Type 97, "Xia Xingxia 2597 Chi-Ha", "2597".

The tank was developed in 1937 using components and mechanisms of previous models. The tank is made according to the usual layout scheme: the power compartment is at the rear, the combat compartment is in the middle, and the control compartment is in the front of the hull. A V-shaped air-cooled diesel engine was installed in the power compartment.

Mechanical transmission and drive wheels were located in front of the tank hull. The undercarriage of the tank, unlike light tanks, had six road wheels of small diameter. The outer road wheels had an independent suspension, and the four middle rollers were interlocked in pairs. As elastic elements here, as in light tanks, springs were used, placed in horizontal pipes. The tank was produced in two versions: the assault "Chi-Ha", armed with a 47-mm cannon, and the "Shinhoto Chi-ha", armed with a 57-mm long-barreled cannon and two machine guns. The armor-piercing projectile of the 47-mm Chi-ha cannon had an initial velocity of 825 m/s and pierced armor 75 mm thick from a distance of 500 meters. Both options had the same performance characteristics and differed only in the design of the tower. They had good mobility and in terms of combat qualities were approximately equivalent to European pre-war models. By the time the hostilities began in the Pacific Ocean, their armament and armor were already assessed as insufficient. The total number of Chi-Ha combat vehicles produced before 1943 is approximately 1,200. They were supplied both to armored units of direct infantry support and to formed armored formations.

The Chi-Ha Type 97 was one of the first Japanese tanks designed by Tomio Hara's group of engineers. This vehicle was a modification of the first two tanks put into service - the light Type 89 Chi-Ro and Type 95 Ha-Go. Taking into account the first experience in tank building, with all its successes and failures, Japanese engineers set about simultaneously developing two subsequent models. One of them was called "Chi-Ha", he is also "middle third", the second - "Chi-Ni", he is also "middle fourth".

The reason for the simultaneous development of two vehicles was the following: the Japanese land army was then divided into two camps regarding combat vehicles. One is headed by the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff of the Ground Forces and the Osaka Arsenal. They considered it more expedient to build as quickly as possible and as many light machines as possible, simpler and cheaper to manufacture. The second camp is the arsenal of the city of Sagami, numerous military experts and officers from the front. They considered it better to build a smaller number of machines, but more advanced - full-fledged, with good armor, maneuverability and weapons. Both sides never came to a mutual agreement, so the engineers were ordered to develop two options that would suit both sides. "Chi-ha" had to meet the requirements of the Sagami arsenal - that is, to be a well-protected medium tank, and "Chi-Ni" - the requirements of the general staff, and be a lighter and cheaper vehicle.

"Chi-Ha" differed from its predecessors in greater maneuverability and "Chi-Ni" in greater mobility, as well as a slightly larger crew - four people. The scheme of the chassis was not chosen for him immediately. The first projects involved eight road wheels (solid double and single spoked) and four support rollers per side. Single solid rollers were blocked by two in a checkerboard pattern and hung on crank arms, and double ones were individually mounted on the same levers. The elastic elements were three obliquely mounted helical coil springs, resting against the upper ends of the cranked levers.

The next suspension option included three supporting rollers and six twin-spoked track rollers per side, interlocked by two into three balancing carts. Each such bogie was supported by a spring "according to the Hara scheme" - a horizontal helical spring. For the prototype, presented for final testing and demonstration, a mixed suspension scheme was chosen, which includes the features of the chassis described above. In addition, in the work on the prototype, the shape of the driver's cabin, the commander's cupola, fenders, and the installation of signaling devices changed.

They say that in the armament and design of both prototypes, one can trace the influence of German engineers - at an early stage of the "Chinese conflict", the Japanese managed to capture the German "Panzerkampfwagen I". Such a valuable find was dismantled to the screw, and fully examined. The Germans, as well as the Americans, believe that only thanks to this, the Japanese managed to make such a breakthrough in machine and tank building.

Even before the capture of the German car, the Japanese had already independently developed quite good, their own armored vehicles, which, if inferior to their European counterparts, were not much. And at the moment when "Chi-Ha" was sent into production, even without German influence, it was distinguished by many successful engineering and technical solutions. For comparison, the Type 97 "Chi-Ha" of 1937 was superior to the German "Panzerkampfwagen II" in many respects.

