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Japan Cavalry

The usefulness of the horse in modern warfare was a discovery Imperial Japan Army. In reality, without the services of this dumb, faithful animal, Japanese troops would not have been able to camy out successful, daring attacks upon enemy positions, particularly in battles an the rugged steeps and in the narrow passes of the mountains. Contrary to popular expectations, the increasing mechanization of the Army did not means diminished the utility of army horses. The hostilities en the WWII certainly established their distinct place modern war fare.
The Japanese cavalry has been used for operations against the enemy’s rear. For example, in September 1937, near Faoting, one cavalry regiment of the infantry division, reinforced by a company of infantry, was ordered to move out on the flanks, to establish communications and make possible joint action with the neighboring unit, to press the enemy and, during the general offensive of the division, to strike the enemy’s rear. The depth of the action of the cavalry regiment was about 120 miles.
In the first period of the war, the cavalry met with serious difficulties because the Chines troops took advantage of the lack of artillery and weak fire power of the Japanese cavalry by taking shelter behind the villages, walls where the japanese could not dislodge them with the fire of small arms and machine guns only. LaterJapanese commanders, on sending out cavalry regiments to pursue the Chinese units, attached to them separate cannon and small tanks in order to reinforce the fire power. However, cavalry regiments ware not, as a rule, sent out on distant reconnaissance missions, due to the fact that the extensive operations of enemy units in the rear of the Japanese lines hindered the use of separate cavalry regiments and threaten them with destruction.
The Japanese commanders endeavored to strengthen the marching capacity of the cavalry when they ware Passing Over marshy regions, and Japanese Cavalry began to practice marching at a walk. By doing this they decreased the number of halts and the duration of them, but at the same time they maintained the normal length of the day’s march. Moving at a trot or a gallop was used only on the field of battle. In the disposition cf their forces during halts, the Japanese tried to protect them behind the walls of the villages so as to secure them in some degree from surprise attacks.
The use of army cavalry by the Japanese did not differed from the provisions of their regulations. The war in China showed the Japanese the shortcomings of the organization of the army cavalry and particularly its weakness in fire power. The High Command of the Japanese Army did everything effort to devise a better cavalry organization and corrected the deficiencies shown in the war in China.

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Japan Foot Pontoon

One of the key to Japanese victory in Malaya and Singapore was the ability of their engineers to repair rapidly the many bridges that the British sappers destroyed. They were also responsible for making transporting vital troops trucks and tanks across major river like the Muar river towards the front.
The purpose of any river crossing is to project combat power across a water obstacle in order to accomplish a mission. A river crossing is a special operation. It re-quires specific procedures for success, because the water obstacle prevents normal ground maneuver. It also requires unique technical support and more detailed planning and control measures than normal tactical operations. The nature and size of the obstacle, the threat situation, and the available crossing assets limit the commander's options. The challenge is to minimize the river's impact on the commander's tactics. The force is vulnerable while crossing, as it must break its movement formations, concentrate at crossing points, re-form on the far shore, and reduce its movement rate to the speed of the crossing means.
The assaulting task force normally has three dismounted infantry companies of three infantry platoons each to conduct the assault. The task force may have formed company teams, but all assault companies must retain adequate dismounted infantry strength for the assault. Besides its organic infantry and armor, the assault task force has its fire-support team, its airdefense teams, and an attached combat engineer company (with the engineer platoons attached to the assault companies).
The first assault wave moves the bulk of the dismounted force across covertly. This force attempts to provide sufficient security on the far shore, so that the second and later assault waves can cross after surprise is lost. It carries the rifle platoons, attached assault engineers, forward observers, and rifle company command group.

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Japan Horse-Drawn vehicles

With a high degree of motorization in many modern armies, it is easy to overlook the important part animal-drawn transport has played in World War II. In the German infantry division, horse-drawn vehicles are extensively used. A two-wheeled animal-drawn cart is standard equipment throughout the Japanese army.
The Japanese automotive industry had been one of Japan’s pre-war economic weaknesses, and it improved little during the war. On the commencement of hostilities with the U.S., the Japanese seized the Ford and General Motors plants in Japan to produce trucks for the war effort, but motorized transportation never became a strong point for the Imperial Japan Army. Instead, throughout World War II, most divisions used horse drawn transport. Only the 5th, 18th, and Guards divisions—the divisions that invaded Malaya—were fully motorized. As part of the preparation for the Malaya invasion, the 25th Army fitted out its three divisions with 500 trucks and 600 bicycles each. The trucks would carry or pull heavy equipment and artillery pieces, and every soldier not assigned as a truck or armored vehicle crewman would ride a bicycle. Soldiers purchased bicycle repair parts as needed from local Malayan civilians, many of whom had bought inexpensive Japanese-made bicycles before the war. Imperial Japan Army units also made extensive use of the “Churchill resupply”—serviceable trucks, cars, equipment, and gasoline captured from the British Army. Even the three “motorized” Imperial Japan Army divisions had only a third of the number of trucks one would find in an equivalent Allied or German division. Outside of these three divisions, the 100 trucks and 1,000 two-wheeled horse-drawn carts of the division’s transportation regiment made up the bulk of the units’ transportation assets. Given this, it is understandable that Japanese weapons designers placed such importance on the lightweight construction of their weapons and equipment.
In the Japanese Army a two-wheeled cart was the standard equipment of the Transport Regiment, and was used throughout the armed forces. The cart was made of wood, and had strongly constructed but light in weight, so that it can be manhandled when necessary. It was fitted with shafts, drawn by one led horse, and was capable of carring about 450 to 500 pounds. When it was used as an ammunition carrier, the standard load of the Japanese two-wheeled cart was 12 boxes of 540 rounds each of rifle ammunition, or 12 rounds each of 37-mm ammunition.
The same cart was also converted into the standard two-wheeled ambulance. In each corner, steel posts ware fitted, from which two stretchers ware suspended on springs, one above the other. A waterproof canopy with side curtains was fitted. When the stretchers were not in use, the cart could accommodate three people seated.

