Ma-Dan - Japanese Special Incendiary Ammunition -

yo_sat · September 2, 2026, 2:29pm

The Ma-Dan (マ弾) is a special incendiary shell developed by the Imperial Japanese Army.

A key feature is that it lacks a fuse; instead, it detonates due to the frictional heat generated upon impact. It was developed primarily to puncture fuel tanks and ignite the fuel inside.

The 7.7mm Ma-101 was the first to be developed, followed by 12.7mm, 20mm, 30mm, and finally 37mm versions.

It was recently announced that updates to improve bomber survivability are coming, making it even more important to accurately target pilots, engines, and “fuel tanks.”

Given this, it is believed that the “Ma-Dan” will play a crucial role in the game as well.

This thread will compile information on ammunition corresponding to the Ma-Dan (including similar naval ammunition). Since there are many unknowns, please feel free to share any information you have in the comments.

7.7 mm

Ma-101

Gun
Type 89 Fixed MG, Type 89 Swivel MG, Te-1, Te-4
Types of Ammo in the Game
IAI
Projectile Mass
10.7 g (U.S. Military Survey Data)
Explosive Type
Tip : RDX/PETN, Inside : RDX/PETN
Explosive Mass
Tip : ? g, Inside : ? g
(Total less than 0.89 g, according to U.S. military survey data)
Incendiary Mass
None
Explosion Sensitivity
Duralumin, 0.8 mm or thicker

Spoiler

Catalog Of Enemy Ordnance Materiel

7.7mm MG Incendiary Ammunition Model 2 (IJN)

Gun
Type 92 Swivel MG, Type 97 Fixed MG
Types of Ammo in the Game
IAI
Projectile Mass
9.8 g
Explosive Type
Tip : RDX/PETN, Inside : RDX/Aluminum
Explosive Mass
Tip : 0.24 g, Inside : 0.26 g
Incendiary Mass
None
Explosion Sensitivity
Duralumin, 0.8 mm or thicker (guess)

Related Reports
Japanese 7.7mm navy and army IAI rounds are missing HE filler. // Gaijin.net // Issues

7.92 mm

Ma-104

Gun
Type 98 Swivel MG, Type 1 Swivel MG (IJA)
Types of Ammo in the Game
AI?
Projectile Mass
11.64 g (U.S. Military Survey Data)
Explosive Type
Tip : RDX/PETN, Inside : RDX/PETN
Explosive Mass
Tip : ? g, Inside : ? g
Incendiary Mass
None
Explosion Sensitivity
Duralumin, 0.8 mm or thicker

Related Reports
IJA 7.92mm : incorrect ammunition data // Gaijin.net // Issues

7.9mm MG Incendiary Ammunition Model 2 (IJN)

Gun
Type 1 Swivel MG (IJN)
Types of Ammo in the Game
AI?
Projectile Mass
? g
Explosive Type
Tip : RDX/PETN, Inside : RDX/Aluminum
Explosive Mass
Tip : 0.26 g, Inside : 0.70 g
(Inside: 0.70 g is an unusually high amount, so this may be a typographical error.)
Incendiary Mass
None
Explosion Sensitivity
Duralumin, 0.8 mm or thicker (guess)

Related Reports
7.92mm Type 1 MG (IJN) : Incorrect ammunition data // Gaijin.net // Issues

Spoiler

昭和１９年３月飛行長主管兵器（第２類）説明資料（１）

12.7 mm

Ma-102

Gun
Ho-103
Types of Ammo in the Game
HEF-I
Projectile Mass
32.918 g (U.S. Military Survey Data)
Explosive Type
Tip : RDX/PETN, Inside : RDX/PETN
Explosive Mass
Tip : 1.65 g, Inside : 1.05 g
Incendiary Mass
1.05 g
Explosion Sensitivity
Duralumin, 3 mm or thicker
or Mild steel, 1.5 mm or thicker

Spoiler

Japanese Ammunition Leaflets, Section B (1945)

航空機用１２．７粍機関砲弾薬「マ１０２」検査法

13.2 mm

13mm MG Incendiary Ammunition Model 2 (IJN)

Gun
Type 3 Fixed MG
Types of Ammo in the Game
IAI
Projectile Mass
47.2 g
Explosive Type
Tip : RDX/PETN, Inside : RDX/Aluminum
Explosive Mass
Tip : 1.0 g, Inside : 1.3 g
Incendiary Mass
None
Explosion Sensitivity
?

Spoiler

CINCPAC Bulletin 85 45, Japanese Projectiles Vol 1

20 mm

Ma-201

Gun
Ho-1, Ho-3
Types of Ammo in the Game
(None)
Projectile Mass
109.4 g (U.S. Military Survey Data)
Explosive Type
PETN (U.S. Military Survey Data)
Explosive Mass
4.25 g (U.S. Military Survey Data)
Incendiary Mass
8.79 g (U.S. Military Survey Data)
Explosion Sensitivity
Duralumin, 3 mm or thicker
or Mild steel, 1.5 mm or thicker

Related Reports
20mm Ho-1 & Ho-3 : Ammunition Data Error // Gaijin.net // Issues

Spoiler

Japanese ammunition data, 20 MM, 1 July 1945. Report No. 12-b(51), USSBS Index Section 6

Japanese Ammunition Leaflets, Section B (1945)

Ma-202

Gun
Ho-5
Types of Ammo in the Game
(None)
Projectile Mass
79.4 g (U.S. Military Survey Data)
Explosive Type
PETN (U.S. Military Survey Data)
Explosive Mass
3.12 g (U.S. Military Survey Data)
Incendiary Mass
8.79 g (U.S. Military Survey Data)
Explosion Sensitivity
Duralumin, 3 mm or thicker
or Mild steel, 1.5 mm or thicker