During the war, the Japanese government bought from its German allies late modifications of the Tiger and Panther tanks, as well as all the technical documentation for it, as well as the full right to use the developments of German engineers for their own purposes. What the Japanese did. German engineering solutions were introduced, but in later models of Japanese armored vehicles - in particular in the tanks Type 4 "Chi-To" and Type 5 "Chi-Ri". In 1936-1937, two prototypes "Chi-Ha" and "Chi-Ni" were produced. Because the Japanese General Staff ground forces preferred tanks of smaller mass and cheaper to manufacture, the Chi-Ni was considered the main contender for adoption. However, during big war with China, the choice fell on the more secure "Chi-Ha". It was accepted into service under the designation type 97.

After successful tests conducted in June 1937 at the training ground of the tank school in Chiba, mass production of both vehicles began, and Hitachi, Nihon Seikusho and the Sagami Rikugun Soheisho arsenal acted as subcontractors. Moreover, "Nihon Seikusho" (the Tokyo branch of "Mitsubishi") took responsibility for the supply of "Chi-Ha", and "Sagami" - for the tank "Chi-Ni". Simultaneously with the linear "Chi-Ha" was adopted and its modification "Ci-Ki" - a special commander's model. It was distinguished by more advanced navigational instruments and radio stations, an enlarged turret without a cannon mount and with an additional hatch, a modified commander's cupola and a large handrail antenna.

Let's also say that in order to compensate for the armament of the C-Ki model, instead of the removed 57-mm cannon and the frontal machine gun, a 37-mm cannon was installed in a frame. Accordingly, the frontal part has also changed. On some C-Ki samples, a 57-mm gun was installed in the same way. Later, in subsequent modifications, the "Ci-Ki" gun mount was nevertheless returned. Since 1934, the Japanese began to install the first domestic diesel engines on their armored vehicles. Most European engineering giants preferred to equip armored vehicles with water-cooled gasoline engines, which were significantly inferior to diesel engines. According to the first experience of the war, it was found that "gasoline tanks", due to their design, burned like matches and consumed more fuel. Also, Japanese engineers came to the conclusion that air-cooled diesel engines are much more efficient, including because in military operations there is not always access to water.

The engine for the "middle third" was also not chosen immediately. Especially for this tank, two variants were developed - one from Mitsubishi with a power of 170 hp, and the second, less powerful, from Igekai. But, ultimately, after a series of tests, "Chi-Ha" received a 12-cylinder Mitsubishi air-cooled diesel engine with a capacity of 170 horsepower (125 kW).

As weapons, both prototypes received short-barreled 57-mm turret guns, exactly the same as their predecessor. The lead developer, Tomio Hara, tried to challenge this decision. He was going to equip both new models with a new, more powerful and long-range gun, which could be a real salvation in the event of tank battles. The General Staff rejected all his arguments - the Japanese were not going to develop heavy armored vehicles with powerful guns for tank battles, because they used them exclusively to cover infantry. And for this, the already existing weapon was quite enough.

However, the correctness of Tomio Hara was soon proven in practice, in a sad way for the Japanese. During the Nomonhan Incident, when Japanese ground units clashed with Soviet forces, it was found that Soviet tanks with their 45mm guns outnumbered Japanese armored vehicles. After this incident, in 1939, the Japanese began to develop new tank guns, which were completed only by 1941. They were 47-mm guns, which, despite their smaller caliber, were superior to 57-mm guns in terms of power due to a longer barrel.

The Japanese, throughout the war, constantly took into account any experience of military operations, and continuously improved their weapons. For example, early in their invasion of the Philippines, the Japanese first encountered American M3s. During the fighting, again, insufficient range and power were confirmed. turret guns"Chi Ha". The M3 had fairly thick frontal armor, and only three direct hits out of six from a distance of a kilometer pierced an American tank. From a distance of 800 meters, six of the nine frontal hits turned out to be fatal for the American. After that, from 1942, "Chi-Ha" received a new gun - "47-mm Type 1 anti-tank gun" with a longer barrel, higher power and rate of fire. This modification of the tank was called "Shinhoto Chi-Ha". It is believed that the Shinhoto Chi-Ha was the best Japanese tank in the history of the War.