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Japan Kawasaki Ki-48 Type 99

The Kawasaki Ki-48, shortened to 'Sokei', Type 99 was a twin-engine light bomber. The development of the aircraft began at the end of 1937 at the request of the Japanese military high command. Kawasaki received an order to develop a "high-speed bomber" capable of 480 km/h at 3,000 m, and able to reach 5,000 m within 10 minutes. It was inspired by the Soviet Tupolev SB.
It carried only an 800 kg bombload. This was actually more than contemporary light bombers such as the Bristol Blenheim or Tupolev SB, and only slightly less than light bombers designed several years later, such as the A-20 Havoc, and the strikingly similar-appearing Martin Maryland and Baltimore. Speed was intended to be its primary defense, much like the later, unarmed, De Havilland Mosquito. So it had only three machine guns (again, an equivalent armament to contemporary light bombers). This made it very vulnerable to enemy fighters later in the war, once they became fast enough to actually catch it. The flight characteristics of the Ki-48 also left much to be desired. Newer generations of Allied fighters caught up in speed, and eventually, the Ki-48 was too slow to outrun them, while superior modern Japanese aircraft, such as the Yokosuka P1Y and the Mitsubishi Ki-67, could only be produced in small numbers. The first versions were lightly armoured, so the Ki-48 was quite aerobatic, and could loop and turn with an experienced pilot at the controls. The aircraft was often used as a dive bomber in Burma. The aircraft was not necessarily a failure, and was considered an acceptable light bomber for the first few years of the war by many historians. Much like the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter, it was satisfactory for the period when it was designed and produced, but had to be used against much newer and faster competition, due to Japan's inability to produce enough newer aircraft.
The aircraft served in China from late 1940, replacing the Kawasaki Ki-32, and were widely used in the Philippines, Malaya, Burma, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Dutch East Indies, where the Ki-48 Ia and Ib models, slow and badly armed, were supplemented by the marginally improved Ki-48 IIa and IIc, which were maintained in service along with the older types until the end of the war. All models continued in service until the Battle of Okinawa during April 1945. Although not as fast as more modern fighters, after 1942, the aircraft was still fast enough to enable it to often avoid interception unless it ran into a standing patrol of fighters.

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Mitsubishi A6M Zero

The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is considered to have been the most capable carrier-based fighter in the world when it was introduced early in World War II, combining excellent maneuverability and very long range. The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service also frequently used it as a land-based fighter. The Zero was usually referred to by its pilots as the Reisen (zero fighter).
In early combat operations, the Zero gained a reputation as a dogfighter, achieving an outstanding kill ratio of 12 to 1, but by mid-1942 a combination of new tactics and the introduction of better equipment enabled Allied pilots to engage the Zero on generally equal terms. By 1943, due to inherent design weaknesses, such as a lack of hydraulic ailerons and rudder, and an inability to equip it with a more powerful aircraft engine, the Zero gradually became less effective.
With its low-wing cantilever monoplane layout, retractable, wide-set conventional landing gear and enclosed cockpit, the Zero was one of the most modern carrier-based aircraft in the world at the time of its introduction. It had a fairly high-lift, low-speed wing with very low wing loading. This, combined with its light weight, resulted in a very low stalling speed of well below 60 kn (110 km/h). This was the main reason for its phenomenal maneuverability, allowing it to out-turn any Allied fighter of the time. Early models were fitted with servo tabs on the ailerons after pilots complained that control forces became too heavy at speeds above 300 kilometres per hour. The first Zeros went into operation with the 12th Rengo Kōkūtai in July 1940. Its tremendous range of over 2,600 kilometres allowed it to range farther from its carrier than expected, appearing over distant battlefronts and giving Allied commanders the impression that there were several times as many Zeros as actually existed. It proved a difficult opponent even for the Supermarine Spitfire. Although not was fast as the British fighter, the Mitsubishi fighter could out-turn the Spitfire with ease, sustain a climb at a very steep angle, and stay in the air for three times as long. It was better to swoop down from above in a high-speed pass, fire a quick burst, then climb quickly back up to altitude. These tactics were regularly employed by Grumman F4F Wildcat fighters during Guadalcanal defense through high-altitude ambush, which was possible due to early warning system consisted of Coastwatchers and radar.
Many highly experienced Japanese aviators were lost in combat, resulting in a progressive decline in quality, which became a significant factor in Allied successes. Unexpected heavy losses of pilots at the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway dealt the Japanese carrier air force a blow from which it never fully recovered. When the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, the Grumman F6F Hellcat, and Vought F4U Corsair appeared in the Pacific theater, the A6M, with its low-powered engine and lighter armament, was hard-pressed to remain competitive.