Related Reports
Ho-5 cannon missing HEFI-T and Ma-202 special incendiary rounds // Gaijin.net // Issues

Spoiler

Japanese ammunition data, 20 MM, 1 July 1945. Report No. 12-b(51), USSBS Index Section 6

30 mm

Ma-301

Gun
Ho-155
Types of Ammo in the Game
(None)
Projectile Mass
? g
(Empty Projectile Mass : 244 g)
Explosive Type
PETN (guess)
Explosive Mass
? g
Incendiary Mass
? g
Explosion Sensitivity
Duralumin, 3 mm or thicker
or Mild steel, 1.5 mm or thicker

Spoiler

37 mm

Ma-351

Gun
Ho-203
Types of Ammo in the Game
(None)
Projectile Mass
? g
(Empty Projectile Mass : 407 g)
Explosive Type
PETN (guess)
Explosive Mass
? g
Incendiary Mass
? g
Explosion Sensitivity
Duralumin, 3 mm or thicker
or Mild steel, 1.5 mm or thicker

Ma-352

Gun
Ho-204
Types of Ammo in the Game
(None)
Projectile Mass
? g
(Empty Projectile Mass : 407 g)
Explosive Type
PETN (guess)
Explosive Mass
? g
Incendiary Mass
? g
Explosion Sensitivity
Duralumin, 3 mm or thicker
or Mild steel, 1.5 mm or thicker

Sources

日本陸軍航空武器機関銃・機関砲の発達と変遷, 光人社NF文庫, 2021-1-24, ISBN978-4-7698-3197-6
岡村純, 「航空技術の全貌（下）」, 日本出版協同株式会社, 1955
昭和１９年３月飛行長主管兵器（第２類）説明資料（１）
航空機用１２．７粍機関砲弾薬「マ１０２」検査法
 兵政技第１３５号「ホ１５５」マ３０１「ホ２０３」マ３５１「ホ２０４」マ３５２昭和２０年１月１８日
 機関銃（砲）弾薬取扱保存法８部の内第６号第４飛行師団兵器部昭和１９年８月５日
 T and I No. 13, 3 January 1945. Report No. 3-e(1), USSBS Index Section 6
CINCPAC Bulletin 85 45, Japanese Projectiles Vol 1
Manual on Japanese aircraft, TAIC No. 1, July 1945. Report No. 9-a(43), USSBS Index Section 6
Chief Inspector of Ammunition Technical Report No 24
Japanese ammunition data, 20 MM, 1 July 1945. Report No. 12-b(51), USSBS Index Section 6
Catalog Of Enemy Ordnance Materiel
Japanese Ammunition Leaflets, Section B (1945)

skultew1234 · September 2, 2026, 2:53pm

Oh yes! Really good that there is theme about Ma-Dans about which speaks pretty rare

Pictures of 7.7mm Ma-Dan (I think it is Ma-101 but maybe it is IJN one)

yo_sat · September 2, 2026, 3:03pm

Thank you for the valuable information!

Judging by the photo, it appears to be a semi-rimmed cartridge, so I think it’s most likely an Ma-101 (assuming it hasn’t been modified).

However, the markings on an Ma-101 should be purple, but they look black in the photo. It might just be that they appear faded.

iegaatdao · September 2, 2026, 3:06pm

how would this work? Like a mini saphe from the hispano perhaps?

yo_sat · September 2, 2026, 4:14pm

I’m sorry, but I’m not familiar with what the Hispano SAPHE is.

For example, with an APHE round of about 20 mm, there is no fuse; I believe it detonates due to the frictional heat generated when it penetrates armor.

Ma-Dan is a variant designed to reduce the amount of heat required for detonation. The Ma-101, for instance, is designed to detonate upon penetrating a 1 mm-thick duralumin plate.

Naturally, its penetration capability is low. If it strikes a thick armor plate, it will detonate on the surface.

SinisterIsRandom · September 2, 2026, 7:01pm

Semi-armor-piercing high explosive.

yo_sat · September 2, 2026, 11:56pm

Thank you. I understand that.

I made that comment because I don’t know the internal structure of that ammunition (SAPHE).

SinisterIsRandom · September 3, 2026, 8:47am

Well, you clearly did understand how SAPHE works, meaning you understand the “Internal structure,” whatever that means.

CattierImp49341 · September 3, 2026, 12:01pm

What they are trying to say is that they didn’t know how SAPHEI fuzes and if Ma-Dan was the same (which it is)

Regardless, I would like to see these as a way to buff the firepower of the 7.7s and Ho-5, due to the 7.7s being gernerally horrible and the Ho-5 being a peashooter compared to the Type 99

Edit: would be a decent indirect buff for the Ki-61 and Ki-100, which aren’t all that great at anything. Although the Ki-61 with Mg151 would still be pretty bad

SinisterIsRandom · September 3, 2026, 1:58pm

Well, it would be nice, unless someone suggests this as a proper suggestion.
Probably won’t. But it’s a start. However, given Gaijin’s track record of how Japan has been treated, my bridge remains broken and won’t be fixed, and will continue to keep crumbling until I see consecutive updates within the same year that put heavy emphasis on Japan. Which is still battered from the loss of the Ho-RIs, cause honestly it’s not worth even trying to play those BR’s where basically all your equipment is Swiss cheese, and 75 and 99 are not suitable replacements. The last part is for some random lurker.