Current page: 1 (total book has 3 pages)

S. L. Fedoseev
Armor collection 1998 No. 05 (20) Medium tank "Chi-ha"

Appendix to the magazine "MODEL CONSTRUCTION"

Cover: 1st page - fig. V. Lobacheva, 2 - 4th page - fig. M. Dmitrieva.

The editors would like to thank M. Kolomiets and O. Baronov for their help in working on this issue.


Tanks 2597 "Chi-ha" on parade. In the center of the picture is the commander's version.

On November 25, 1936, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany signed the Anti-Comintern Pact.

Fascist Italy joined the agreement a year later.

The Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis Coalition began to divide spheres of influence.

Japan, which has long dreamed of power over the "Great East Asia"and already managed to capture Manchuria, turned out to be the most ready for large-scale actions and in 1937 began its" big war" in China. And it is no coincidence that in the same year in the Country rising sun a tank was created, which was predicted to be the main strike weapon of the Japanese ground forces.

History of creation

Japanese tank building began with medium tanks. In 1927, the arsenal in Osaka ("Osaka Rikugun Zoheisho") built an experimental double-turret tank No. 1 and a single-turret No. 2, which was later called "Type 87". In 1929, on the basis of the English "Vickers MkS" and "Type 87" was developed medium tank"2589", which became the first Japanese serial tank and the main vehicle of the tank forces until the end of the 30s. However, by the time the 2589 was put into service, it already turned out to be an outdated design, with insufficient armor protection and mobility for a medium tank, which modernization could not fix.

In the second half of the 1930s, Japan revised the requirements for medium tanks and began to develop more maneuverable models. In 1936, tactical and technical requirements for a new medium tank were formulated. With a smaller size, greater speed and better armor protection than the "2589", he had to carry the same weapon system - a 57-mm gun and two machine guns. In accordance with these requirements, two prototypes were made: the 15-ton "Chi-ha" ("middle third") of the company "Mitsubishi Jukogyo KK" and the 9.8-ton "Chi-ni" ("middle fourth") of the arsenal in Osaka.

The latter had a crew of three people - the commander (he is also a gunner and loader) was located in a turret shifted to the left, a driver was sitting in front of the hull on the left, and a machine gunner was on the right. The undercarriage included, in relation to one side, eight road wheels of small diameter and three support rollers. The suspension of the road wheels was, as it were, a double suspension light tank"Type 2595", and the tank itself was rather light - at least, in terms of mass, it did not go beyond these limits. The level of protection was increased by a significant slope of most of the armor plates. 135 hp engine allowed to reach speeds of up to 30 km / h, and to overcome wide ditches there was a “tail” at the back - the legacy of “2589”.

The Mitsubishi variant was distinguished by somewhat greater mobility, as well as the number of crew members - 4 people. Chassis scheme was not chosen immediately. The first studies suggested seven or eight road wheels (solid double and single spoke) and four supporting rollers per side. Single track rollers were blocked by two in a checkerboard pattern and hung on crank arms, double ones were individually mounted on the same levers. The elastic elements were three obliquely mounted helical coil springs, resting against the upper ends of the cranked levers. The next suspension option included six twin-spoked road wheels, interlocked two by two into three balancing carts and three supporting rollers per side. Each bogie was sprung with a horizontal helical spring according to the “Heat scheme”. For the prototype submitted for final testing, a mixed suspension scheme was chosen, as if combining the features described above. In addition, in the process of working on the prototype, the shape of the driver's cabin, the commander's turret, fenders, the installation of signaling devices, the attachment of spare parts and other elements were changed.

In 1936 - 1937, two prototypes of the Chi-ni and Chi-ha tanks were produced, which passed the tests. Since the Japanese General Staff of the Ground Forces preferred tanks that were smaller and cheaper to manufacture, the Chi-ni was considered the main contender for adoption. However, with the start of the "big war" with China, the choice fell on the better armored and more maneuverable "Chi-ha". It was put into service under the designation "Type 2597", and in 1937 its production began, while the subcontractors were Hitachi Seisakusho and Nihon Seikusho, as well as the arsenal in Sagami ("Sagami Rikugun Zoheisho").

