This is a complete list of Japanese explosives used during the Second World War. It is sorted according to application.
| Explosive | Type | Application | Navy or Army |
Japanese designation | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury fulminate Potassium chlorate Antimony trisulfide |
Primer cap composition | Army | Bakufun | Mk I and Mk III powders are ammunition primers, Mk II is a fuze primer | |
| Potassium chlorate Antimony trisulfide |
Primer cap composition | Both | - | Most common mixture for fuze primers | |
| Mercury fulminate | Initiator in fuzes and blasting caps | Both | Raikoo (Thunder Mercury) | ||
| Lead azide | Initiator in fuzes and blasting caps | Both | Chikka Namari | Most common initiator | |
| Tetryl | Sub-booster | Both | Meiayaku | Pressed. | |
| RDX | Sub-booster | Army | Shouyaku | Pressed. Often used with wax | |
| 70% Trinitroanisole 30% HND |
Main charge, auxiliary booster | bombs, sea mines, depth charges |
Navy | H2 kongo or Type 98 | Pressed. |
| TNT | Main charge | Projectiles, hand grenades rarely in bombs |
Army | Chakatusuyaku (tea colored explosive) |
Usually cast in paper wrapped blocks |
| Picric acid | Main charge and main booster charge |
bombs, projectiles, sea mines, land mines |
Both | Ooshokuyaku (Yellow color explosive) or Shimose |
Most commonly used booster. Pressed |
| 66% Ammonium perchlorate 16% Silicon carbide 12% wood pulp 6% oil |
Main charge | mines, depth charges | Navy | Type 88 | Loose grey powder. Friction sensitive. |
| Trinitroanisole | Main charge | bombs | Navy | Type 91 | Cast |
| 60% Trinitroanisole 40% RDX |
Main charge | torpedo warheads | Navy | Type 94 | |
| 60% TNT 40% HND |
Main charge | torpedo warheads, depth charges |
Navy | Seigate or Type 97 | Cast blocks |
| 70% Trinitroanisole 30% HND |
Main charge | bombs, sea mines, depth charges |
Navy | Type 98 | Poured into case and cast |
| 81% Ammonium picrate 16% aluminium powder 2% wood pulp 1% oil |
Main charge | depth charges | Navy | Type 1 | Loose powder |
| 60% TNT 24% HND 16%aluminium powder |
Main charge | torpedo warheads | Navy | Otsu-B | |
| 25% TNT 75% picric acid |
Main charge | bombs | Army | Chaooyaku | Used rarely. TNT lowers the melting point making it suitable for casting |
| 50% Picric acid 50% Dinitronaphthalene |
Main charge | projectiles | Army | Oonayaku | Used rarely. Dinitronapthalene aids casting. |
| 90% Picric acid 10% Wax |
Main charge | projectiles | Army | Ooshivaku | Used in the nose of armour piercing projectiles. Insensitive. |
| 70% TNT 30% Dinitronaphthalene |
Main charge | projectiles | Army | Chanayaku | Cast |
| 70% to 50% TNT 30% to 50% RDX |
Main charge | bombs, projectiles, landmines and bangalore torpedoes |
Army | Nigo tanooyaku (Mk2) | Cast |
| 75% Ammonium nitrate 25% RDX |
Main charge | bombs | Army | Anga yaku | Cast in case. Hygroscopic |
References
edit- TM 9-1985-4 Japanese Explosive Ordnance (Bombs, Bomb fuzes, Land mines, Grenades, Firing Devices and Sabotage Devices). Departments of the Army and Air Force. March 1953.