Type 1 Ho-Ni I
Encyclopedia
The
was a tank destroyer
developed by the Imperial Japanese Army
for use during World War II
in the Pacific theater
.
medium tank
s, such as the M4 Sherman
. The Japanese Type 97 Chi-Ha
main battle tank
lacked sufficient armor or armament to deal with this threat, and work was begun on a tank destroyer version.
The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was developed by utilizing the existing Type 97 chassis and engine, and replacing the gun turret
with a 75 mm Type 90 Field Gun
mounted in an open casemate
with frontal and side armour only, which made it very vulnerable in close combat. The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was designed to operate as self-propelled artillery
in the armored divisions. The design had no provision for machine gun
s, and although looking very similar to early German Panzerjäger
tank destroyers, the Type 1 Ho-Ni I was designed to operate at ranges of up to 12,000 meters.
The mounting for the 75mm Type 90 field gun allowed for ten degrees of traverse and elevation from -5 to +25 degrees. The Type 1 Ho-Ni I carried 54 rounds of ammunition.
The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was produced in small quantities between 1941 and November 1943, until superseded by the Type 2 Ho-Ni II with its Type 91 105mm howitzer. The total number produced was only 124 units.
and diesel engine
were used. The armaments were all removed and replaced by the 75 mm Type 90 Field Gun, which was surrounded on three sides by 50 mm thick armored plates. Armor overall (one of the weak points of the Type 97) was beefed up by an addition 16 mm of armor plate.
in the Philippines
in 1944, with limited success, but it was not available in any numbers to make an impact on the Battle of the Philippines. Most of the remaining units were retained within the Japanese home islands to form part of the defenses against the projected American invasion
, and did not see combat before the surrender of Japan
.
, 2nd Armored Artillery Regiment was captured by the US Army 37th Infantry Division on Luzon
on April 6, 1945 as is currently preserved at the United States Army Ordnance Museum
, Aberdeen, Maryland
.
was a tank destroyer
Tank destroyer
A tank destroyer is a type of armored fighting vehicle armed with a gun or missile launcher, and is designed specifically to engage enemy armored vehicles...
developed by the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
for use during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the Pacific theater
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
.
History and development
After the start of the Pacific War, units of the Imperial Japanese Army began to encounter advanced AlliedAllies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
medium tank
Medium tank
Medium tank was a classification of tanks; the medium being intermediate in size and weight and armament between heavy tanks and light tanks.The medium tank concept has been eclipsed by the main battle tank.-History:...
s, such as the M4 Sherman
M4 Sherman
The M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
. The Japanese Type 97 Chi-Ha
Type 97 Chi-Ha
The was a medium tank used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Nomonhan against the Soviet Union, and in the Second World War. It was the most widely produced Japanese medium tank of World War II, although the armor protection was considered as average in the 1930s...
main battle tank
Main battle tank
A main battle tank , also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the heavy direct fire role of many modern armies. They were originally conceived to replace the light, medium, heavy and super-heavy tanks. Development was spurred onwards in the Cold War with the development...
lacked sufficient armor or armament to deal with this threat, and work was begun on a tank destroyer version.
The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was developed by utilizing the existing Type 97 chassis and engine, and replacing the gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
with a 75 mm Type 90 Field Gun
75 mm Type 90 Field Gun
The was a field gun used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War, Soviet-Japanese Border Wars and World War II. It was intended to replace the Type 38 75 mm Field Gun in front line combat units, but due to operational and budgetary constraints, the Type 38 continued to be...
mounted in an open casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
with frontal and side armour only, which made it very vulnerable in close combat. The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was designed to operate as self-propelled artillery
Self-propelled artillery
Self-propelled artillery vehicles are combat vehicles armed with artillery. Within the term are covered self-propelled guns and rocket artillery...
in the armored divisions. The design had no provision for machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s, and although looking very similar to early German Panzerjäger
Panzerjäger
Panzerjäger was a branch of service of the Wehrmacht during the Second World War which were the anti-tank arm-of-service who operated anti-tank artillery, and made exclusive use of the tank destroyers which were also named Panzerjäger...
tank destroyers, the Type 1 Ho-Ni I was designed to operate at ranges of up to 12,000 meters.
The mounting for the 75mm Type 90 field gun allowed for ten degrees of traverse and elevation from -5 to +25 degrees. The Type 1 Ho-Ni I carried 54 rounds of ammunition.
The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was produced in small quantities between 1941 and November 1943, until superseded by the Type 2 Ho-Ni II with its Type 91 105mm howitzer. The total number produced was only 124 units.
Design
Technical details for the Type 1 were identical to that of the Type 97 in that the same chassis, suspensionSuspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
and diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
were used. The armaments were all removed and replaced by the 75 mm Type 90 Field Gun, which was surrounded on three sides by 50 mm thick armored plates. Armor overall (one of the weak points of the Type 97) was beefed up by an addition 16 mm of armor plate.
Combat record
The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was first deployed in combat at the Battle of LuzonBattle of Luzon
The Battle of Luzon was a land battle fought as part of the Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II by the Allied forces of the U.S., its colony The Philippines, and Mexico against forces of the Empire of Japan. The battle resulted in a U.S. and Filipino victory...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in 1944, with limited success, but it was not available in any numbers to make an impact on the Battle of the Philippines. Most of the remaining units were retained within the Japanese home islands to form part of the defenses against the projected American invasion
Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan. The operation had two parts: Operation...
, and did not see combat before the surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
.
Survivors
A Type 1 Ho-Ni I from the IJA 2nd Armored Division2nd Tank Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
The , was one of four armored divisions of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II.-History:The 2nd Tank Division was raised in Manchukuo on March 24, 1942....
, 2nd Armored Artillery Regiment was captured by the US Army 37th Infantry Division on Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
on April 6, 1945 as is currently preserved at the United States Army Ordnance Museum
United States Army Ordnance Museum
The U.S. Army Ordnance Museum is a museum that is in the process of being re-located to Fort Lee, in Fort Lee, Virginia. Its previous building—at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Maryland—was closed in September 2010, although many outdoor exhibits are still accessible to the...
, Aberdeen, Maryland
Aberdeen, Maryland
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,842 people, 5,475 households, and 3,712 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,166.2 people per square mile . There were 5,894 housing units at an average density of 922.4 per square mile...
.