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Japan Mitsubishi Ki-21 Type 97

The Mitsubishi Ki-21 or "Type 97 Heavy Bomber" began operations during the Second Sino-Japanese War participating in the Nomonhan Incident, and in the first stages of the Pacific War, including the Malayan, Burmese, Dutch East Indies and New Guinea Campaigns. It was also used to attack targets as far-flung as western China, India and northern Australia.
Production aircraft began to enter service in August 1938. Several improved versions followed before the production of the Type 97 ended in September 1944. A total of 2,064 aircraft were built, 1,713 by Mitsubishi and 351 by Nakajima. The Ki-21-Ia was used in combat in the war with China by the 60th Sentai from autumn 1938, carrying out long-range unescorted bombing missions in conjunction with the BR.20 equipped 12th and 98th Sentais. The Ki-21 proved to be more successful than the BR.20, having a longer range and being more robust and reliable. Two more Sentais, the 58th and 61st deployed to Manchuria in the summer of 1939 for operations against China, with aircraft from the 61st also being heavily used against Russian and Mongolian Forces during the Nomonhan Incident in June–July 1939.
The Ki-21-Ib was an improved version designed to address the armament issue by increasing the number of 7.7 mm Type 89 machine guns to five, and incorporating improvements to the horizontal tail surfaces and trailing edge flaps. In addition, the bomb bay was enlarged. The tail gun was a 'stinger' installation, and was remotely controlled. Also, the fuel tanks were partially protected with laminated rubber sheets. This was followed in production by the Ki-21-Ic with provision for a 500 L auxiliary fuel tank, fitted in the rear weapons-bay and one more 7.7 mm machine gun, bringing the total to six. Four 50 kg bombs were carried externally. To offset the increase in weight the main wheels of the Ki-21-IC were increased in size.
Front line units from mid-1940 were equipped with the Ki-21-IIa ("Army Type 97 Heavy Bomber Model 2A") with the more powerful 1,118 kW (1,500 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-101 air-cooled engines and larger horizontal tail surfaces. This became the main version operated by most Imperial Japan Army heavy bomber squadrons at the beginning of the Pacific War, and played a major role in many early campaigns. For operations over the Philippines the 5th, 14th and 62nd Air Groups, based in Taiwan, attacked American targets at Aparri, Tuguegarao, Vigan and other targets in Luzon on 8 December 1941. The 3rd, 12th, 60th and 98th Air Groups, based in French Indochina, struck British and Australian targets in Thailand and Malaya, bombing Alor Star, Sungai Petani and Butterworth under escort by Nakajima Ki-27 and Ki-43 fighters. However, starting from operations over Burma in December 1941 and early 1942, the Ki-21 began to suffer heavy casualties from Curtiss P-40s and Hawker Hurricanes.
To partially compensate, the Imperial Japan Army introduced the Ki-21-IIb, with a pedal-operated upper turret with one 12.7 mm Type 1 machine gun, redesigned cockpit canopies and increased fuel capacity. Although used in all fronts in the Pacific theater, it became clear by 1942 that the design was rapidly becoming obsolete, and was increasingly shifted away from front-line service. In spite of its shortcomings, the Ki-21 remained in service until the end of the war.

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Japan Personnel Type B Shohatsu

The ocean surrounding the Japanese islands has always been a deterrent to foreign invasion, but also an obstacle to Japan’s imperial ambitions. When Japan was making plans for the conquest of Asia, one of the first issues that needed to be resolved was the difficulty of transporting troops to foreign shores.
Japan’s use of “marines” was not new to the time immediately preceding WW2 and dates back to the 1800s. However it is during the Second Sino Japanese War, and WW2 that followed, where Japanese amphibious landings and the equipment and vehicles to support them were perfected.
The use of Shohatsu and Daihatsu landing craft were instrumental in the “Asian Blitzkrieg” by Japan in the opening days of World War 2. The world had to that point not seen mass amphibious landings like those conducted by Japan. The British, U.S., Dutch, and Chinese were fully unprepared for the wave of troops that came at them from the sea, often from unexpected directions.
When the Shohatsu-class landing craft first appeared a decade prior to WW2, they were unlike anything seen before. Prior to the Shohatsu, most boats used for landing purposes were little more than small boats and dinghies used by marines to board other ships or pull up alongside docks.
The Shohatsu was designed to carry 35 men or up to 3.5 tons of cargo ashore in places least expected by the enemy. It had a provision for a single defensive machine gun. This Landing Craft was a steel-hulled motor launch with a low armored shield across the front of the passenger compartment. U.S. Intelligence called it the Type B landing craft. Shohatsu were carried to the landing site slung from the davits of troop transports. The Shohatsu was used for landing personnel and stores. It was designated the "Type B" landing craft by the United States. The Shohatsu class were 10.64 m long, 2.44 m wide, and had a draft of 0.34 m. The class had a maximum speed of 13.9 km/h, and a range of 60 111 km, assuming they were travelling at top speed. The ship could hold 35 men, or 3.5 tons of cargo. It was built of steel, and had a single bow with no landing ramp. Usually, it was carried by destroyers and smaller vessels as a cargo boat. Japan ordered 20 of the Shohatsu class land crafts.

