Type 4 and 5 Japanese ww2 tanks

[T-50]

Hi guys everybody knows the German PKW5 and 6 Panther and Tiger and Josef Stalin 1 and 2 battle tanks.
But Japan was also developing a new generation battle tanks to counter the US treat of Sherman and Pershing tanks
I wonder if there are any info about this tank designs of the Japanese imperial army,they were become a lot more lethal than the previous generation of Japanese tanks.
I think we can discuss a lot of these two new generation WW2 Japanese tanks

 

[eltf177]

The wikipedia article on Type 5 isn't correct about armament. For one thing the prototype did have a bow-mounted 37mm cannon but wasn't to be on the production models from what I've read.

Also, did Japan ever plan to build the German 88mm cannon? I'm making a reasonable assumption that they got the plans at some point but I've never read anything else about any attempt to build copies. One source said the Type 5 was to be armed with either the Type 98 cannon (a copy of the German 88mm) or a copy of the IJN's 100mm (3.94-inch) cannon. Personally I lean towards the latter as this weapon was already in production.

 

[JFC Fuller]

Japan had its own 88mm

Type 99 88 mm AA gun - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There was to be a self propelled AT gun version of the Type 5 that is qouted to have carried a 105mm but in this case the 100mm is a definite possibility.

Did they ever intend to put the 105mm in a proper turret or just in an SPG format?

 

[eltf177]

Never saw that article before, thanks for the link.

The IJA did develop a 105mm tank weapon. A few years ago I did some digging to find out more about this weapon. Two prototypes were built, one of which is still in existance at Eta Jima (Japan's West Point). It was to have armed the SPG version of the Type 5 (can't recall the name right now) and IIRC one or two other designs on the drawing board. I couldn't find any proof but I'm fairly sure this weapon was developed from their towed 105mm cannon (some of which were used on Battan and against Corrigedor).

 

[T-50]

Nice and interesting info guys thanks!

 

[eltf177]

Did they ever intend to put the 105mm in a proper turret or just in an SPG format?

The SPG version of the Type 5 apparently had two configurations. The first (and the one ususally seen) strongly resembled the German 'Elefant" SPG (based on the Tiger I), a second had the fighting compartment in the center and engine at the rear, strongly resembling the German Jagdtiger (based on the Tiger II).

IIRC there were no plans to put it in a turret, I've seen a number of fan designs that do though.

 

[ninjrk]

AJ Press has a five volume series on Japanese tanks and both of these are well covered in the 4th volume, including the SPG versions.

Matt

 

[eltf177]

Here are drawings of the proposed Ho-Ri SPG's.

Also, I'd forgotten about the Type 100 O-I supertank which did have a turreted 105mm cannon. I've actually read that a prototype was built and sent to Manchuria for testing, but I never quite believed that.

 

[tom!]

Hi.

All AFAIK:


The Type 99 88 mm aa-gun was developed from german 88 mm naval aa-guns, captured in China in 1937/38.

Did they ever intend to put the 105mm in a proper turret or just in an SPG format?

As far as I read were there were plans to upgun the Type 5 Tank Chi-Ri with the Type 5 105 mm gun in 1946.

....

The IJA did develop a 105mm tank weapon. A few years ago I did some digging to find out more about this weapon. Two prototypes were built, one of which is still in existance at Eta Jima (Japan's West Point). It was to have armed the SPG version of the Type 5 (can't recall the name right now) and IIRC one or two other designs on the drawing board. I couldn't find any proof but I'm fairly sure this weapon was developed from their towed 105mm cannon (some of which were used on Battan and against Corrigedor).

Following several "Ground Power " and "Gakken" publications this gun was developed from the successor of the Type 92 105 mm gun which was developed from 1938 on but never adopted.

Besides the "Ho-Ri" there was a Tank hunter/SPG had the development designation "Ka-To" (= short for "10 cm gun carrier", an infantry version only) which was similar to the german "Marder" tank-hunters

Yours

tom!