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Posted on 10/04/2004 11:25:00 PM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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 The Japanese didn't embrace the tank, as it didn't have the calvary tradition that the other countries that developed the tank more extensively had. In traditional Japan Calvary was used for reconnaissance in the mountainous countryside. After World War I the Japanese acquired several different foreign tanks (French Renault FT & NCI, and Britain's Vickers 6-Ton & Medium C). After analyzing them they began to develop light and medium tanks.  Type 94 'TK' tankettes in a street of Hoihow, on the Hainan Island in 1939. The first tank designed was the Type 87 (Experimental Tank Number 1) and was produced at the Osaka Arsenal in 1927. It had a crew of 5 and had a water cooled, 8 cylinder, gasoline engine that produced 140 hp. The maximum speed was 12.5 mph. It had a 57 mm gun in a turret with two 7.2 mm MG in a turret that was located at the front and rear of the hull. In 1925 2 tank companies were established, with one established at the Chiba Infantry School to study tank tactics. In the late 1920s 6 British Carden-Loyd Mark VI MG carriers and 2 Mark VIb carriers were purchased. After trials were conducted the Tokyo Gas and Electric Industry (later Hino Motors) built a prototype. It became the Type 94 Tankette.  Tankette Type 97 Te-Ke during the victory parade in Manilla in 1942. The Osaka Arsenal in March 1927, developed the Experimental Heavy Tank I. It weighed 22 tons, with 57 mm gun in the main turret, and 2 MGs in subsidiary turrets. In 1930 the 2nd Heavy tank was developed, but it only made some modifications from the first. In 1932 the Type 91 or Type 92 was developed. The Type 95 was then developed. However, no production orders were placed. In 1929 the Type 89 (Experimental Tank Number 2) was designed. It weighed 10,000 kg and had a turret mounted 37 mm gun, a turret rear MG, and a bow mounted MG. It's engine was a 6 cylinder gasoline Daimler that propelled it to 15 mph. Mitsubishi started production on it as the Type 98 Medium tank.  Type 95 Ha-Go destroyed towards the end of the war By 1932, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was producing an air-cooled diesel engine that was suitable for tanks. This was placed experimentally into a Type 89. This later became known as the Type 89-B. In 1933 Major Tomio Hara designed the basis of many of the suspensions of future Japanese tanks, the bellcrank scissors which had paired bogie wheels connected by a coil spring. During the 1930s the Japanese considered mechanization. Studies focused on armored cars at first, but with the terrain in Asia, it was decided to go with tracked vehicles. Ishikawaijma designed the Type 92 'combat car'.  This tank seems to have been abandoned somewhere on the edge of the airstrip. A tri-color camoflage can clearly be seen on this tank. Four tank regiments were formed during 1933-34 in Japan and Manchuria. Three of the regiments had 2 companies of 10 Type 89s each. The 4th had 3 Type 89 companies and was known as the Independent Mixed Brigade which included:
 Type 89 By 1937 Japan had approximately 1,060 tanks and 8 tank regiments. During the war in China the Japanese used the tanks as mobile pillboxes as the Chinese didn't have quantities of antitank weapons. Also air-cooled diesel engines were preferred as water was scarce in Mongolia, Manchuria, and North China. After the battle of Khalkin Gol in 1939 against the Russians and the successes in Europe by the Germans, 2 armored divisions were formed in 1940 in Manchukuo.  Type 4 Chi-To During most of the war the Japanese focused their industry on building warships and aircraft during the war years as they were the more prestigious weapons of the time. By 1945 production was to be concentrated on the defence of the Japanese homeland, and tanks finally got higher priority, but this was too late.  Type 92 Notes: The names were based on the last 2 digits of the year in the Japanese calendar. The Japanese Empire was founded in 660 B.C. (Add 660 to western calendar to get year in Japanese calendar. Sensha (from word sen which meant battle, and sha which meant wagon)
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Design/Production
In the 1930s the Army requested a vehicle that could tow an armored trailer with ammunition to forward areas.