Medium tank "Type 94" - the predecessor of "Chi-ha".

Prototype "Chi-ha".

A special commander's model of the tank "Chi-ki" ("Shchi-ki") for the regimental level, adopted simultaneously with the linear "Chi-ha", had slightly improved radio parameters, navigation devices, additional signaling devices, an enlarged turret without a cannon mount with a modified commander's cupola, a large handrail antenna and another hatch in the roof behind the cupola. To compensate for the removed 57-mm gun, a 37-mm gun in a frame was installed in the Chi-Ki hull instead of a frontal machine gun. Accordingly, the frontal part of the hull has also changed. On some samples, a 57-mm gun was installed in the same way. Later, a cannon mount or its imitation appeared in the tank turret. To increase the radio range, a horizontal antenna was used, stretched on two rods in the aft part of the hull.

"Shinhoto Chi-ha"

Clashes with Soviet troops near the Khalkhin-Gol River convinced the Japanese that a tank gun should have predominantly anti-tank properties. And already in 1939, an experimental tank "98" ("Chi-ho" - "middle fifth") was built with an enlarged turret similar to the Soviet BT-5 and a slightly modified undercarriage. The latter included five or six road wheels per side, but unlike the Chi-ha, the front and rear rollers were connected to the central horizontal coil springs. In addition, they again tried to equip the tank with a “tail” to overcome the ditches.

Experienced medium tank "Chi-ni" in the courtyard of the Osaka Arsenal.



Installation of smoke grenade launchers on the roof of the tower.

And in 1940, a modification of the serial "Type 97" appeared - the tank "Type 97 kai" or "Shinhoto Chi-ha", that is, "middle third, with a new artillery tower." It was armed with a 47mm cannon. With a barrel length of 48 calibers, its 1.4-kg projectile had an initial velocity of 825 m / s and, at a distance of 500 m, pierced 50-mm armor along the normal. Sighting range guns was 810 m. The ammunition (120 shots) included armor-piercing and armor-piercing fragmentation shells. The installation of the gun was covered by a 30-mm shield attached to the frontal part of the tower with bolts and having an inclination of 10 ° to the vertical. Machine guns (4035 rounds of ammunition) were placed in the same way as on the "Chi-ha".

The design of the tower as a whole was borrowed from the "Chi-ha". It was assembled from the front and rear halves, connected by riveting, and had a commander's cupola with viewing slots and a double hatch. In the stern of the tower to the right of the machine gun was a rectangular hatch for loading ammunition and dismantling the gun, in the roof to the left - the gunner's hatch with a double-leaf cover. There was also a small hatch on the right side of the turret. The periscopic observation device was moved to the roof of the tower and placed in front of the commander's cupola, and the anti-aircraft gun swivel was placed in front of the gunner's hatch, which made it possible to fire at air targets in a larger sector. There were also hatches for firing personal weapons.

Most of the new tanks were simple modifications of the already released Chi-ha.

"Chi-ha."

The newly produced Shinhoto Chi-ha had a slightly modified engine compartment ventilation system, armored muffler covers were installed, and a box of spare parts was attached to the rear of the hull. The commander had light and sound communication with the driver: 12 buttons on the commander's console corresponded to 12 luminous banners and a buzzer on the driver's panel.

Various installations of smoke grenade launchers (mortars) were tested on the tank. In the first version, a frame was attached to the stern of the tower on the left, on which 4 mortars were laid. More successful was the installation of mortars on the roof of the tower above the mask of the gun - now the tank could cover itself with a smoke screen directly when moving towards the enemy.

From 1938 to 1944, 1220 Chi-ha and Shinhoto Chi-ha machines were produced.

Crews of the 4th tank regiment inspect the first "Chi-ha" that came to them. In the background is a Type 94 medium tank.

Commander's variant "Chi-ha".

"Type 1" ("Chi-heh")

In 1940, a new modification appeared - "Type 1" ("Chi-he" or "Qihe" - "middle sixth"). His body was finally made welded. The frontal plates were straightened, the driver's cabin and its upper hatch, which protruded forward, disappeared, the thickness of the frontal armor was doubled, and a three-man turret was installed. large sizes with a developed food niche. The tower had a standard commander's cupola, hatches in the sides and aft hatch. The mass of the tank increased by almost 1.5 tons, but due to the installation of a 240-horsepower diesel engine, the maneuverability of the vehicle did not deteriorate. The transmission, controls and chassis have not undergone noticeable changes.

