Pacific, Heroes and Leaders mod Expansion

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Type 89A/B Chi-Ro

Part III

The oval turret of the Type 89A accomodated the last crewmen: the commander sitting on the right and the gunner sitting on the left. The commander laid out a small cupola in the shape of flower pot girdled of slits of vision, where it could just pass its head. The access to the turret was done via the trap door in two parts installed on the roof. Another small hatch was present on the right of the turret towards the back (surely for the loading of the ammunition). On the left of the turret one found a circular port for evacuation of the casings. The gun of the Type 89A was one 57 mm Type 90 L/18.5 with short barrel putting at fire piercing rounds with an initial muzzle velocity of 380 m/s (could bore only 20 mm of shielding already at 500 m away). The machine-gun of turret, one 6.5 mm Type 91 on ball mount was installed at the back.
The turret of the Type 89B Type was largely modified. Indeed the rear machine-gun was moved on the left side to be able to install a broad cupola of commander deforming all thus the back of turret. The hatch of the right side was replaced at the back of the turret. On the roof the access hatch was cancelled because the cupola had already a 2-part accec hatch. The gun was preserved in spite of a modified mounting.

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Type 89A/B Chi-Ro

Part IV

The rear compartment accomodated the Daimer engine of 6 cylinders du Type 89A. This gasoline engine developed only 118 hp and allowed the tank to reach only 25 km/h maximum on road, which was not too serious for a tank of infantry. The rear deck and the rear part of the hull were constellated with multiple access hatches and grids of ventilation. The exhaust was installed on the left of the engine compartment on the mudguard. Two loops of towings were present on the rear part of the hull.
The outside of the engine compartment on the Type 89B was hardly modified (a hatch moreover), but accomodated a diesel engine Mitsubishi A6120VD of 6 cylinders, developing 120 hp wich not changed the performances of the tank.
The suspension of Type 89 included on each side 9 road-wheels, in two double sets of road-wheels assembled per pairs, in bogies suspended by leaf springs, supplemented by a road-wheel with independent suspension in front. This suspension was protected by armored plates. The sprocket-wheel was located in front and the idler (also toothed) at the back. The suspension was supplemented by 5 return rollers.
On the Type 89B, the suspension included only 4 return rollers, two new types of sprocket-wheel and idler and new armored skirts. The tracks (of the two models) had a width of 305 mm and included 80 links each one. The links did not have guides, the double road-wheels wrapped them simply.

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Type 89A/B Chi-Ro

Part V

The shielding of Type 89 was assembled by bolting. The thickness was very low: only of 17 mm for the vertical parts! It had become completely insufficient at the official entry in war of Japan in late 1941. However during the Sino-Japanese war in the Thirties, the Japanese tanks did not meet any anti-tank weapon in the Chinese rows, and thus did not encounter any particular problem.
Initial model propelled by a gasoline Daimler engine. The bow machine-gun and hatch are located on the right. It was produced to 200 specimens.
Model equipped with a diesel engine Mitsubishi A6120VD of 120 hp and a turret modified with cupola of commander. It was produced to 189 specimens. The front part was also characteristic with a glacis lengthened where the machine-gun and the hatch was placed on the left.

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Type 97 Chi-Ha

Part I

As often with Japan, the idea d' a new medium tank was born into the technical services of the command of the Japanese army and not into the services in charge of the operations. Type 89 up to that point in service in the Japanese army became increasingly obsolete compared to the European innovations, equipped with a better shielding, a better armament and especially faster. Two different projects were launched: plan 1 of 13.5t of Mitsubishi and Plan 2 of 10t of the Arsenal of Osaka. The two prototypes were finalized and presented in 1937 under designations of " Chi-Ha" and " Chi-Ni".
In fact the Chi-ha was chosen, although the Office of the operations preferred the Chi-Ni, with its one-man turret, less expensive to produce. However the beginning of the hostilities in China required a larger and powerful tank, which gave favours to the Chi-ha. Two prototypes different of Chi-ha were presented. The first had partial covering wheels, the second had a suspension inherited the Type 94 tankettes and light tanks Type 95 including 3 double bogies (each side) connected by bent arms which operated on the horizontal springs. On the standard vehicles, this last suspension was preserved for the central unit although the former and posterior wheels were suspended independently.