Description
Hull was riveted. Front mounted engine, rear compartment with large access door.
Later model had better suspension which lengthened chassis. Suspension was designed by Tomio Hara. Often threw track on high speed turns.
Usage
A few may have had 37 mm guns installed in turret.
Design/Production
Tokyo Motor Industry (later Hino Motors) built 2 prototypes in 1937. The 1st model had the engine and driver at the front and the turret in the rear. It was later moved to the front so that the crew could better communicate.
Riveted construction and a rear mounted engine. The driver sat on the left of the commander. Interior was lined with heat absorbing asbestos sheets. Sometimes a 7.7mm MG was shipped instead of 37mm gun.
The turret had a hinged access door at the rear for the commander.
Usage
Design/Production
The Type 89 Medium was too slow for mechanized operations so a faster model was needed. Two prototypes were completed in 1934 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to meet the requirements of the Army. These were tested in China and Japan. The company called them HA-GO, and the army called them KE-GO. Production started in 1935, and 100 were produced by 1939. Mitsubishi, Hiigata, Tekkosho, Kobe Seikosho, and Kokura Rikugan Zoheisho manufactured them.
Type 2:
Same as the Ke-Ni but with a newer 37 mm gun. Production didn't start until 1944. Only a few were finished before the end of the war.
Description
Type 92:
All welded.
Type 93:
No Data
A few vehicles had main gun replaced by Type 98 47mm.
Type 35 (Special):
In Manchuria some had their suspensions modified to help improve the ride crossing terrain.
Type 3 Ke-Ri:
57mm Model 97 gun installed. Cramped turret. A few test vehicles were produced in 1943.
Type 4 Ke-Nu:
Used turret of Type 97 Medium tank to alleviate cramped turret. 19,000 lb. 100 converted in 1944. Saw little service.
Type 98-A Ke-Ni, Type 2 Ke-To:
Was designed to replace the Type 95, but due to difficulties with retooling the factories and the diminished need for light tanks it wasn't produced in great quantities. Driver was positioned in front in the center and had steering wheel control. Muzzle velocity of 2,493 ft/sec.
Type 98-B Ke-Ni:
Had Christie type suspension with 4 road wheels, but never entered production.
Type 2 Ke-To:
29 built in 1944. Model 1 37 mm gun. Muzzle velocity of 2,625 ft/ sec. All-welded construction.
Usage
12 Type 95 arrived at Saipan in April 1944, with the 9th Tank Regiment commanded by Colonel Takashi Goto.
Design/Production
Many of the features were copied from the Vickers Mark C that was purchased from Britain in 1927.
Description
Gun had a muzzle velocity of 1,148 ft/sec.
89A Chi-Ro Ko:
Had gasoline engine, but after experience in Manchuria in the cold weather it was decided to substitute a diesel engine. Widely used in China and sometimes fitted with unditching tails. Had a box type hull with sloped glacis plates. Protective skirting covered the leaf springs.
89B Chi-Ro Ot-Su :
Appeared in 1934 (sometimes known as the Type 94). Had single sloping front plate, new turret with commanders cupola, and a 6 cylinder diesel engine. Some vehicles had unditching tails at rear. The driver sat on the right and the hull MG gunner sat on the left. Steering was done by clutch and brake.
Usage
First used at the Shanghai Incident in 1932 as part of the naval landing force. Used by the medium tank units of Yamashita's 25th Army during invasion of Malaya and Singapore. Some also saw action in Burma and in the Philippines before the majority of them were moved in mid-1942 to China for use.
Design/Production
In the mid-1930s the Army issued requirement for a new medium tank to replace the Type 89B.
Two prototypes were built. Mitsubishi built one for the Engineering Department, and Osaka Arsenal built one for the General Staff Office. The Osaka prototype was known as the Chi-Ni and the Mitsubishi prototype was the Chi-Ha. The Chi Ni weighed 10,000 kg and had a 6 cylinder air-cooled diesel engine which produced 135 hp. Top speed was 18.5 mph. It had a 3 man crew with a 57 mm Type 90 gun and 6.5 mm Type 91 MG.