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Japan Skiff boat

The Imperial Japan Army conducted amphibious assaults and demonstrated a capability for landings that the defenders had not anticipated. Japanese doctrine called for landings against undefended coastline whenever possible. While some of the assaults were small raids of a tactical nature, several were large enough to be considered at the operational level.
The engineer branches of all armies employed small boats for reconnaissance, delivery of troops and equipment, towing or pushing rafts and ferries, assisting in bridge erection, and utility and courier work. They were usually organic to the units that used them, but in some cases, they were centralized for allocation to units as needed.
Assault boats were of all-wood construction, small and relatively lightweight, since their passengers needed to be able to carry them to the water’s edge, and they were vulnerable to small-arms fire. Most lacked seats, so as to provide maximum passenger and cargo space. Rope lifelines attached around the sides could double as carrying handles. Outboard motors were available but only in small numbers, and were reserved for special use. The common means of propulsion was paddles wielded by the passengers; sometimes boats were delivered without paddles, and troops had to improvise using poles, boards, and rifles. Besides a helmsman steering the boat, one or two engineer paddlers had to be provided to return the boat to the near shore, though in some instances the first-wave boats were simply abandoned to be recovered later.
The Japanese used small rowboats, like the skiffs, to cross rivers in amphibious operations. The use of small boats allowed to Japanese transporting supplies by river or by the coast. The skiff is a small river and sea going craft. They varied from double ended rowing boats to small sailing boats. Usage of skiff is to refer to a typically small flat-bottomed open boat with a pointed bow and a flat stern originally developed as an inexpensive and easy to build boat for use by inshore fishermen.
The skiff was mainly used in river crossings, but it could also be used to land on beaches which would prove critical. The most important feature for raiding parties was that the skiff was his silent if no motor was used, creating far more stealth opportunities that otherwise would not have been possible with conventional ships or landing craft.
The skiff could be paddled by the men inside the boat and could travel at speeds of up to 52.1 meters per minute with a well trained team. The realistic range of the boat varied from about 3.2 km to 4.8 km. What was perhaps most useful about the skiff was the fact that it could be transported near anywhere by a variety of craft without taking up much room.

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Japan Type 1 CHI-HE Tu 47L MT

At Nomonhan in 1939, Russian 45mm tank and AT guns easily penetrated Japanese tanks. After 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army realized that its 1930s designed medium tank, the Type 97 Chi-Ha, was inferior to the 1940s generation of Allied armor, such as the M4 Sherman. Afterwards the Japanese decided that the Type 97 Medium had to be uparmored as well as up-gunned. 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. Work on the design began in 1941. However, production did not begin until 1943, due to the higher priority of steel allocated to the Imperial Navy for warship construction.
The Type 1 medium tank had a new air-cooled diesel engine of greatly increased horsepower and thicker armor. The Mitsubishi Type 100 diesel engine at 240 hp generated 70 horsepower more than the Mitsubishi Type 97 diesel engine, and was thus more than able to compensate for the additional weight in armor. Its angled, thicker frontal armor was welded, as opposed to riveted. The adding of the frontal armor and a fifth crewman increased the weight, but the "streamlining" of the hull reduced the increase to only 1.5 tons. It was the first Japanese tank to have a communication radio as standard equipment. Production of the tank did not begin until 1943, due to the higher priority of steel allocated to the Imperial Navy for warship construction. All of the tanks produced were allocated for the defense of the Japanese home islands, against the anticipated Allied Invasion. 587 CHI-HE were built, all by Mitsubishi.
The Type 1 Chi-He's 47 mm high-velocity gun had a barrel length of 2.250 mm, a muzzle velocity of 810 m/s, and a penetration capability of 55 mm/100 m, 40 mm/500, 30 mm/1,000 meters; over double that of the Type 97s low-velocity main gun. It was more reliable and more accurate, with the gun barrel having a 16 groove rifling and an improved firing mechanism. The gun did require the installation of elevation gear. In light of these improvements, the gun was adequate against Allied armor. The ammunition was the same as used with the anti-tank version of the gun. The tanks carried 120 rounds of ammunition with both armor-piercing and armor-piecing high explosive shells. The gun was placed in a three-man turret, which had space for the commander, gun-layer and loader. The gun could be elevated and depressed between +20 and -15 degrees. This gun was used in the Type 97-Kai Shinhoto Chi-Ha tank, and on the Type 3 Ka-Chi Amphibious Tank.
The vast majority were issued to units stationed in the Japanese home islands. However, a few, used as command tanks, are claimed to have been with the 2nd Tank Division on Luzon. Since that division had been transferred there from Manchuria, it is possible that other CHI-HE saw action in China, and against the Russians in August of 1945. Despite Type 1's superiority in terms of armor and firepower over the earlier Type 97, it still underperformed against the American M4 Sherman, leading to a new design known as the Type 3 Chi-Nu.

