Type 1 Chi-He
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| Type 1 Chi-He | |
|---|---|
 Type 1 Chi-He |
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| Place of origin |  Empire of Japan |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 17 tons |
| Length | 5.5 meters |
| Width | 2.2 meters |
| Height | 2.38 meters |
| Crew | 5 |
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| Armor | 8-50 mm |
| Primary armament |
47 mm Type 1 gun |
| Secondary armament |
2 x 7.7 mm Type 97 gun (hull, coaxial) |
| Engine | Mitsubishi Type 100 air cooled V-12 diesel 240 hp (179 kW) |
| Suspension | Bell crank |
| Operational range |
210 kilometers |
| Speed | 44 km/h |
The Type 1 Chi-He (一式中戦車 チへ Ichi-shiki chusensha) was an improved version of the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tanks of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. It had a more powerful main gun and engine and thicker armor.
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[edit] History and development
After the start of World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army quickly realized that its main battle tank, the Type 97 Chi-Ha, was inferior to contemporary Allied designs, such as the M4 Sherman or even the M3 Stuart. The Type 97’s low-velocity 57 mm main gun could not penetrate Allied armor, whereas its own thin armor made the Type 97 vulnerable in any combat against an adversary with even minimal anti-armor capabilities. [1]
In response, a new series of tanks based on an improved Type 97 design was conceived. The first of this new series was the Type 1 Chi-He, which appeared in 1941. However, production did not begin until 1943, due to the low priority to armored warfare given by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff. A total of 170 units were built from 1943-44, and they did not see much (if any) combat. [2]
[edit] Design
Compared to the Type 97, the Type 1 Chi-He was slightly longer and taller. Its angled, thicker frontal armor was welded, as opposed to riveted, and weighed an additional 1.5 tons.
The Mitsubishi Type 100 diesel engine at 240 HP provided 70 HP more power than the Mitsubishi Type 97 diesel engine, and was thus more than able to compensate for the additional weight in armor.
The Type 1 Chi-He's 47 mm high-velocity gun had a barrel length of 2.250 meters, a muzzle velocity of 810 m/s, and a penetration capability of 55 mm over 100 meters and 30 mm over 1,000 meters, almost double that of the Type 97s low-velocity main gun. It was more reliable and more accurate, but did require the installation of elevation gear (on the earlier Type 97 the gunner had to physically move the gun up or down on his shoulder). Despite these improvements, this gun was barely adequate against Allied armor of 1941. [2][3]
The gun was placed in a three-man turret, which had space for a loader, and could be elevated and depressed between +20 and -15 degrees. This turret was retrofitted into the 'Type 97 Shinhoto ("New Turret") Chi-Ha' tank, and was also used on the Type 3 Ka-Chi Amphibious Tank.
The Type 1 Chi-He was also the first Japanese tank to carry a radio as standard equipment, eliminating the need to use signal flags.
[edit] Combat record
Most of the Type 1s were allocated to the Japanese home islands to defend against the projected Allied Invasion. Records regarding deployment outside of Japan are uncertain, but it appears that some Type 1 tanks were with the IJA 2nd Division at the Battle of Leyte in the Philippines towards the closing stages of the war. [3] Despite Type 1's superiority in terms of armor and firepower over the earlier Type 97, it still underperformed against the American M4 Sherman.
[edit] Variants
- Type 1 Ta-Ha Self-propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun
- A prototype version with twin 37 mm anti-aircraft guns fitted in place of the 47 mm gun was built, but did not go into production.
[edit] References
- Foss, Christopher (2003). Great Book of Tanks: The World's Most Important Tanks from World War I to the Present Day. Zenith Press. ISBN 0760314756.
- Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crestline. ISBN 0760315000.
- Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 1939-45. Osprey. ISBN 978-1-84603-091-8.
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes
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