Japanese tanks of the interwar years ?

Skua · Jun 15, 2005

How did Japanes tanks of the early thirties, and the Type 89 in particular, compare to British, French and Soviet designs of the same period ?

tom! · Jun 21, 2005

Hi.

I recently wrote an article on the early japanese tanks:

From the strategy wargames forum:

Early tanks

Japan imported a british Mark IV around 1920 and was very impressed about the abilities of such a vehicle.

As the japanese industry wasn´t able to produce such high tech the army tried to buy samples of european tanks to get ideas how to built and how to use tanks. But the economic problems after the war´s end new projects were rare and also top secret. So only some Renault FT 17 could be bought from the french which were allied with Japan at this time. The FT 17 were introduced as type 79 Ko-Gata and equipped with a type 3 hmg.

Great Britain offered some Whippet tanks which were also bought.

Both types were found obsolete regarding the technical side but very useful for studying tank tactics. The FT 17 were used until 1937 as driving school tanks.

Japanese military observers recognised the development of new european tanks and in 1925 the decission was made to develop an own tank just to see what the heavy industry (which began building military naval vessels without help of the european allies) was able to build. And so in 1927 the multiturret experimental tank no. 1 was ready for trials.

Many parts were copied from european vehicles but others were developed from the japanese consortium.

The tank worked surprisingly well and so the army wanted more. Specifications for a light tank (5-10 t) were given to the industry. To get further technological input Renault was asked to develop a tank on the specifications. Result was the Renault NC 27. 10 were bought and used by Japan.

The suspension was troublesome and so the tank saw only limited combat use in 1931.

The japanese development team designed in 1928 a light tank on the given specifications. But in 1928 Japan was able to buy some british tanks (Carden Loyd tankettes etc.) including the new Vickers Medium Mk C. This modern model became basis for new specifications.

The japanese design from 1928 was reworked and the army decided to buy this vehicle as it was needed. And so in 1929 Mitsubishi built the first mass produced japanese tank, the type 89 version ko (i. e. A).

The first production model were delivered with a frontal armour copied from the Vickers Medium Mk C. The german 6 cylinder Daimler aircraft engine delivered 118 HP. An imported 47 mm gun was used until 1930.

The upper part of the frontal armor was vertical with a type 11, later a type 91 machine gun installed on the right side. The driver sat on the left. A door for the hull gunner and the driver was installed under the hull mg.

The first models suffered from problems on the turret below the gun mount where AP infantry ammo was able to penetrate the armour. This problem was solved soon and with the production start of the type 90 57 mm tank gun a weapon of japanese origin was used. Tanks produced before 1930 were upgraded. The total weight was increased to 12 t and the tank was reclassified as medium tank (10 - 20t)

In the eyes of the army commanders another major problem was the use of a gasoline engine. During trials with the early european tanks a lot of engines (and tanks) cought fire and so teh decision was made to develop diesel engines. Diesel wasn´t needed at this time and so the refineries were able to deliver high amounts without a decrease in the production of gasoline.
The diesel engines were developed as air-cooled engines because clean water was hard to find in some regions.

In 1932 Mitsubishi started the mass production of Diesel engines for the military. The type 89 was also equipped with such an engine and further changes were also added. The new version was named type 89 version otsu (i. e. B).

The frontal armour was changed. The driver was now placed on the right, the gunner and the door on the left. A new commanders cupola was installed and the protecting armour on the suspension was changed for better self removability of mud from the tracks. A tail for a better trench crossing range was also added.
A total of 278 type 89 ko and 126 type 89 otsu were built. In 1937 the abbrevation Yi-Ro (sometimes reffered as Chi-Ro) was added to the name.

Data:

Built by:
- Mitsubishi
- Nanman Rikugun Zoheisho,
- Osaka Rikugun Zoheisho,
- Kobe Seikosho,
- Nihon Seikosho

Weight:
12 t (version ko)
14 t (version otsu)

ground pressure:
0,53 kg/cm²
0,61 kg/cm²

crew:
4 Mann

armour:
chassis: frontal 17 mm, sides 11 mm, back 11 mm
turret: frontal 15 mm side/back 11 mm

lenght:
5750 mm

width:
2180 mm

height:
2560 mm

track ground contact:
3658 mm

track width:
305 mm

ground clearance:
480 mm

fording:
1000 mm

trench crossing:
2510 mm

vertical obstacle:
840 mm

gradient:
34°

engine:
Daimler 6-cylinder gasoline
Mitsubishi 6-cylinder diesel

Power:
118 HP at 1400 rpm
120 HP at 1800 rpm

speed on road:
25 km/h

range:
170 km

power/weight ratio:
10 HP/t

armament turret:
1 X type 90 57 mm gun, upgraded to 1 X type 97 57 mm gun after 1937
1 X 6,5 mm mg type 11 later type 91 and 7,7 mm mg type 97 in the rear turret

armament hull:
1 X 6,5 mm mg type 11, later type 91 and 7,7 mm mg type 97

ammunition storage:
100 / 2745 rounds

After buying the Carden Loyd tankettes in 1930 the infantry and cavalry schools tested them and decided to use such vehicles in the cavalry and reconnaissance units, too.