The Chi-he was armed with a 47 mm Type 1 cannon with a barrel length of 48 calibers (2120 mm), developed on the basis of the Type 1 anti-tank gun. The latter had rearranged recoil devices and a trigger mechanism, the horizontal semi-automatic wedge gate was replaced with a vertical one.

"Shinhoto Chi-ha".



"Shinhoto Chi-ha" on display at the museum at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in the United States. Cutouts in the side armor plates of the hull and turret, made during tank testing in the 1940s, were welded with steel sheets. Silencer protective nets have also been replaced with steel sheets. The tank is covered with pseudo-Japanese camouflage. The authentic Japanese machine gun in the rear of the turret draws attention. The frontal machine gun was not preserved.

The gun had a bonded barrel with 16 grooves, a trigger mechanism cocked when the bolt was unlocked. The recoil devices, which included a hydraulic recoil brake and a spring knurler, were protected by a box-shaped armored casing. The gun mantlet consisted of two box-shaped parts and allowed the gun to swing with a shoulder rest in a horizontal plane without turning the turret. Elevation angle +17°, declination -11°, horizontal rotation angle ±7.5°. The ammunition included armor-piercing fragmentation (1.52 kg) and high-explosive fragmentation (1.4 kg) shells. An armor-piercing fragmentation projectile with an initial speed of 826 m / s pierced 68 mm armor along the normal at a distance of 500 m and 41 mm at 1000 m. The Shinhoto Chi-ha was also armed with a Type 1 gun.

Mitsubishi and the Sagami arsenal began production of the Chi-he, without stopping the production of the Shinhoto Chiha, and from 1941 to 1945 produced 600 machines of this type.

On the basis of "Shinhoto Chi-ha" and "Chi-he" command tanks "Ka-so" were made: the 47-mm gun was replaced by a mock-up, which made it possible to place an additional radio station and at the same time not to distinguish the command vehicle outwardly. "Ka-so" were introduced into units armed with "Shinhoto Chi-ha".

In 1942, on the basis of the Chi-he, a 16.7-ton Type 2 artillery medium tank (Ho-i - "artillery first") with a 75-mm Type 99 short-barreled gun was built. The tank was intended for direct artillery support of line tanks and infantry during an attack (similar to German assault tanks). A gun with a barrel length of 23 calibers was installed in a high riveted-welded turret with an armor thickness of 20-35 mm. The initial speed of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile weighing 6.575 kg was 445 m/s. The recoil devices were mounted above the barrel. The height of the tank increased to 2.58 m, the cruising range decreased to 100 km. The release of "Type 2" was carried out sluggishly and turned out to be insignificant - 33 cars, since cheaper self-propelled guns had already appeared by the beginning of its mass production.

Tank "Shinhoto Chi-ha" Lieutenant Colonel Goshima, shot down on June 16, 1944 during the attack on the positions of the American marines on about. Saipan. White dotted markings on the turret were carried by all command vehicles of the 9th Tank Regiment.

"Chi-heh."

"Type 3" ("Chi-nu")

In 1944, the next tank of the "Chi-ha" family of the "Type 3" or "Chi-nu" ("middle tenth") series, made on the basis of the "Chi-he" and armed with a 75-mm cannon " Type 3" in an enlarged turret.

The gun was developed on the basis of the field "Type 90" system "Schneider", produced by the arsenal in Osaka. The length of its barrel was 2850 mm (38 calibers), the mass of the projectile was 6.6 kg, starting speed– 680 m/s. The armor-piercing projectile penetrated 90 mm armor at a distance of 100 m and 65 mm armor at a distance of 1000 m.

The welded hexagonal tower was mounted on a ball bearing. Her aft niche served for laying rounds of ammunition. The tower blocked the roof of the control compartment, so the machine gunner's hatch in the roof of the hull was welded.