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Type 97 Chi-Ha

Part II

The Type 97 was produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at a rate of 1224 specimens, per Hitachi Industries at a rate of 335 specimens and per the Army Arsenal (Sagami) at a rate of 564 specimens. On a total of 2123 specimens, 1162 were standard model Chi-ha, 930 specimens of the model Shinhoto Chi-ha and 31 specimens were used as a basis for special vehicles. The production finished at the end of 1943, because the production of a new medium tank, Type 1 Chi-He, came to be ordinate.
The front of the Type 97 was occupied by the transmission (5 speeds: 4/1) and the final commands which made function the front sprocket-wheels. The steering mechanism was of the type clutch-brake with the differential gears. Unit was accessible by two hatches assembled on hinges on the glacis. The nose was also equipped with a loop of towing.
The crew was composed of 4 men; the driver and the bow machine gunner took seat in the compartment of steering in the superstructure. The driver was located on the right, his station making saillent on the frontal plate of the superstructure; whereas the machine gunner was located on the left. The bow machine-gun was one 7.7 mm Type 97 on ball mount. The driver for his vision had three slits of vision on the saillent. The frontal slit was located on a driver's window which remained open except situation of combat.

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Type 97 Chi-Ha

Part III

The remainder of the crew, the commander-gunner and the loader of the gun took seat in the turret. The main armament was constitued of a short 57 mm Type 97 gun. This weapon had a low muzzle velocity considered to be however sufficient for an infantry support use. Armament of the turret was supplemented by a machine-gun of 7.7 mm Type 97 on ball mount at the back of the turret. This machine-gun could be dismounted and reinstalled on the roof of the turret for the anti-aircraft defence. Access to the turret was done via the commander's cupola (drum type), provided of a circular hatch assembled on hinge. This hatch was provided of a rotary periscope.
Although the turret could swivel on 360°, the gun could swivel individually of 10° on each side thanks to one second pair of trunnions. The radio was installed in the turret and the antenna was mounted on the left side of the roof. On the tanks of command, circular antenna-frames, making the turn partly of the turret, was assembled on the roof.

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Type 97 Chi-Ha

Part IV

During the Nomonhan Incident against Soviet Union, the 57 mm Type 97 showed all its limits against the Russian tanks however armed with guns of 45 mm which caused heavy losses to the Japanese. The high muzzle velocity of the Russian gun compared to the weak muzzle velocity of the Japanese gun was the cause. The Japanese thus decided to develop a new more powerful gun. The new gun of 47 mm which was finalized in 1941, was based on the Soviet anti-tank gun of 45 mm and also influenced by the German 37 mm Pak 36. Although a lower caliber than the 57 mm Standard 97, this new gun had a longer tube and thus a muzzle velocity quite higher and a much better capacity of penetration of shielding.
To accomodate this new gun, a new turret (Shinhoto) was necessary. It was taken on the new medium tank Type 1 Chi-He. It was equipped of a lengthened rear part, always armed with a 7.7 mm Type 97 machine-gun. The commander's cupola (drum type) was provided with a circular hatch in two parts, assembled on hinges. The loader laid out from now of two hatches assembled on hinges located on the left cupola. Another hatch assembled on hinges was located at the back of the turret.
The rear compartment accomodated the engine, fuel tanks and cooling system (air). It was accessible via two side hatches mounted on hinges and a central hatch also assembled on hinges on the rear deck. This central hatch also accomodated a grid of ventilation. Another hatch assembled on hinges was located on the back glacis. The rear compartment was flanked on each side by a exhaust. The hull rear plate of the engine compartment had two loops of towing.

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Type 97 Chi-Ha

Part V

The engine of the Type 97 was Mitsubishi V-12 Type 97 diesel developing 170 hp. On paper theoretical maximum speed was of 42 km/h but on the ground it was limited to 38 km/h to avoid overheatings of the engine and the rubber of the road-wheels.
The suspension of the Type 97 was constitued of a double sprocket-wheel in front, a double idler at rear, 3 double return-rollers and six double road-wheels with rubber edgings. The 4 central road-wheels were assembled on 2 bogies connected by a bent arm which operated a horizontal spring. The 2 other road-wheels had an individual suspension.
The shielding of the Type 97 was assembled by bolting. It was thick from 16 to 33 mm for the frontal shielding, from 9 to 26 mm for the side shielding, from 20 to 26 mm for the back shielding and from 8 to 19 mm for the horizontal shielding. If these thicknesses were acceptable at the end of the Thirties, it had become completely insufficient two years later, easily penetrated by the enemy anti-tank guns even of low caliber.
Model of origin, with the small 2-man turret armed with a 57 mm Type 97 gun with short barrel and weak muzzle velocity (384 m/s).

