The Japanese Armed Forces were traditionally characterized by the duplicity of
weapons in the Navy and the Army. Each of them had its own Artillery, Infantry,
Cavalry and Armored Corps, which in
the end was detrimental for the quality, largely thanks to a certain competitive
spirit between them. The Mitsubishi company was the prime supplier of Japanese
armored vehicles, along with other
companies and arsenals. The Japanese tanks constituted elements of prime importance
in missions of static defense in the isles conquered in the area of the Pacific.[p]
[fl][b]Type 95 Ha-Go[/span][/span][p]
In 1934 the company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries built the prototype of a new light
tank which was tested in China and Japan, and which was followed by a second
prototype the subsequent year. It was
normalized as the light tank Type 95 albeit it was known as well as "Ha-Go"
(denomination given by Mitsubishi) or "Ke-Go" (official denomination given by the
Japanese Army). Albeit most sources
state that Mitsubishi built the prototype, some attribute this to the Sagami
Arsenal. The Type 95 was used by both the Cavalry and the Infantry and took part in
war actions in China and along the
Second World War (or the Great War of East Asia, as the Japanese called it). They
were produced 1250 tanks, the largest part of which were produced by Mitsubishi,
albeit other companies and
arsenals took part largely for the manufacture of components. At the beginning of
the production the Type 95 compared very favorably with other contemporary light
tanks, but during the early period
of the Second World War it had been already outclassed as it happened with the
largest part of the Japanese armored vehicles. The Type 95 was used in small units
or in missions of static defense in
many of the isles taken by the Japanese in the Pacific.[p]
The hull of the tank was of riveted or welved construction varying in thickness
from 9 to 14 millimeters. The driver sat in the front part to the right and the
machine gunner by his side to the
left. The commander, who had to load and fire the cannon, was the only member
placed in the left-shifted turret. The engine and transmission were placed in the
rear part of the hull, and were
accessible for the crew from inside the hull. The tank was internally coated with
asbestos to keep the temperature as low as possible, and this also gave some shock
protection to the crew when
moving across very rough terrain. There was a space between the asbestos and the
hull to allow the circulation of air. The suspension was of the well tested
pivoting type and comprised four road
wheels on each side, installed in two bogies, along with two return rollers, a
drive sprocket in fore position and an idler in rear position. In some of the Type
95 tanks used in Manchuria it was
modified the suspension system because it was seen that the sorghum grass caused
important damages when getting trapped on the bogies.[p]
The armament comprised one Type 94 37-millimeter cannon installed in a rotatory
turret, which could fire high-explosive or piercing projectiles. One Type 91 6.5-
millimeter machine gun was installed
in the front of the hull, with a firing arc of 35 degrees left and right, whereas
another similar machine gun was installed in the turret, in the same position that
the five in a clock, which added
another task to the already overburden commander. Already in the Second World War
the Type 94 37-millimeter cannon was replaced by the Type 98 which had a higher
muzzle speed. The tank carried 119
projectiles for the cannon and 2970 for the machine gun. Some of these tanks were
fitted with smoke launchers placed at both sides of the hull to the rear part.[p]
[aimg96]high_res/tanks_japan/type_95_ha-go_light_tank.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/
tanks_japan/type_95_ha-go_light_tank.jpg[/aimg96][p]
[b]Variants and evolutions[/span][p]
Variations of the Type 95 were produced including an amphibious version fitted with
separate pontoons. In 1943 some of the tanks replaced the 37-millimeter cannon by a
57-millimeter cannon like
that mounted in the Type 97 medium tank, becoming then the Type 3 light tank.
However this model was never accepted for the 57-millimeter cannon was too large
for the normalized turret. Therefore
in 1944 followed the Type 4 light tank, which was the Type 95 with the normalized
turret replaced by the turret of the Type 97 medium tank complete with its 57-
millimeter cannon. A very common
characteristic in Japanese tanks was the separation of the armament in the turret,
and so this new turret had as well a machine gun aiming backwards, but in the seven
o'clock position.[p]
Eventually, the Type 95 had to be replaced by the Type 98 light tank whose
prototypes were completed not before 1938, by Hino Motors Company and Mitsubishi.