The main problem during trials was the lack of a turret and so specifications were made for a modern light tracked vehicle with a turret. As the name "tank" was only to be used for tracked armoured vehicles of the infantry the tankette was called "heavy combat car".

The first production models had two pairs of roadwheels on each side. Problems with the cross counrty abilities resulted in a modified suspension with three pairs of roadwheels.

A type 92 mg was installed in the conical turret. Like on the european tankettes the main armament was installed in the hull. On the right a type 91 mg, a type 93 13,2 mm machine cannon or a type 96 20 mm machine cannon could be installed. The driver sat on the left side. The armour was welded and a diesel engine was used.

In 1937 the suspension was changes again and two pairs of larger road wheels were used. Some vehicles were equipped with wireless equipment and used as communication vehicles in the armoured reconnaissance company of a reconnaisance unit.

Some 150 type 92 light armoured vehicles were built.

Data:

Built by:
Ishikawajima

- Weight:
3,5 t

crew:
3 Mann

armour:
max. 6 mm

lenght:
3940 mm

width:
1620 mm

height:
1830 mm

track width:
210 mm

ground clearance:
280 mm

fording:
800 mm

trench crossing:
1600 mm

gradient:
30°

engine:
Mitsubishi 6-cylinder diesel

Power:
45 HP at 1600 rpm

speed on road:
40 km/h

range:
100 km

power/weight ratio:
12,9 HP/t

armament turret:
1 X 6,5 mm mg type 91, later type 97

armament hull:
1 X 6,5 mm mg type 91 or 1 X 13,2 mm type 93 or 1 X type 96 20 mm
Click to expand...

As the type 89 medium tank was based on the british Vickers Medium Mk C the tank can not really be compared with this vehicle. The type 89 was lighter, had a thicker armour and a better engine, especially after the serial production of the new diesel engine started in 1932.

Great Britain, France and the USA had a lot of projects for similar tanks in the late 20th but none of them were built in larger numbers.
The only exception were the french D1 and D2 infantry tanks with specifications similar to the type 89. But comparing is again difficult as the type 89 and the D1/D2 were used in different ways.

I don´t think that there was a comparable tank in the arsenals of the western allies in the early 30th.

The Soviet Union started the development of light tanks in the late 20th. Especially the BT-Series was very good. Both the BT 2 and the T 26 were equipped with a 37 mm gun in 1933. Upgunned like that they were compareable to the type 89 tank in my opinion.

The type 89 met the BT 2 at Nomonhan and was outclassed as the BT 2 were upgraded in the thirties, the type 89 not.

Yours

tom!

edit:
I reorganised my picture database so the links shown above are not working.

Ricky · Jun 21, 2005

tom! said:

As the type 89 medium tank was based on the british Vickers Medium Mk C the tank can not really be compared with this vehicle. The type 89 was lighter, had a thicker armour and a better engine, especially after the serial production of the new diesel engine started in 1932.
Click to expand...

Great article again!

I'm impressed that they managed to put more armour on, but end up with a lighter tank!

tom! · Jun 21, 2005

Hi.

Well, the Vickers Medium Mk C had a 5 -men-crew and 4 machine guns. The type 89 had only 4 men and 2 MG. So the fighting compartment could be made more compact. The overall size of the japanese tank is smaller.

The type 89 had a weight of 10,8 t in the preproduction series. This was about 800 kg less weight than the Mk C had. There were about 5 years of industrial development between this tanks.

On the other hand the Mk C had a maximum speed of 32 km/h, the type 89 only 25 km/h.

Yours

tom!

Ricky · Jun 22, 2005

Ah, I see.

Thanks Tom!

Skua · Jun 22, 2005

Suberb again, tom!

Lieutenant-General Tomio Hara wrote that the Type 89 proved to be a very effective tank during the first and second Shanghai Incidents and showed excellent mobility during the Jeho Operation ( 1934 ) and the China Incindent ( 1937 ). The imported Renault NC tanks used during the first Shanghai Incident ( 1932 ) alongside the Type 89 compared very unfavourably with the latter, both in combat and regarding mechanical reliability.

Log in or Sign up

Japanese tanks of the interwar years ?

Skua New Member

tom! recruit

Ricky Well-Known Member

tom! recruit

Ricky Well-Known Member

Skua New Member

Share This Page

About US

Useful Links