War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Ho-103 (12.7 mm)

2019-04-02T14:04:04Z

U14482320: Adjusted capitalization.

== Description ==
The Ho-103 is a variant of the Japanese Type 1 short-recoil operated heavy machine gun. The design was based on the M1921 Browning and chambered for the Italian 12.7x81SR cartridge. Compared to contemporaries such as the M2 Browning, the Ho-103 weighed less but had significantly lower muzzle velocity and projectile mass.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===

{{Navigation-Start|Vehicles equipped with this weapon}}
{{Navigation-First-Line|Fighters}}Ki-43: {{Specs-Link|ki_43_1}} (Modification){{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_43_2}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_43_2_late}}
{{Navigation-Line|}}Ki-44: {{Specs-Link|ki_44_1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_44_2_hei}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_44_2_otsu}}
{{Navigation-Line|}}Ki-61: {{Specs-Link|ki_61_1a_hei}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_61_1a_ko}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_61_1a_otsu}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_61_1a_otsu_usa}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_61_1a_tei}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_61_2_early}}
{{Navigation-Line|}}Ki-84: {{Specs-Link|ki_84_ko}}
{{Navigation-Line|}}Ki-100: {{Specs-Link|ki_100_early}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_100_2}}
{{Navigation-Line|Twin-engine fighters}}{{Specs-Link|ki-45_ko}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki-45_otsu}}
{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==
The Ho-103 is the variant of the Type 1 machine gun intended for fixed mounting. It is directly related to the Ho-104; the Ho-104 being intended for flexible mounting.

The action of the Ho-103 was developed from the American M1919/M1921 Browning. It was badly suited for use in a synchronized mounting, reducing the fire rate from 900 to 400 RPM. The Type 1 machine gun (Ho-103/Ho-104) is distinct from the identically named Type 1 machine gun derived from the German MG 15.
{| class="wikitable"
!Rate of fire:
|900 RPM
400 RPM (synchronized)
|-
!Weapon mass
|23 kg
|-
!Muzzle velocity:
|780 m/s
|-
!Cartridge
|12.7x81SR Breda
|}

=== Available shells ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Available belts
!'''Belt type'''
!'''Ammunition'''
!'''Armor penetration (100m, 0°)'''
|-
!Default
|T - Ball - AP
|17 mm
|-
!Universal
|AP - T - IAI - I
|17 mm
|-
!Air Targets
|AP - T - IAI
|17 mm
|-
!Tracers
|T
|8 mm
|-
!Stealth
|AP - IAI
|17 mm
|}
AP: Armor Piercing

T: Tracer

I: Incendiary

IAI: Immediate Action Incendiary

Ball: Ballistic (solid shot)

=== Comparison with analogues ===
The Ho-103 is one of the weakest aircraft HMGs in War Thunder.

Projectile mass (and thus explosive/incendiary payload) is lower than both the American .50 BMG and the German 13x64B cartridges. Muzzle velocity is slightly higher than the German MG 131, but over 100 m/s lower than the American M2. The low mass and low velocity reduce the effective range of the weapon and increase the necessary angle for bullet drop compensation.

The Ho-103 is nose-mounted and synchronized in many Japanese aircraft, cutting the fire rate in half. The result is a machine gun that fires a weak cartridge with high drop and a short effective range at as little as half the fire rate of its contemporaries.

== Usage in battle ==

* Due to the low velocity, it is often impractical to use the Ho-103 at anything other than close range
* The low damage output and (frequently) low fire rate means a sustained burst is generally required to disable a target.
* The typically low ammunition count of Japanese aircraft using the Ho-103 means that ammunition must be conserved judiciously.
* The Default and Tracer belts should not be used if possible. The lack of explosive incendiary bullets greatly reduces damage dealt.

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

* The weapon itself is fairly light.
* The fired 12.7mm rounds consistently do more damage than 7.7mm.
* The unsynchronized rate of fire is high.

*

'''Cons:'''

* Low muzzle velocity.
* The available shells have comparatively weak payloads.
* Low synchronized fire rate.

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of this weapon. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article would be a video guide, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the weapon;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Aircraft machine guns}}

[[Category:Aircraft machine guns]]

Ho-103 (12.7 mm)

2019-04-02T14:02:39Z

U14482320: Created article.