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Japan Type 1 HO-NI Bo 75 SPA

When the Japanese at the beginning of the second world war met the American medium tanks M4 Sherman, they had not in their rows no equivalent tank to oppose to them. The standard medium tank Type 97 Chi-Ha was completely obsolete compared to the American design and its powerful gun of 75 mm. They needed of a tank destroyer, strongly armed able to pierce the shielding of the American tanks.
The Japanese quite naturally used, in 1942, the chassis of the medium tank Type 97 to save time. This vehicle consisted of a CHI-HA chassis carrying a modified Type 90 75mm field gun. The turret was quite simply replaced by an open casemate (frontal and side shielding only, thick of 50 mm) accomodating a field gun Type 90 of 75 mm.
The gun had a horizontal field of fire limited to 10° on each side and a vertical field of fire limited to -5° in depression and +25° in elevation. Carrying in ammunition was of 54 projectiles. This provision did not predispose the vehicle to the close combat because of the vulnerability of the gun crew. New tank destroyer was of this fact conceived for the combat at long distance (until to 12000 m). Type 1 Ho-No I intended for armored divisions, did not have secondary armament and was extremely similar to the German first panzerägers. The Ho-Ni I could be used at the same time as and mobile armored artillery for the indirect fire. The shielding of the hull was improved by additional plates of 16 mm.
The largest defect of Type 1 Ho-Ni I was their half-open casemate which made vulnerable the gun crew and made the self-propelled gun unsuitable to the close combat that was to sometimes undergo. On this design not defensive secondary armament available, which could make the tank vulnerable to the attacks of enemy infantry. Type 1 Ho-No I was used for the first time at the combat during the battle of Luzon in Philippines in 1944 with an impact limited because available in small quantity. It was used in China by the 3rd Tank Division, and also saw combat with the 2nd Tank Division on Luzon. The HO-NI I could be employed as a self-propelled artillery piece (those on Luzon were part of the 2nd Mechanized Artillery Regiment), or as a combination tank destroyer and light assault gun (in which case a company of ten was included in a tank regiment). The production began in 1942 and finished in November 1943 on a total of only 124 specimens were built, all by Hitachi. U.S. wartime intelligence referred to the HO-NI I as the Type 2 75mm SP Gun.

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Japan Type 2 KA-MI Tu 37L aLT

At the beginning of 1928, Japanese imperial army had developed and tested several experimental amphibious tanks like the SR-II, Type 1 Mi-Sha or the Type 92 A-I-Go (some never exceeded the stage of the drawing board). The Imperial Japanese Army built three different types of amphibious tanks in the period 1933-41, but only as prototypes. In 1941 the Imperial Japanese Navy took over the development of such vehicles, and the next year produced the KA-MI—based loosely on the Type 95 HA-GO.
In 1940, the imperial navy enters in its turn in the dance, which gave birth two years later to Type 2 Ka-Mi. This tank was especially studied to assist the Japanese forces of landing during their conquest of the Pacific Islands. Indeed without port and adequate harbour equipment, amphibious tanks able to reach the beaches by themselves and to continue the combat in back-countries were more than necessary. However only 184 specimens of this amphibious tank will be produced as from 1942, mainly because of its complexity.
The KA-MI featured two multi-compartment pontoons of steel plate, one fore and one aft, attached to the hull by clamps opened remotely from inside the tank. The tank was prolonged in front and at rear by retractable steel pontoons. Propulsion and steering in water were provided by twin propellors and rudders. Another novelty for a Japanese tank was a MG mounted coaxially with the main gun. 180 were built, and were used by Special Naval Landing Force units. A few KA-MI saw action in the Japanese defense of the Philippines and various Pacific islands (e.g., Kwajalein and Saipan). Allied wartime intelligence sometimes referred to the KA-MI as the M2602.
The Ka-Mi was equiped wit a turret armed with a gun of 37 mm Type 1 with high muzzle velocity (701 m/s) and a machine-gun of 7.7 mm Type 97 on ball mount mounted on the left of the gun. Another machine-gun Type 97 armed the hull. The diesel engine of 120 hp allowed the tank to reach 37 km/h on ground and 10 km/h in water (by means of two propellers located at back of the hull). The tank was equipped with a radio and an intercom system for the crew.
Type 2 Ka-Mi began its military career after the period of expension and its many victorious landings. In was thus hardly used for the role for which it was conceived. The majority were assigned in the naval detachments in garrison in the southern Pacific and the Eastern Dutch Indies. Type 2 fought the American Marines in the Marshall, Mariana and Guam Islands. In Guam it was used as static buried fire station within Japanese defenses of island. 3 assisted the 1st special naval landing force of Yokosuka in Saipan.

