Mukden Arsenal
Mukden Arsenal (simplified Chinese: 奉天军械厂), or otherwise known as the Shenyang Arsenal, Liaoning Arsenal, Fengtian Arsenal, or Northeastern Arsenal (simplified Chinese: 东三省兵工厂) was the principal military arsenal of Manchuria under the Fengtian Clique, and later under Manchukuo after the Japanese takeover as the Hoten Arsenal or the South Manchurian Army Arsenal (simplified Chinese: 南满陆军造兵厂, Japanese: 南満陸軍造兵廠). After being taken by the Chinese Communists and later the People's Republic of China, it was known as the 90th North China Arsenal.
History
The arsenal began as a series of shops, huts, and forges in 1897.[1][2] It was named the "Fengtian Machine Bureau", functioning primarily as a mint and semi-industrial workshop.[3]
The military arsenal was then formally established by Zhang Zuolin in 1921 as the Fengtian Arsenal to manufacture weapons for the Fengtian Clique, selecting the former site of the machine bureau.[1][4] Workers included Austrians who were searching for work in the aftermath of the Great War, Russian exiles escaping the Bolsheviks, Britons, and Americans (this could be confused with the Liaoning Trench Mortar Arsenal).[2] A Dane by the name of Robert Christensen was also hired in 1922 to acquire machinery and to manage the plant.[5] In April 1922, Zhang Zuolin undertook a major reorganization of the Fengtian Army, and the Fengtian Arsenal was renamed the Northeastern Arsenal (东三省兵工厂), but was still referred to as the Mukden Arsenal. A new site was developed outside the Dadongbian Gate (roughly 41°52'22.8"N 123°30'16.4"E), and a platform was built with railway tracks on the west side of the factory buildings, allowing trains to enter directly. Subsequently, a steel plant, machinery plant, boiler room, water tower, and water supply system were added, and a military engineering school was established. By 1928, the expansion was complete, making it the largest arsenal in China at the time with around 20,000 workers.[3][4] In 1931, the arsenal successfully test-produced a derivative of the Czechoslovakian ZH-29 semi-automatic rifle.[3][6]
Following the Mukden Incident (September 18, 1931), the Japanese army occupied Shenyang and renamed the Arsenal to the Kwantung Army Field Weaponry Plant (关东军野战兵器厂), which was later reorganized as Hoten Arsenal, some sources say Hoten Zoheisho KK (奉天造兵所株式会社).[7] The arsenal was rebuilt and expanded upon to become the largest Japanese arsenal outside of the Home Islands.
The Soviet Invasion of Manchuria and the subsequent looting destroyed much of the Arsenal's infrastructure.
On July 7, 1946, the entire plant resumed operations. On November 9, it was established as the 90th (North China) Arsenal (兵工署第90工厂).[8] In 1947, three branch factories were established in Liaoyang, Wenguantun, and Fushun. The arsenal also successfully test-produced the American M3 Grease Gun known as the North China Type 36.[2] These weapons were used in the Korean War by the PVA.
The Chinese Communist Party established the Northeastern Bureau of Military Industry (东北局军工部) on October 14, 1945. On December 2, 1948, the Military Industry Department took over the Shenyang Arsenal, making it the largest center for firearm production at that time.
The most notable production was the Liao Type 13, otherwise known as the Mukden Arsenal Mauser, of which around 140,000 copies were produced. Copies of Mauser C96 and Japanese weapons were also produced under warlord control.[2][3]
Production
As Fengtian / Northeastern Arsenal
- Type 13 Liao, Mukden Arsenal Mauser (1924 – 1938, c. 140,000)[2]
- "Type 17" light machine gun, copies of Japanese Type 11 light machine gun (c. 400)[3]
- "Type 13" heavy machine gun, copies of Japanese Type 3 heavy machine gun in 7.92mm rather than 6.5mm (50 produced in 1929, 100 total)[3]
- Mauser C96 copies (1920s–1931)[2]
- Various calibre cannons and mortars[3]
- ZH-29 derivative[6]
As Hoten Arsenal
- Type 38 rifle (1932–, est. 148,800)[9]
- Type 38 carbine (est. 28,000)[2]
- Type 99 rifle (1944–)[2]
- Type 96 light machine gun (1936–1945, c. 10,000)[2]
- Type 99 light machine gun (1940–1945, c. 13,000)[2]
- Type 92 heavy machine gun[2]
- Japanese artillery and mortars[2]
As 90th North China Arsenal
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "chinapage1". www.carbinesforcollectors.com. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 jwh1975 (2017-04-03). "Mukden Arsenal after WWII". wwiiafterwwii. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/309619238
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "沈阳日报 (trans. Shenyang Daily News)". 沈阳日报. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2025. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "China Rhyming » Blog Archive » RAS Shanghai – The Warlord and the Engineer – 5th November". Retrieved 2025-05-21.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ness, Leland; Shih, Bin (2016-09-16). Kangzhan: Guide to Chinese Ground Forces 1937–45. Helion. ISBN 978-1-912174-46-1. Search this book on
- ↑ https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/233074385.pdf
- ↑ https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP83-00415R004400130004-4.pdf
- ↑ Allan, Francis C; Macy, Harold W (2007). The Type 38 Arisaka: A Study of the Japanese Rifles and Carbines Based Upon the Type 38 Arisaka Action, Their Variations and History. ISBN 978-0-9614814-4-5. Search this book on
- ↑ "Type 36 submachine-gun". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
External links
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