2 Shiden/Shiden-Kai Aces.. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781472812629.
- ^ a b "Other Weapons". Accessed June 11, 2016.
- ^ "Japan 大日本帝國海軍航空隊 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun Koukuu-tai Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Aircraft Code Names & Designations 1929 - 1945 機銃 Kijuu (machine gun)" Accessed June 11, 2016.
- ^ Kojima, Hisashi. 小島 久志. ２０１４年戦跡ツアー 三重県北部の戦争遺跡(鈴鹿・四日市・菰野・桑名)を訪ねて. ピースあいちメールマガジン. Vol 60, No. 6. Published by the Aichi Museum of War and Peace 戦争と平和の資料館 ピースあいち (Sensō to heiwa no gaimushō piisu Aichi). Accessed July 21, 2016.
- ^ Itő Yuriko 伊東由里子. 海軍工廠跡地と鈴鹿市の工場設置. June, 1991. Accessed July 21, 2016.
- ^ 鈴鹿海軍工廠. Accessed July 21, 2016.