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Type 97 Chi-Ha

Part VI

Improved model, equipped with new turret (Shinhoto) lengthened, armed with a 47 mm Type 97 gun with long barrel and high muzzle velocity. This gun was much more effective than the 57 mm Type 97. It could fire piercing shell with a muzzle velocity of 930 m/s and penetrate 68 mm of shielding to 457 m (500 yards). This program was hardly supported and at its startup in 1942, Shinhoto Chi-ha had become completely obsolete compared to of American Sherman and Soviet T-34.
The version of command of the Shinhoto-Chi-ha had a dumb gun.
Shi-Ki was a version of command equipped with aditionnal radio and sight material. A gun of 37 mm or 57 mm was installed in the place of the bow machine-gun.

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Type 1 Chi-He

Part I

At the beginning of the second world war, the standard Japanese medium tank, the Type 97 Chi-ha had become completely obsolete because lower than its contemporary adversaries on the Allies side, even the light tank M3 Stuart. The weak swiftness of its short gun of 57 mm could not penetrate the shielding of the enemy tanks whereas the vulnerability of its own shielding to the enemy guns was extremely large. In order to replace the type 97, a whole series of medium tanks were developed by the Japanese: the first of the list being Type 1 Chi-He.
Chi-He made its appearance in 1941 but its production did not begin before 1943 because of the little interest caused by the tanks near Japanese Imperial army. A total of 170 specimens were built by Mitsubishi J and Sagami RZ in 1943-1944. These tanks remained in Japan to defend the archipelago and thus were never seen into the combat before the intervention of the atomic bomb. However some Type 1 were used by the 2nd Division during the battle of Leyte in Philippines during the last moments of the war in the Pacific.

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Type 1 Chi-He

Part II

Type 1 was slightly larger than the Type 97 and was equipped with a thicker frontal shielding,assembled by weldings and either by rivets. It was propelled by a diesel engine Mitsubishi Type 100 developing 240 hp in order to compensate the increase in the shielding and thus in the weight. Type 1 was armed with a gun of 47 mm Type 1 with high velocity, equipped of a barrel of 2.25 m and an initial muzzle velocity of 810 m/s. This swiftness got for Type 1 a capacity of penetration of shielding of 55 mm to more than 100 m and of 30 mm to more than 1000 m, which represented more of the double of the performances of the short gun of the Type 97 Chi-ha. In spite of these improvements, Type 1 of 47 mm was always ineffective against the Allied shieldings in 1941.

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Type 1 Chi-He

Part III

The gun took place in a triplace turret lately conceived which provided space for the integration of a loader. Let us note that this turret also equipped the Type 97 Shinhoto (new turret) Chi-ha and the Type 3 Ka-Chi Amphibian.
Although higher than the Type 97 Chi-ha and also than the Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-ha, Type 1 Chi-He remained well in low of the capacities of protection and destruction of the standard American medium tank, M4 Sherman.
An anti-aircraft version, Type 1 Ta-Ha, equipped with a gun of 37 mm anti-aircraft in the place of the gun of 47 mm was designed but never started production.

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Type 2 Ho-I

Part I

The infantry support tank Type 2 Ho-I was developed on the basis of Type 1 Chi-He. In fact it was more one self-propelled gun for the close combat that a traditional battle tank. It was to also to assist the Type 97 Chi-ha vis-a-vis the allied armored tanks. After a first attempt to adapt the 75 mm Type 41 of mountain on the chassis of the Type 97 Chi-Ha. However in April 1941, the choice was related to the 75 mm Type 99 for tanks. When the Japanese started to meet on the battle fields of the Pacific and Asia as from 1942, the American tanks M4 Sherman and M3 Stuart, they had anything comparable to oppose to them. It was thus decided to widen the field of actions of Ho-I to the anti-tank missions by providing piercing projectiles to the 75 mm Type 99.

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Type 2 Ho-I

Part II

In addition to the 75 mm Type 99 in turret, Ho-Hi was also armed with a machine-gun of 7.7 mm Type 97 on the hull. The turret was entirely swivelling what allowed to use of Type 2 Ho-I as traditional battle tank also. With if not, the chassis was that designed for Type 1 Chi-He. Because of problems of delivery of material (because of the bombardments), the production of Ho-I was limited to 30 specimens and at the end of 1944, the program was cancelled. All Ho-Is were retained in archipelago to defend the nation against a future American invasion. They were never used into the combat.