These vehicles were not put into
production until 1942. According to some sources they were produced 100 units
(there is who stated they were 200 units) before the production were discontinued
in 1943. This model had a more
powerful engine which granted a higher road speed. Its armor was thicker and its
suspension comprised six road wheels with three return rollers, a fore drive
sprocket and a rear idler. The driver
sat in the front of the hull to the center. The armament comprised one Type 100 37-
millimeter cannon and two Type 97 7.7-millimeter machine guns. Other light tanks
developed in Japan included the
Type 98, an improved vehicle with four road wheels, a rear drive sprocket and a
fore idler, and without return rollers. Finally there were the Type 2, of which
less than 30 units were built, and
the Type 5, of which only one unit was built by Hino Motors before the end of the
war.[p]
[b]Type 2 Ka-Mi amphibious tank[/span][p]
The Japanese did not start to experiment with armored amphibious vehicles until
1928, and until 1940 the largest part of the work was assumed by the Army. Later
intervened the Navy, which took
responsibility on the development of amphibious vehicles for its exclusive
utilization. Whole series of vehicles were developed, including the Type 1 Mi-Sha,
Type 2 Ka-Mi, Type 3 Ka-Chi, Type 4
Ka-Tsu and Type 5 To-Ku. Being a derivative, the Type 2 used many elements from the
Type 95 light tank. The hull, hermetically sealed, was one of new design and fully
welded. In its front and rear
part were attached two pontoons, made of steel plates, to increase buoyancy. The
fore pontoon was subdivided in eight compartments to prevent a full flooding when
hit by projectiles. In the water,
the tank was moved by two propellers which received power from the engine through a
gearbox. Steering was effectuated by means of two rudders actuated from the turret
by the commander. These
amphibious tanks were usually deployed from ships or landing craft to reach the
coast after crossing the reefs. Once in land the pontoons were removed and the
tanks headed toward their targets.
Some amphibious vehicles were projected to be transported on the deck of a
submarine while others could carry a torpedo on each side of the hull.[p]
[b]Specifications for Type 95 Ha-Go[/span][p]
[box]
Crew: 3[p]
Armament: One Type 94 37-millimeter cannon; one Type 91 6.5-millimeter machine gun
in the rear part of the turret; one Type 91 6.5-millimeter machine gun in the front
of the hull[p]
Ammunitions: 119 for 37-millimeter cannon; 2970 for 6.5-millimeter machine guns[p]
Armor: 9-14 millimeters[p]
Lenght (total): 4.38 meters[p]
Width: 2.06 meters[p]
Height: 2.18 meters[p]
Weight: 7.4 tonnes[p]
Ground pressure: 0.61 kilograms/square centimeter[p]
Ground clearance: 40 centimeters[p]
Engine: Mitsubishi NVD 6120 Diesel of 6 cylinders, air-cooled, of 120 horsepower at
1800 revolutions per minute[p]
Power/weight ratio: 16.2 horsepower/tonne[p]
Maximum speed (in road): 45 kilometers/hour[p]
Maximum operational range (in road): 250 kilometers[p]
Maximum surmountable trench: 2 meters[p]
Maximum surmountable step: 0.81 meters[p]
Maximum surmountable slope: 60 percent[p]
Maximum fording: 1 meter[p]
[/div][p]
[b]Specifications for Type 2 Ka-Mi[/span][p]
[box]
Crew: 4-5[p]
Armament: One 37-millimeter cannon; one 7.7-millimeter coaxial machine gun; one
7.7-millimeter machine gun in the front of the hull[p]
Armor: 9-14 millimeters[p]
Lenght (with pontoons): 7.416 meters[p]
Width: 2.794 meters[p]
Height: 2.336 meters[p]
Weight (with pontoons): 11.3 tonnes[p]
Engine: Mitsubishi NVD 6120 Diesel of 6 cylinders, air-cooled, of 120 horsepower at
1800 revolutions per minute[p]
Maximum speed (in road): 37 kilometers/hour[p]
Maximum speed (in water): 9.6 kilometers/hour[p]
Maximum operational range (in road): 200 kilometers[p]
Maximum operational range (in water): 150 kilometers[p]
Maximum surmountable trench: 2 meters[p]
Maximum surmountable step: 0.73 meters[p]
Maximum surmountable slope: 50 percent[p]
[/div][p]
[fl][b]Type 97 Chi-Ha[/span][/span][p]
The Japanese normalized medium tank in the 1930s was the Type 99, but in 1936 it
was clear that this one should have been replaced by a more modern vehicle. The
High Staff and the Engineering
Department did not agreed about which would be the best project, so two different
prototypes were built. The Osaka Arsenal built a prototype for the project of the
High Staff denominated "Chi-Ni",
while Mitsubishi built the model "Chi-Ha" for the Engineering Department. The Chi-
Ni weighed 10000 kilograms and was propelled by an air-cooled six-cylinder Diesel
engine of 135 horsepower which
allowed for a top speed of 30 kilometers/hour. It had a crew of three and was armed
with a Type 90 57-millimeter cannon and a Type 91 6.5-millimeter machine gun. The
Chi-Ha from Mitsubishi was much
heavier, of 15241 kilograms, and was propelled by a Mitsubishi 12-cylinder air-
cooled Diesel engine of 170 horsepower, which granted a top speed of 38
kilometers/hour on road. The armament
comprised one 57-millimeter cannon and two 7.7-millimeter machine guns. The tank
had a crew of four, of which two were placed in the turret.[p]
Both prototypes were completed in 1937 and submitted to comparative trials. Both
tanks had positive and negative aspects and it was not until the outbreak of the
war with China that it was decided
to put into production the model from Mitsubishi as the Type 97 "Chi-Ha". On the
other hand, it has been said that the Chi-Ni could have been developed as a first-
class light tank. The largest part
of the Type 97 tanks were produced by Mitsubishi, albeit other companies, including
Hitachi, also built it. Its hull was riveted and welded. The driver sat in the
front of the hull to the right,
with the machine gunner at his side to the left. The rotatory turret housing the
commander and the gunner was in the center of the hull but displaced to the right.