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Japan Type 89 CHI-RO Tu 57* MT

The Type 89, accepted for service in 1929 and built by Mitsubishi from 1931, was the first tank of Japanese design to be mass-produced. The Type 89 evolved from Japan's first domestic tank project initiated by the Imperial Japanese Army's Osaka Technical Arsenal in 1925. The design was modeled after the Vickers Medium C which had been bought by the Japanese Army in March 1927.
Production of the Type 89 began in 1931 and it soon became the main battle tank of the Japanese Army. It was intended expressly for infantry support and first saw action during the 1932 "Shanghai Incident", being used there by a Special Naval Landing Force unit. Although the Type 89 was well regarded by the army, there were several small problems to be rectified, notably a gap under the mantlet on early models that allowed rifle fire to enter the turret. During production a wide variety of changes were made, including a revised front hull, redesigned turret, and (in 1936) the installation of an air-cooled diesel engine. The Type 89 model was the world's first mass-produced diesel engine tank.
The design of the Type 89 was relatively conventional with a forward-mounted gun turret carrying the main armament, a Type 90 57 mm gun that was complemented by two Type 91 6.5 mm machine guns. The Type 90 57 mm tank gun had a barrel length of 0.85 metres, angle of fire of −15 to 20 degrees, AZ angle of fire of 20 degrees, muzzle velocity of 380 m/s, and could penetrate of 20 mm of armor at 500 m. The short-barreled 57 mm gun was effective at destroying machine gun nests and its 15 mm armor, although thin, was enough to stop small arms fire. The relatively low speed of 25 km/h was not an issue in these types of operations. During the later stages of World War II, HEAT shells were developed to provide greater penetration of enemy armor.
Rather than using soft iron armor, the designers chose to use steel plate armor developed by the Nihon Seikosho Company. The type of armor was referred to as 'Niseko steel', an abbreviation of "Nihonseikosho". The Type 89 was driven through the rear drive sprocket and featured nine bogies, mounted in pairs on each side, with the forward bogie on an independent suspension. Five smaller return wheels were mounted along a steel girder. Later the Type 94 Mk 4 Hei (1934 model) radio communication device with a reverse L shape was installed.
The Type 89 served with Japanese infantry divisions and first saw combat use during the First Battle of Shanghai in 1932. By 1942 the Type 89 was gradually being withdrawn from front-line combat service, but many units saw action in the Battle of the Philippines, Battle of Malaya, and Burma campaign, and continued to be used in China. They were also often used in static defense positions in the Japanese-occupied islands of the Netherlands East Indies and in the South Seas Mandate. The 7th Independent Tank Company was still equipped with them in late 1944 when it fought against U.S. troops on Leyte. A platoon of Type 89 comprised three such AFV; a company, ten.

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Japan Type 92 I-KE 5-ton ht

The Japanese produced a variety of unarmored, full-tracked prime movers for their medium and heavy artillery. The Type 92 I-KE, developed in 1932, had a water-cooled gasoline engine and was used for towing the 105mm field gun. About 1938 a new version with an air-cooled diesel engine entered production. This was designated the Type 92B and the original model was renamed the Type 92A. The game piece also represents two other prime movers whose characteristics are similar to those of the I-KE: the Type 92 NI-KU 8-ton tractor, which appeared in A and B versions like the I-KE but was used for towing the 150mm howitzer; and the 6-ton Type 98 RO-KE, which towed the 105mm howitzer, 105mm gun or 150mm howitzer.
Shortly after the entry in production of the tankette Type 97 Te-Ke, a version not armed of this latter was developed to be used like transport of troop and transport of ammunition at the request of the Technical Office of the Army.
As for Type 1 Ho-Ki it was hardly appreciated by the army because too slow compared to the trucks and could not provide the mobility preached by the new tactics of modern infantry. Very few specimens were produced.
Type 98 So-Da could transport in addition to its two crewmen, 10 troopers or 1 ton of ammunition and another goods. It was seen on many fronts during the second Sino-Japanese war and the second world war like infantry support vehicle.
In 1941, Japanese army ordered the development of an armored artillery prime mover being able to be used if need be as transport of troop. Two different models were designed: a half-tracked vehicle, Type 1 Ho-Ha and a tracked vehicle, Type 1 Ho-Ki. However very few specimens were produced. In spite of the fact that the Japanese employ troops mechanized in China since the Thirties, armored transport was considered to be too slow compared to the standard trucks and in fact inapt to follow the modern tactics of infantry. As much from Japanese armored vehicles, this kind of vehicle suffered from the priority given to aviation and navy. When Ho-Ki was ready to start production, the destruction of installations and the shortages out of raw materials caused by the American bombardments did not allow any more one mass production. The rear was occupied by cargo area. If only one driver was required, the vehicle was in general controlled by two men who handled the movement of the two tracks by the means of a par of steering wheell. Cargo area could accomodate 13 troopers. As Ho-Ki was designed before-all like artillery prime mover, it had not rear access door to allow to tractor draw a gun. That prevented a fast evacuation of the troopers when the vehicle was used as carrier. The latter reached and evacuated the vehicle by two doors installed side by side on the left side of cargo area right behind the door of the steering cabin. No armament envisaged at the beginning, but it was always possible to mount a machine-gun behind the driver. The squadrons of Japanese infantry could mount their heavy machine gun Type 92 to this place.