It was the most powerful of the mass-produced Japanese tanks, and fully met the requirements of its time. However, the lack of raw materials, materials and component parts and assemblies limited its production in the period from mid-1943 to 1945 to only 60 machines. “Chi-nu”, along with many “Chi-he”, entered the 4th Panzer Division, intended for the defense of the metropolis, and did not take part in the hostilities - it did not come to fighting on the Japanese islands.

"Chi-nu."


Artillery medium tank "Ho-i", captured by the Americans in 1945.

Tanks "Type 4" and "Type 5"

Created by the end of the war, "Type 4" ("Chi-to" - "middle seventh") with a 75-mm cannon and 75-mm frontal armor did not go into mass production. It was a development of the "Chinu" and at the same time an attempt to create a fundamentally new medium tank that meets the requirements of the time. The Type 4 gun was developed on the basis of the Type 88 anti-aircraft gun and, with a 44-caliber barrel length, gave a 6.6-kg projectile an initial velocity of 720 m / s. The recoil devices were mounted above the barrel.

The tank had a welded hull and turret. The latter was an enlarged version of the Chi-nu tower, but without the aft hatch. A machine gun mount was mounted on its right side at the back - obviously, out of a desire to keep the stern machine gun even with a niche occupied by ammunition. A 400-horsepower diesel engine was installed in the aft part of the hull. The chassis was extended by one road wheel and, accordingly, the suspension was changed: four front rollers were suspended according to the usual “Hara scheme”, three rear ones - according to the same scheme, but with an individual suspension of one roller. The tracks of the caterpillars were widened and special holes were made in them - the pins. The widening of the tracks required all the supporting rollers to be doubled. "Chi-to" had a radio station with a whip antenna mounted on the left side of the hull.

Only 5 experimental machines were built - two in 1942 and three in 1943. Characteristically, at the same time as experienced tanks, the Japanese also created self-propelled guns on their chassis at that time.

In two prototypes, the “Type 5” (“Chi-ri” - “middle ninth”) was also made with a 75th gun in the turret and 37 mm in the frontal hull sheet on the left. The 75-mm cannon is similar to that installed on the "Chi-to", and the 37-mm "Type 1" had a barrel length of 46 calibers and gave a projectile weighing 0.7 kg an initial velocity of 800 m / s.

"Chi-ri".


"Chi something."


The Chi-nu, which were intended for the defense of Japan, did not enter the battle. 1945

Tactical and technical characteristics of tanks of the "Chi-ha" family
Tank brand"Chi-ha""Shinhoto Chi-ha""Chi-he""Chi-nu""Chi something""Chi-ri"
Year of adoption or construction1937 1940 1941 1943 1944 1945
Combat weight, t14 15,8 17,2 18,8 30,48 37,6
Crew, pers.4 4 5 5 5 5
Dimensions, mm:
length5500 5500 5730 6420 7300
width2330 2330 2330 2330 2870 3050
height2210 2380 2420 2610 2870 3050
clearance420 420 420 400 400 400
Armor thickness, mm:
hull forehead25 25 50 50 75 75
board22 22 25 25 25-35 25-50
stern25 25 20 20 50 50
roof12 12
tower20 25 25 25 50 50
gun mask25 30 50 75 75
Max, speed, km/h40 40 44 39 45 45
Power reserve, km210 210 210 210 250 200
Overcome obstacles:
elevation angle, deg.30-35 30-35 30-35 30-35 30-35 30-35
moat width, m2,5 2,5 2,5 2,5 2,7 2,8
wall height, m0,76 0,76 0,76 0,76
fording depth, m1,0 1,0 1,0 1,0

The installation in the frame allowed the gun to swing in the horizontal and vertical planes. On the second prototype of the tank, instead of a 37 mm gun, a 7.7 mm machine gun was installed.

The welded hull of the tank had an inclined arrangement of armor plates and side niches along the entire length of the fenders. new form The hulls were probably borrowed from the German Pz.V Panther tank, information about which Germany handed over to Japanese specialists in 1944. The high welded tower "Chi-ri" had an octagonal shape in plan, a developed aft niche, and a hanging polik. The machine-gun installations in the turret were abandoned. Apparently, due to the lack of their own powerful engines (the Type 4 high-powered diesel engine was never brought to the end of the war), a German V-shaped BMW carburetor engine was installed on the Chi-ri. It was planned, however, the production of a diesel version of the machine.

