Type 4 Chi-To
Encyclopedia
The was one of several new medium tank
s developed by the Imperial Japanese Army
towards the end of World War II
. The Type 4 Chi-To was by far the most advanced Japanese
wartime tank to reach the production phase. The war ended before the Type 4 tank could see combat, however, and only two were completed.
. The new tank was similar in appearance to the Type 97, but was significantly larger. The first prototype was delivered in 1944; the Type 4 was the most advanced Japanese tank to reach production. Production was hampered by material shortages, and by the bombing of Japan in World War II
; and plans of mass-production by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
at a rate of 25 units per month at two different sites could not be realized. By 1945, only six chassis had been produced, from which only two tanks were completed.
Only two Type 4 Chi-To tanks were completed prior to the end of the war
, with an additional four nearing completion. By this point in the war, Japan no longer had the resources that would allow for the shipment of heavy vehicles overseas, and the Type 4 Chi-To were earmarked for the final defenses of the Japanese home islands against the expected Allied invasion
. Army planners envisioned large armored divisions equipped with the Type 4 Chi-To driving the invaders back into the sea, but the war came to an end before more units could be completed and neither of the two completed units were used in combat.
tank. This gave it a top speed of 28 miles per hour (12.5 m/s). The main armament consisted of a long-barreled Type 5 75 mm tank gun, which was based on the Type 88 75 mm AA Gun
. The gun was mounted in a large, hexagonal turret
. A single 7.7mm machine gun
was mounted in the hull.
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 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...
towards the end of 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...
. The Type 4 Chi-To was by far the most advanced Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
wartime tank to reach the production phase. The war ended before the Type 4 tank could see combat, however, and only two were completed.
History and development
Development of the Type 4 Chi-To began in 1943, as an intended successor to the Type 97-kai ShinhotoType 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...
. The new tank was similar in appearance to the Type 97, but was significantly larger. The first prototype was delivered in 1944; the Type 4 was the most advanced Japanese tank to reach production. Production was hampered by material shortages, and by the bombing of Japan in World War II
Strategic bombing during World War II
Strategic bombing during World War II is a term which refers to all aerial bombardment of a strategic nature between 1939 and 1945 involving any nations engaged in World War II...
; and plans of mass-production by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...
at a rate of 25 units per month at two different sites could not be realized. By 1945, only six chassis had been produced, from which only two tanks were completed.
Only two Type 4 Chi-To tanks were completed prior to the end of the war
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...
, with an additional four nearing completion. By this point in the war, Japan no longer had the resources that would allow for the shipment of heavy vehicles overseas, and the Type 4 Chi-To were earmarked for the final defenses of the Japanese home islands against the expected Allied 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...
. Army planners envisioned large armored divisions equipped with the Type 4 Chi-To driving the invaders back into the sea, but the war came to an end before more units could be completed and neither of the two completed units were used in combat.
Design
The Type 4 Chi-To was a thirty-ton, all-welded medium tank with a maximum armor thickness of about 75 millimetres (3 in) on the frontal plates. The tank was 20.75 feet (6.3 m) long, 9.4 feet (2.9 m) long, and 9.5 feet (2.9 m) wide. The Type 4 had a crew of five men. The tracks were supported by seven road wheels. It was powered by a 400 hp engine, which was significantly more powerful than the 240 hp engine of the Type 3 Chi-NuType 3 Chi-Nu
The was another improvement over the Type 97 Chi-Ha line of medium tanks of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. The Type 3 Chi-Nu mounted one Type 3 75 mm Tank Gun, one of the largest guns ever to be fitted on a World War II Japanese tank....
tank. This gave it a top speed of 28 miles per hour (12.5 m/s). The main armament consisted of a long-barreled Type 5 75 mm tank gun, which was based on the Type 88 75 mm AA Gun
Type 88 75 mm AA Gun
The was an anti-aircraft gun used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. It replaced the earlier Type 11 75 mm AA Gun in front line combat service, and at the time was equal in performances to any of its contemporaries in western armies and was...
. The gun was mounted in a large, hexagonal 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...
. A single 7.7mm 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....
was mounted in the hull.
Further reading
- Gander, Terry J. (1995). Jane's Tanks of World War II. Harper Collins. ISBN 0-00-470847-4