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Type 3 Chi-Nu

Part I


The medium tank Type 3 Chi-Nu was especially designed to thwart M4 Sherman American. The Technical Office worked already on another medium tank, the Type 4 Chi-To with a same aim but the delays and the problems in the development required the development of a simpler solution and more rapid to be realized. The development of Chi-Nu started in May 1943 and was finalized in October of the same year. The little interest of Japanese staffs for the tanks delayed the setting in production until in 1944. Moreover American bombardments caused great shortages on equipment and materials supply.

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Type 3 Chi-Nu

Part II

The Chi-Nu was produced at 166 specimens in 1944-1945. The Chi-Nu one was the last tank brought into service by the Japanese army. The Chi-Nu used the same hull that Chi-He but was equipped with a new three-seater turret accomodating the gun of 75 mm Type 3 L/38.4 (2.88 m long barrel). This gun had an initial muzzle velocity of 680 m/s and a capacity of penetration of 90 mm to more than 100 m and of 65 m to more than 1000 m. This gun was developed starting from the gun of 75 mm Type 90 based on the French mountain gun of 75 mm Schneider 1919. Type 3 remained in Japanese archipelago to push back American invasion projected in 1945. They were versed in 6 regiments (the 3rd and 4th armored division) on Kyushu and Honshu. Japan capitulated before American terrestrial invasion and thus, the Type 3 Chi-Nu was never used into the combat.

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Type 4 Chi-To

Part I

The development of the medium tank Type 4 Chi-To began in 1942, when it was obvious that the Type 97 Chi-ha was not size to face to American M4 Sherman. As for the majority of the projects of tanks that of Type 4 suffered from the lack of interest of Japanese staff and the development did not start really before the beginning of 1944. For this project the new German tanks as the Panther were studied and German consultants were brought to Japan to take part in the project. The first prototype was finalized in 1944, at one time or the shortages and the delays were legions in the Japanese industry because of the American bombardments. However the plans of production envisaged a rate of 25 tanks per month in two establishments by Mitsubishi. In 1945, only 6 chassis could be supplemented.

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Type 4 Chi-To

Part II

Chi-To weighed approximately 30 tons, which was enormous for a Japanese tank, mainly because of the increase to 75 mm of the frontal shielding. Broader and more length that the chassis of the Type 97, that of Type 4 accomodated one 7th wheel placed in 5th position. Type 4 was the Japanese version of the German Panther. Principal armament was consisted of the gun of 75 mm Type 4 developed starting from the 75 mm Type 88 anti-aircraft (itself a copy of a Vickers AA gun of the Twenties). The gun was mounted in a broad hexagonal turret equipped with a coaxial machine-gun. Another machine-gun was installed on the hull. A third machine-gun could be installed on the roof of the turret for the anti-aircraft defence. Only 2 tanks could be supplemented before the end of the war and both remained in the country to counter the invasion of Japan by the Americans. The Japanese decision makers plugged by their last illusions imagined the creation of broad armored divisions made up of Type 4 Chi-To which would drive back the Americans to the sea. The invasion was not necessary and none of the two finalized tanks fired the least shell.

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Type 5 Chi-Ri

Part I

The medium tank Type 5 Chi-Ri was completed that a only one specimen in May 1945. The project was finally abandoned with the profit of the Type 4 Chi-To smaller and easier to produce. As for this last the development of Type 5 was very slow because of the shortages in Japanese industry ravaged by the American bombardments. The Chi-Ri was in fact a lengthened version of Chi-To with tilted shielding assembled by weldings and included an eighth road-wheel. It was to be at the origin propelled by a diesel engine. But like any rather powerful diesel engine was still available, it was replaced by a gasoline aircraft engine, BMW of 550 hp. The Chi-Ri was equipped with the same gun of 75 mm Type 4 as Chi-To for the prototype.

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Type 5 Chi-Ri

Part II

The models of production were to receive the 88 mm Type 99 anti-aircraft. A gun of 37 mm Type 1 was installed with a coaxial machine-gun of 7.7 mm on the hull. Another machine-gun of 7.7 mm was installed on the left side of the turret. Possibility also to mount an anti-aircraft machine-gun on the roof of the turret. This tank was designed to counter the invasion of Japanese archipelago by the Americans, within great armored divisions. The end of the war will put a term at the project without the Chi-Ri not being able to fire only one shell. With the Type 4 Chi-To, the type 5 Chi-Ri could have constituted a much better adversary for M4 Sherman. An anti-tank version, the Type 97 Ho-Ri, was also considered, equipped with a gun of 105 mm in a broad frontal or rear superstructure according to the model. The auxiliary gun of 37 mm was preserved.