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Type 92 Keisokosha Tu CMG Tt

In the late 1920s the Japanese studied the use of armored cars by the cavalry; however, due to the paucity of roads on the Asian mainland they decided to produce a full-tracked vehicle instead. Japan's army (like the US, French, British and Russian armies) tried various methods to integrate modern armor into their traditional horse cavalry formations. This resulted in the Type 92 Combat Car, one of the earliest AFV of welded construction and probably the very first to use an air-cooled engine. Exactly the same device was used in America with the M1 Combat Car.
Production was plagued by technical problems and in total only 167 units were built between 1932 and 1939. The Type 92 was not produced in large numbers and apparently was withdrawn from service by 1941. During production the suspension of the Type 92 was altered, but its tendency to shed tracks was never fully rectified. After some initial problems with the running gear, the Type 92 proved well suited for the rough terrain and poor roads of Manchuria and China, and was able to attain a speed of 40 km/h. The Type 92 used riveted and welded armor with a maximum thickness from 6 mm (in the hull) to 12 mm (in the turret). The thin armor enabled the weight to be kept to three tons; however, it could be penetrated by machine gun fire. The Type 92 was eventually replaced by the Type 94 tankette during the Second Sino-Japanese War, although both British and American sources often confused the two models.
In terms of armament, prior to 1937 the main weapons were twin machine guns. The early models had identical 6.5 mm machine guns, with one in the turret and one in the hull. Later, the primary weapon was a hull-mounted, manually aimed 13 mm Type 92 heavy machine gun, license-built from Hotchkiss. The weapon had limited traverse, but included a pivoting eyepiece on the gunsight optics and a high-angle mount, allowing anti-aircraft use. Secondary armament was a 6.5 mm Type 91 machine gun, replaced later by the 7.7 mm Type 97 light machine gun mounted in the manually traversed turret.
The Japanese nomenclature did not distinguish between the different versions. "Combat Car" is actually a loose translation of Jusokosha, which literally means "Heavy Armored Car". Alternatively, the Japanese sometimes referred to the Type 92 as a "Light Armored Vehicle" (Keisokosha), their equivalent of the term "Tankette".
Besides equipping the armored car company of certain cavalry brigades, the Type 92 served as a recon vehicle in some infantry divisions and was issued to a few tank units. The Type 92 tankette was deployed primarily with the Kwantung Army in Manchuria and the Chosen Army in Korea. The Manchukuo Imperial Army also received 30 Type 92s. The "late" Type 92 was deployed in Manchuria, April 1942. Notable actions in which the Type 92 participated included the Battle of Harbin with the 1st Cavalry Brigade and the Battle of Rehe with the 1st Special Tank Company of the 8th Division.

[asl3d]

Japan Type 92 Osaka Tu CMG AC

Given the very primitive road net in most of eastern Asia and the generally mountainous terrain of China, armored cars were not held in much favor by the Japanese. The design of the armored vehicle “Type 92” was developed in 1930-32. In the West it is usually referred to as the Osaka Armored Car. It apparently saw action only in very small numbers, and was probably little used outside China, but U.S. wartime intelligence does indicate that was encountered by the Allies in Burma. They employed a half-dozen or so different types (including some imported from the British) but generally they relegated their armored cars to combat in urban areas. Aside from the Type 91 Sumida it seems that most were built in such small numbers they could hardly even be called production vehicles. For this reason, each of the Japanese armored car types in the game is somewhat genericized to represent several vehicles with characteristics similar to the one actually named.
Experts from Osaka, as well as their colleagues from other companies, decided to use the easiest and most convenient way to build an armored car. They took the existing serial car chassis with suitable characteristics and installed on it the armor case of the desired configuration. The basis for the Osaka armored car was a commercial truck chassis with a lifting capacity of 2,5 t, which had the wheel formula 4 х2. The chassis had a traditional frame structure with a bonnet layout, which provided for the front installation of the engine and gearbox. The car was completed with a British-made Wolseley carburetor engine. 35 or 45 hp engine allowed the armored car to reach the highway speed to 60 km/h. Reverse speed does not exceed 6-6,5 km/h. The basic truck borrowed wheels with large-width spokes and pneumatic tires.
An original armor hull was developed that corresponded to the basic ideas of its time. Its basis was a skeleton of metal profiles, on top of which armor plates of the required configuration were fixed on rivets and bolts. The thickness of the armor was around 16 mm. On the horizontal part of the roof was placed a cylindrical tower, assembled on the basis of the frame. The forehead, sides and stern of the tower were a single surface. Osaka armored car could carry relatively powerful weapons in the form of two 3 Type machine guns or other rifle-caliber systems. In the case of the “Type 3” machine guns, the crew could fire at a rate of up to 400-450 rounds per minute

[asl3d]