The undercarriage included eight road wheels on board and consisted of two conventional "Hara-type" suspensions installed in series.

Considering that more powerful guns (for example, the 88-mm Type 99) suitable for conversion into a tank gun were already mass-produced in Japan, the Chi-ri armament could turn out to be even stronger. But there was no time or money left for that.

It should be noted that medium tanks also influenced the development of the lungs. In 1944, the Hino Jidosha company produced an experimental 10-ton light tank"Ke-ho" ("small fifth"). It was configured and armed according to the type of medium "Chi-he": with a 47-mm cannon "Type 1" in a two-man turret, with the same crew accommodation, a similar chassis design and a welded hull.

"Ke-ho."

Description of the design of the tank "Chi-ha"

LAYOUT"Chi-ha" was carried out according to the scheme with a front-mounted transmission. The department of management was combined with the combat. The main armament was installed in a double tower. The dimensions of the fighting compartment were increased due to the side niches hanging over the tracks, however, in general, the internal reserved volume of the vehicle turned out to be very “constricted” - based on a predominantly undersized crew. In the hull in front on the right in the protruding wheelhouse there was a driver, on the left - a machine gunner; in the tower to the right of the gun - the commander, to the left - the gunner.

HULL AND TOWER tanks were assembled from rolled armor plates on a frame of lining strips and corners using round rivets and bolts with a hexagonal bulletproof head. The protection of the frontal part of the hull was somewhat increased by the inclination of the gable upper frontal sheet at 80 ° to the vertical, the lower - 62 °. The slope of the frontal sheet of the fighting compartment was significantly less than -10 °, side sheets - 40 °. There were horizontal viewing slots in the flap of the cabin window that was tilted up and its curved cheekbones. Above the places of the machine gunner and the driver in the roof of the hull were hatches, the covers of which were supplied with locks with a T-shaped rotary handle.

The conical tower had a small aft niche. The turning mechanism is mechanical. A commander's turret (dome) with viewing slots was mounted on the roof of the tower, to the left of it was a double-leaf loader's hatch. The edges of the roof of the turret were bent down, covering the ventilation holes. The turret had a round double hatch, its cover consisted of two hinged parts - a horseshoe-shaped right one and an oval left one embedded inside it. In the latter, a periscope observation device with an armored cap was installed. There was also a hole for signaling with flags.

The commander's cupola "Shinhoto Chi-ha". Viewing slots and rivets with a bulletproof head are clearly visible. In front of the turret is an exit hole for a periscope observation device.

47 mm gun "Type 1".

WEAPONS. The 57 mm Type 97 gun had a monoblock barrel 1057 mm long (18.5 calibers). The weight of the barrel with the breech is 62.5 kg, the total weight of the gun is 133 kg. The hydraulic recoil brake and spring knurler were located under the barrel. Rollback length -280 mm. The vertical wedge gate was opened manually or automatically. The drummer cocked when unlocked. The trigger mechanism was controlled by a trigger lever mounted together with a pistol grip and trigger guard on the left side of the breech. Behind the bottom of the breech, a shoulder rest with a leather pillow was attached. The rate of fire could reach 20 rds / min.

In the turret, the gun was mounted in a double frame with a box-shaped mantlet. The vertical and horizontal trunnions of the gun and frames allowed it to swing both in the vertical (from -9° to +21°) and in the horizontal plane (within ±5°). The mask had a hole for a telescopic sight, which could be covered with an armored flap.

Ammunition consisted of 80 rounds of high-explosive fragmentation and 40 armor-piercing shells. The mass of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile is 2.7 kg, the initial speed is 420 m / s; armor-piercing - 1.7 kg and 820 m / s.

The Type 97 tank machine gun was developed simultaneously with the light infantry machine gun based on the Czech ZB-26. One such machine gun in a ball bearing was mounted in the rear of the turret on the left, the second on the left in the frontal hull plate. Strictly speaking, the installation of machine guns in Japanese tanks was not spherical in our understanding. The sleeve, rigidly put on the machine gun, could rotate around the vertical and horizontal axes, and the hemisphere protruding from the outside played the role of a movable shield. The sighting hole in it could be closed with a valve. Outside, the entire installation was closed with a patch plate, bolted to the armor plate. The protruding part of the barrel was protected by a box-shaped armored casing 420 mm long.