The engine was in the rear part
of the hull and its power was transmitted to the gearbox placed in forward
position, by means of an axle running along the centerline of the hull.[p]
The suspension comprised six twin road wheels on each side along with a fore drive
sprocket, a rear idler and three return rollers; of these, the middle one was
smaller and supported the track only
by its inner side (in some depictions it supports the tracks in both sides and in
some photographs we can see the return rollers in exchanged positions). The four
center wheels on each side were
paired in bogies linked to pivoting cranks attached to compression springs housed
inside a protective tube. The outer road wheels were linked to the hull by means of
similar but independent
pivoting cranks, attached to unprotected springs. The armament comprised a Type 97
57-millimeter short cannon, which fired high-explosive or piercing projectiles, and
two 7.7-millimeter machine
guns, one in the rear part of the turret in the seven o'clock position and another
one in the front of the hull.[p]
Even if it was mounted in a fully rotatory turret, the main armament was fitted
with vertical trunnions which allowed the cannon to pivot independently from the
turret, five degrees to the left and
right. The vertical firing arc ranged from -9 to +11 degrees. The tank carried 120
projectiles (80 of high explosive type and 40 of armor piercing type) for the main
armament and 2350 for the
machine guns. The large provision of high-explosive shells, in comparison with
other contemporary tanks, was due to the Japanese belief that the role of a tank
should be to support the infantry
rather than destroying enemy tanks. In comparison with that used in the first
Japanese tanks, the turret of the Type 97 had been very improved; the commander
could govern the tank rather than
managing the main armament.[p]
The experience obtained in combat against the Soviet tanks during the Battle of
Nomonhan in 1939 showed that it was necessary a cannon with a high muzzle velocity.
Consequently Mitsubishi projected
a new turret that required a ring of larger diameter and which increased the weight
of the tank up to 16000 kilograms. This new tank, denominated ShinHoTo, carried a
Type 1 47-millimeter cannon of
longer tube which could fire both high-explosive and piercing projectiles. This
cannon had a muzzle velocity of 823 meters/second and could perforate 70
millimeters of armor from a distance of 457
meters. They were carried 104 projectiles for the main armament and 2575 for the
machine guns.[p]
[aimg96]high_res/weapons_of_ww2/chi-ha_tank.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/weapons_of_ww2/chi-
ha_tank.jpg[/aimg96][br]
[fs]In this picture the suspension system is rather clearly visible.[/span][p]
[b]Variants and evolutions[/span][p]
Many variants of the Type 97 medium tank were produced, including minesweepers,
bulldozers, bridgelayers and a diversity of engineering and recovery vehicles.