== Description ==
The Ho-103 is a variant of the Japanese Type 1 short-recoil operated heavy machine gun. The design was based on the M1921 Browning and chambered for the Italian 12.7x81SR cartridge. Compared to contemporaries such as the M2 Browning, the Ho-103 weighed less but had significantly lower muzzle velocity and projectile mass.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===

{{Navigation-Start|Vehicles equipped with this weapon}}
{{Navigation-First-Line|Fighters}}Ki-43: {{Specs-Link|ki_43_1}} (Modification){{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_43_2}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_43_2_late}}
{{Navigation-Line|}}Ki-44: {{Specs-Link|ki_44_1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_44_2_hei}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_44_2_otsu}}
{{Navigation-Line|}}Ki-61: {{Specs-Link|ki_61_1a_hei}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_61_1a_ko}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_61_1a_otsu}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_61_1a_otsu_usa}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_61_1a_tei}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_61_2_early}}
{{Navigation-Line|}}Ki-84: {{Specs-Link|ki_84_ko}}
{{Navigation-Line|}}Ki-100: {{Specs-Link|ki_100_early}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki_100_2}}
{{Navigation-Line|Twin-engine fighters}}{{Specs-Link|ki-45_ko}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ki-45_otsu}}
{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==
The Ho-103 is the variant of the Type 1 machine gun intended for fixed mounting. It is directly related to the Ho-104; the Ho-104 being intended for flexible mounting.

The action of the Ho-103 was developed from the American M1919/M1921 Browning. It was badly suited for use in a synchronized mounting, reducing the fire rate from 900 to 400 RPM. The Type 1 machine gun (Ho-103/Ho-104) is distinct from the identically named Type 1 machine gun derived from the German MG 15.
{| class="wikitable"
!Rate of fire:
|900 RPM
400 RPM (synchronized)
|-
!Weapon Mass
|23 kg
|-
!Muzzle velocity:
|780 m/s
|-
!Cartridge
|12.7x81SR Breda
|}

=== Available shells ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Available belts
!'''Belt Type'''
!'''Ammunition'''
!'''Armor Penetration (100m, 0°)'''
|-
!Default
|T - Ball - AP
|17 mm
|-
!Universal
|AP - T - IAI - I
|17 mm
|-
!Air Targets
|AP - T - IAI
|17 mm
|-
!Tracers
|T
|8 mm
|-
!Stealth
|AP - IAI
|17 mm
|}
AP: Armor Piercing

T: Tracer

I: Incendiary

IAI: Immediate Action Incendiary

Ball: Ballistic (solid shot)

=== Comparison with analogues ===
The Ho-103 is one of the weakest aircraft HMGs in War Thunder.

Projectile mass (and thus explosive/incendiary payload) is lower than both the American .50 BMG and the German 13x64B cartridges. Muzzle velocity is slightly higher than the German MG 131, but over 100 m/s lower than the American M2. The low mass and low velocity reduce the effective range of the weapon and increase the necessary angle for bullet drop compensation.

The Ho-103 is nose-mounted and synchronized in many Japanese aircraft, cutting the fire rate in half. The result is a machine gun that fires a weak cartridge with high drop and a short effective range at as little as half the fire rate of its contemporaries.

== Usage in battle ==

* Due to the low velocity, it is often impractical to use the Ho-103 at anything other than close range
* The low damage output and (frequently) low fire rate means a sustained burst is generally required to disable a target.
* The typically low ammunition count of Japanese aircraft using the Ho-103 means that ammunition must be conserved judiciously.
* The Default and Tracer belts should not be used if possible. The lack of explosive incendiary bullets greatly reduces damage dealt.

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

* The weapon itself is fairly light.
* The fired 12.7mm rounds consistently do more damage than 7.7mm.
* The unsynchronized rate of fire is high.

*

'''Cons:'''

* Low muzzle velocity.
* The available shells have comparatively weak payloads.
* Low synchronized fire rate.

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of this weapon. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article would be a video guide, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the weapon;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Aircraft machine guns}}

[[Category:Aircraft machine guns]]