Hitachi also helped with the production of the Chi Ha.
Description
Riveted construction. The driver sat on the right and a the machine gunner on the left. The 2 man turret was hand cranked and was offset to the right. The sprocket was in the front and the idler in the rear. 57 mm gun had muzzle velocity of 1,378 ft/sec. The middle return roller only supported the inside of the track. The 4 center wheels were mounted in pairs on bell cranks. The outside wheels were independently mounted.
Internal communications were accomplished by 12 push buttons in the turret connected to 12 lights and a buzzer by the driver.
Se-Ri:
Armored Recovery Vehicle with a collapsible crane. Had 240 hp diesel.
Ho-Ni II:
Turret removed and 105 mm gun installed.
Mine Clearing Tank G:
Had 2 revolving drums which had rows of chains. This was primarily copied from Allied Mine Clearing tanks.
Type 38 HO-RO:
Turret removed, and 150 mm gun installed.
Ho-K:
Had its turret removed and had a steel prow mounted on the front for clearing paths through Manchurian forests.
Other variants were self-propelled AA (20 mm & 75 mm), engineer, recovery, flame-thrower, bulldozer, and bridge layer.
The 47 mm gun could fire at 2,700'/s and would penetrate 70 mm of armor at 500 yards.
Observation Tank Ka-So: Carried a dummy 47 mm gun, but kept the MGs. Had rail antenna around the top of the turret.
Usage
36 Type 97s with the 9th Tank Regiment, commanded by Colonel Takashi Goto, arrived on Saipan in April 1944. In the early morning hours of June 17, 1944, 37 Type 97s and Type 95s joined with the 136th Infantry Regiment (commanded by Colonel Yukimatsu Ogawa) and attacked the 6th Marines. Several of the tanks got bogged down near the Susupe swamp while the rest moved forward towards the Marine lines. The Marines using machine guns, mortars, bazookas, artillery, and naval gun fire were able to stop the attack which was the largest tank attack of the Central Pacific.
In 1942 a new turret with a 47 mm Type 97 L/48 gun was fitted. Muzzle velocity of 2,625 ft/ sec.
users.swing.be
www.tarawaontheweb.org
mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk
www3.plala.or.jp
www.military.cz
www.republika.pl
This cross section of vehicles of the Imperial Japanese military should be an eye opener. Japan was not quite so "armor less" as most people might believe. In fact, Japan had at it's disposal a wide variety equipment. People tend to use Soviet or German tanks when making comparisons of armor power, protection, and quality. It should be remembered that each started the war with much smaller tanks and firepower. The difference in development was application and terrain. Japan's conquests, with the exception of China, were mostly jungle which did not favor large armor formations. It was felt that there was less need to develop a large armored force or heavy tanks. Armor development was hindered by steel production and military priorities. Armor Tactics were generally under developed as a result. Considering the thin armor protection that Japanese tankers had to put up with, along with cramped fighting conditions, Japanese tankers acquitted themselves well in combat. After WW1 Japan showed an interest in tanks and obtained a variety of models. These units included the British Heavy Mk V and the Medium A. Japan also purchased the very popular FT-17 which they called Ko-Gata Sensha. In 1927 they purchased it's successor, the Renault NC-1 from the French which they called the Otsu-Gata Sensha. Sensha means battle wagon. Both of these models were still in active Japanese service in 1940. Additional units and parts came from the takeover of French holdings in South East Asia. Japan produced it's first home grown tank in 1922 which was a multi-turret design and weighed 22 tons. Later, the Japanese purchased some Vickers 6 ton tanks and the Carden-Loyd tankette and used these as a basis for further developement on their part. Major Tomio Hara designed a bellcrank scissors suspension which paired the bogie wheels and connected them to a coil spring mounted horizontally outside the hull. This suspension became almost a standard on many Japanese models and can easily be seen on the Type 89 medium tank. By 1937, Japan fielded 1060 tanks in 8 regiments. Even with the success of the tank in China, the Japanese still did not see the tank as a battle winner. Tanks were rarely allowed independent action and were largely tied to infantry units in the French system of tank deployment. The standard thought was to use them as moble pillboxes. In the period between 1931 and 1938 the Japanese built nearly 1700 new tanks and this made them the 4th largest tank producer in the world. The peak of Japanese tank production was in 1942 but declined afterward owing to war material priorities. Once the grave mistake was realized as to the true potential of the tank, the Japanese were completely unable to catch up. |
I get the impression the Japanese never banked on having to defend their new holdings in the Pacific....that a political solution would appear for them.