There were also self-propelled
howitzers of 150 and 200 millimeters in caliber and an anti-aircraft tank armed
with one 20-millimeter cannon. One of the less common models was the ram tank "Ho-
K", on which the turret had been
removed and a steel ram had been attached to the front of the hull, to open a way
across the forests in Manchuria. The most relevant variant was perhaps the Type 4
self-propelled howitzer "Ho-Ro",
in which the turret had been replaced by an open superstructure of riveted
construction, with a thickness of 25 millimeters in the frontal part and 12
millimeters in the sides. The Type 38 150-
millimeter howitzer had a very short tube and fired high-explosive projectiles to a
maximum distance of 5943 meters. The firing arc was 30 degrees in elevation and
very limited in azimuth.[p]
The Type 1 "Ho-Ni I" was a tank destroyer variant armed with a Type 90 75-
millimeter cannon in an open casemate. The cannon could swivel 20 degrees in
horizontal and from -5 to +25 degrees in
vertical. The Type 1 "Ho-Ni II" was a variant armed with a Type 91 105-millimeter
howitzer in a slightly changed superstructure. The Type 2 "Ho-I" support tank was a
variant armed with a Type 99
75-millimeter howitzer in a rotatory enclosed turret. The Type 3 "Ho-Ni III" was
another tank destroyer armed with a Type 3 75-millimeter cannon in an enclosed
superstructure. The Type 97 medium
tank was followed by the medium tank Type 1 "Chi-He" and later in 1943 by the
medium tank Type 3 "Chi-Nu".[p]
The Type 1 Chi-He, which weighed 17476 kilograms, had its armor increased to up to
50 millimeters and its armament comprised one Type 1 47-millimeter cannon and two
Type 97 7.7-millimeter machine
guns in similar placement than in the Type 97 Chi-Ha. The propulsion plant was the
Type 100 air-cooled 12-cylinder Diesel engine which developed 240 horsepower at
2000 revolutions per minute. The
Type 3 Chi-Nu had the same hull than the Type 1 Chi-He but it featured a new turret
that increased weight to 19100 kilograms and decreased top speed to 38
kilometers/hour. Its armament comprised a
Type 3 75-millimeter cannon and one 7.7-millimeter machine gun in the front of the
hull. This tank was developed to counter the American M-4 Sherman which was armed
as well with a 75-millimeter
cannon. The production of the Type 3 started in 1944 but only 50 or 60 units were
built.[p]
The Type 4 "Chi-To" had a longer chassis and weighed 30480 kilograms. It was armed
with one Type 5 75-millimeter cannon in its rotatory turret and one 7.7-millimeter
machine gun in the front of the
hull. Only two units were built. The last Japanese medium tank was the Type 5 "Chi-
Ri". It weighed 37594 kilograms and its armor had a maximum thickness of 75
millimeters. It was armed with one
Type 5 75-millimeter cannon in its rotatory turret and one Type 1 37-millimeter
cannon in the front of the hull. The propulsion plant comprised an aviation engine
BMW developing 550 horsepower at
1500 revolutions per minute, which granted a top speed of 45 kilometers/hour on
road. The suspension comprised eight road wheels on each side with a fore drive
sprocket, a rear idler and three
return rollers. However this tank never entered production phase; otherwise it
would have been a hard opponent for the American tanks, albeit at the end of the
war the M-26 Pershing had been
already deployed in the Pacific.[p]
There are not exact numbers about the Japanese production of armored vehicles
during the Second World War. Mitsubishi stated that they were about 4650 (including
50 self-propelled cannons) and it
has been believed that this represents about 70 percent of the total wartime
production in the Japanese factories. The largest part of the self-propelled
artillery was built in such short numbers
that it played no appreciable role in most campaigns.[p]
[aimg96]high_res/tanks_japan/type_97_chi-ha_medium_tank.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/
tanks_japan/type_97_chi-ha_medium_tank.jpg[/aimg96][br]
[fs]Being one of the most successful Japanese tanks of the Second World War, the
Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank was seen in many scenarios in Asia and the Pacific until
the end of the war. The
illustration shows the tank as it appeared in action in Central Asia.[/span][p]
[b]Specifications for Type 97 Chi-Ha[/span][p]
[box]
Crew: 4[p]
Armament: One Type 90 57-millimeter cannon; one Type 97 7.7-millimeter machine gun
in the rear part of the turret; one Type 97 7.7-millimeter machine gun in the front
of the hull[p]
Ammunitions: 120 for 57-millimeter cannon; 2350 for 7.7-millimeter machine guns[p]
Armor: 8-25 millimeters[p]
Lenght (total): 5.52 meters[p]
Width: 2.33 meters[p]
Height: 2.23 meters[p]
Weight: 15.2 tonnes[p]
Ground pressure: 0.61 kilograms/square centimeter[p]
Ground clearance: 42 centimeters[p]
Engine: Mitsubishi NVD 12200 Diesel of 12 cylinders, air-cooled, of 170 horsepower
at 2000 revolutions per minute[p]
Power/weight ratio: 11.2 horsepower/tonne[p]
Maximum speed (in road): 38 kilometers/hour[p]
Maximum operational range (in road): 210 kilometers[p]
Maximum surmountable trench: 2.51 meters[p]
Maximum surmountable step: 0.81 meters[p]
Maximum surmountable slope: 57 percent[p]
Maximum fording: 1 meter[p]
[/div][p]