Japan Type 94 Lorry 6x6 tr

Like other industrial nations, and interested by UK's own tests in the 1920s, Japan began motorizing its army and create motorized infantry regiments to go with its newly formed armoured regiments. Gradually, and especially until the end of the 1930s for operations in China, the Army purchased a variety of trucks to carry troops and supplies. This increased in WW2 with a variety of lorries and trucks built by mostly by Toyota, Nissan and Isuzu.
In 1925-27 Ford, Chrysler and GM set up manufacturing plants in Japan, and rapidly came to dominate that nation's domestic and military automotive scene. In fact, the Imperial Japan Army was forced to use quantities of American cars and trucks in its invasion of Manchuria in 1931. As the 1930s progressed, the Japanese government began the establishment of a strong domestic motor industry while at the same time passing a series of ever more restrictive laws regarding the production of foreign vehicles. As a result, by 1939 the U.S. manufacturers were forced out altogether and their facilities were taken over by the rapidly growing Japanese companies.
In 1931 the Imperial Japan Army purchased several British and Czech 6 x4 trucks which it turned over to domestic firms with the order to study the basic designs and develop their own version. This led to the Isuzu Type 94, which became the most widely used tactical truck of the Imperial Japan Army. It was produced in two main versions: the 94A with a gasoline engine and the diesel-powered 94B.
The Type 94 was initially developed in 1933 as part of the Imperial Japanese Army's program to sponsor independent motor companies, in order to provide the army with a reliable truck platform. This was to counter the already tested existing civilian lorries which had poor performance in the field. Isuzu showed their design and a prototype was tested and eventually accepted in 1934. This sturdy 6x6 configuration gave all satisfaction in terms of range, reliability, and most important, off-road capabilities.
The Type 94 was a 6x6 army truck design, fitted with an Otsu diesel engine that was capable of propelling it at speeds of up to 60 km/h while preserving range. The vehicle itself neither unarmed and unarmored, but carried two spare tires on the side for maintenance. The crew comprised single driver and the practical payload was 1,300 kgs of cargo, or and infantry platoon. Total weight was around 4,800 kilograms, total length 5.3 metres. Its army requirements design made it, unlike its civilian-based predecessors, highly reliable in the field and very capable of traveling cross country, helped also by a high clearance, to traverse the rough jungle terrain where it mostly served. Variants built during the war included an optional gasoline engine, a soft top and hard top conversions for the driver cabin roof.
The Type 94 served abundantly in China and used widely across the Pacific Theater. Its performances were praised already in the late 1930s and was quickly adopted as the standard truck of the Imperial Japanese army. It served throughout until 1945 while thousands had been produced.

[GiveWarAchance]

Those vehicles look very good, very IJA-ish.
The tank actually looks cute and must be fun to operate.

[GiveWarAchance]

Really cool vehicles looking at more them.
That Type 2 KA MI looks like an improved version of the American DUKW cause it is much more sturdy and better armed for the same amphib role.

[asl3d]

I wish you a .....

[asl3d]

Japan Type 94 Te-Ke Tu CMG Tt

This tankette resulted from a requirement for a very small armored vehicle with good cross-country ability, to be used for the resupply of frontline troops and garrisons in hostile areas. To this end it was designed to tow a fully-tracked trailer, and for self defense it had a turreted MG on the rear of the superstructure.
The development of this small tracked vehicle was entrusted to Tokyo Gas and Electric Industry in 1933, and was equipped of a turret armed with a single machine-gun and could tractor draw a trailer of ammunition. It was baptized Tokushu Keninsha or Te-Ke (Special Tractor) and entered in service in 1935. Type 94 was assembled by riveting and welding and its very light shielding could not offer to the crew that a relative protection even against the small caliber weapons. The enginewas a Mitsubishi Type 94 gasoline with 4 cylinders developed 35 hp and allowed the tank to reach 40 km/h on road. The first vehicles were armed with a single machine-gun of 6.5 mm Type 91, replaced later by a machine-gun of 7.7 mm Type 92 supplied with 1980 rounds.
The suspension consisted of each side in two bogies with two double rubber road-wheels. These bogies were suspended by bell-cranks which converted a vertical movement into horizontal movement absorptive by horizontally assembled compressors. The sprocket-wheels were placed in front and idlers to the back. There was on each side two return rollers. Type 94 tended to lose its tracks at high speed. On the last models, idlers of largeer diameter in contact with the ground will be installed, without really to solve this problem. Those produced from 1936 had a revised suspension and the chassis was lengthened. Vis-a-vis the American and British tanks this vehicle had truly no chance of survival and even less victory.
Type 94 was a vehicle not expensive to produce and it was thus produced in great number for a Japanese tank: 823 specimens (1935-1937). Beginning in 1935, selected infantry divisions received a company of 6 (later 10) Type 94. A tankette platoon normally comprised three such AFV. Since these divisions normally had no other AFV under direct command, their tankettes came to be used mostly for reconnaissance and infantry support. Eventually a number of infantry regiments also acquired their own tankette companies (probably when the division's tankette company was updated with Type 95 HA-GO light tanks). Tankettes were used as command/liaison vehicles as well. Type 94 were employed widely during the early part of the war, but most ended their days dug in as not particularly effective pillboxes. At the beginning of the second world war a big number of these small tanks were in service in Japanese infantry divisions operating in the Pacific. It took part in the battles of Burma, Dutch Eastern Indies, Philippines and the southern Pacific Islands. This vehicle was also used by the Japanese navy within its terrestrial forces. Type 94 was still in service in 1945.