Their inter service rivalry's and poor forward planning saw them on the run after Port Moresby fell.
They built these massive warships in Musashi and Yamato..and never used them properly.
they used their sub force improperly and did not maximize their long lance torpedo's potential.
they left their best pilots to perish in eventual attrition..without rotating them back for training others.
they allowed their military ..especially the Army to brutalize their soldiers in violence and humiliation.
all this and diseases....the Japanese soldier on any island or foriegn soil was half gone/used up before the first naval shells landed or air bombardment fell.
The Japanese defeated themselves...in the end..they were put down like an animal unwanted in a kennel.
a stupid people....who could have resisted axis allignment if they had the brains.
today...Islam and Jihad...
more stupid people.
To all our military men and women, past and present, and to our allies who stand with us,
THANK YOU!
I hope y'all are doing great and that all's well with everyone.
hehehe......Treadhead Tuesday reminds me it may not be a bad idea to keep my Dimowit Squisher close at hand. Things are getting uglier by the day.
((HUGZ)) for everyone!
Morning Light Speed.
My understanding was that the Japanese never planned on defeating us in the war. They planned to buy time, consolidate their gains and make us pay such a high price to get them back, that we'd negotiate a peace. They guessed wrong.
Morning Radu.
Always good to have a Dimowit Squisher close at hand. :-)
Good Night Snippy.
Somethings wrong with FR. I can only say goodnight from my comments page. It says 11 of 8 and sure enough the thread will only let me go to post 8. Grrr.
Good time to call it a night. Good night Sam.
Hiya SAM!! Ya mean I'm not the only one awake at this hour? LOL!! Great to see ya.
Having fun with that volcano burping and coughing so close by? I've been keeping tabs on that as best I can with y'all in mind.
Brian Binnie, a retired US Navy fighter pilot, takes his "Victory Lap" atop SpaceShipOne after Monday's successful flight.
Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Foxhole.
Present!
Read: Acts 8:26-34
He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. —Ecclesiastes 11:4
Bible In One Year: Isaiah 23-25; Philippians 1
When it comes to telling others about Jesus, I'm sometimes like a cautious farmer who keeps his eye on the weather, looking for the perfect day to plant his crops. The season passes and he sows nothing. The opportunity is gone; the harvest is lost (Ecclesiastes 11:4).
I hesitate and wonder, "Is this person ready to listen to the gospel? Is this the time to speak?" You can never tell what's going on in the depths of another person's heart. Some may be dwelling in darkness yet longing for someone to lead them into the light.
The Ethiopian eunuch in his royal chariot seemed to have it all together (Acts 8:27). He enjoyed prestige, wealth, and power, yet inwardly he was empty and searching. He was reading Isaiah's promise of the suffering Savior and trying to come to grips with his words. Right at that moment, Philip took the opportunity to tell the eunuch about Jesus (v.35).
I have a friend who often leads people to Jesus. I asked him once how he knew they were ready to receive the gospel. "It's easy," he replied. "I ask them."
So I must stop worrying about the wind and the clouds and get on with it—scattering the seed wherever I go, regardless of the weather. You just never know. —David Roper
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