page_title: Type 97 heavy tank machine gun
section_title: Design
hierarchical_section_title: Type 97 heavy tank machine gun / Design
caption_attribution_description: A Japanese Type 97 tank machine gun, used during the Second World War.
context_page_description: The Type 97 heavy tank machine gun was the standard machine gun used in tanks and armored vehicles of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, a heavy machine gun by infantry forces, This weapon was not related to the Type 97 aircraft machine gun used in several Japanese Navy aircraft including the A6M Zero.
context_section_description: The Type 97 was mechanically similar to the Czech ZB vz. 26, with a different stock and pistol grip. It had a straight, vertical, 20-round box magazine and used the same 7.7 mm cartridges used in the Type 99 rifle. The gun barrel could easily overheat, which meant the gunner had to fire in bursts, or the barrel would be shot out.
  When fitted in a tank, a fixed focus 1.5x telescopic sight with a 30° field of view was used. To prevent injury to the gunner, a rubber eye pad was attached to the rear of the sight.
  When used as an infantry weapon, a bipod was employed. Without the bipod, it weighed 11.25 kg (24.8 lb).
caption: A Type 97 tank machine gun, shown with telescopic sight, magazine and jacket guard.
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