Machine gun ammunition was 3825 rounds in stores - 2475 with an ordinary bullet and 1350 with armor-piercing. Laying for stores was on the walls of the hull under the tower.

Behind the commander's turret, a swivel was attached for anti-aircraft machine gun fire, which the commander could conduct almost without protruding from the hatch, but in a very limited sector. The turret and hull had openings with armor shutters for firing from the crew's personal weapons.

ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. The two-stroke V-shaped diesel engine "Type 97" air-cooled was installed in the stern along the axis of the hull, with the toe of the crankshaft forward. The cylinder diameter was 120 mm, the piston stroke was 160 mm, the compression ratio was 17.8. The air supply system included an oil air cleaner, a lubrication system - a gear pump and a 40 l oil tank. To start the engine, there were two electric starters with a capacity of 6 hp each. every. Fuel tanks for 120 and 115 liters were located along the sides. Fuel consumption - about 3.5 l / h. The exhaust pipes were led back from both sides and were equipped with mufflers, and the pipe outlets were protected from the front by curved shields. Access to the engine was provided by a sunroof in the roof of the hull. The sides of the engine compartment also had blinds, covered in a combat situation with armored covers. On the march they were raised and fixed in a horizontal position.

A four-speed sliding gear gearbox with a reduction gear provided 8 forward gears and 2 reverse gears. It was installed in front of the case. Torque from the engine was transmitted by a cardan shaft passing through the fighting compartment. The main clutch is multi-disc, with an aluminum crankcase. The two-stage planetary turning mechanism provided the tank with good controllability. Final drives were placed in protruding crankcases, fastened to the body with rivets. Access to the turning mechanisms and final drives was carried out through two hatches in the upper front sheet.

The layout of the medium tank "Chi-ha":

1 - driver's cabin, 2 - course machine gun, 3 - 57-mm gun, 4 - gun optical sight, 5 - handrail antenna, 6 - laying 57-mm rounds on the turret wall, 7 - gun shoulder rest, 8 - periscope observation device, 9 - commander's cupola, 10 - swivel for installation anti-aircraft machine gun, 11 - stern machine gun, 12 - armored casing of the machine gun barrel, 13 - stacking of machine gun magazines, 14 - fuel pump, 15 - engine, 16 - exhaust manifold, 17 - muffler protective mesh, 18 - batteries, 19 - steering wheel, 20 - track roller, 21 - starter, 22 - laying 57-mm shots, 23 - machine gunner's seat, 24 - cardan shaft, 25 - driver's seat, 26 - gearbox, 27 - drive wheel, 28 - headlight.

CHASSIS for one side, it included six double solid rubber-coated road wheels with a diameter of 534 mm and three supporting rollers. Even before the creation of the "Chi-ha" on the small tank "2594" and the light "2595" ("Ha-go"), the suspension was developed, developed in 1933 by one of the most famous Japanese tank builders, Major (later - Major General) Tomno Hara.

The “Hara scheme” consisted of four road wheels, interlocked two by two on swinging balancers (rocker arms). The elastic elements were two horizontal helical coil springs enclosed in pipes riveted to the sides of the hull. The balancers were connected to the crank arms, the axes of which were attached to the body, the levers were pivotally connected to the rods going to the springs. The rods were supplied with screw adjusting bushings. The “Hara scheme”, with relative massiveness, combined compactness with a large swing of the balancers and was used on most Japanese production tanks 30-40s. On the Chi-ha, the suspension according to this scheme had four central road wheels on board. They were complemented by front and rear rollers with independent suspension - through crank arms they were connected to inclined coil springs openly mounted on board. There were no shock absorbers in the suspension.

Drive wheel - front location. The fastening of the stamped non-rubberized guide wheel included a screw mechanism for adjusting the tension of the tracks with a ratchet locking device. The supporting rollers were rubberized, the outer ones were double.

The small-sized caterpillar of the lantern gear was made up of 96 metal skeletal tracks. The 330 mm wide track was equipped with a central ridge and a developed lugs. The removal of the guide and drive wheels for the contours of the hull increased the length of the bearing surface of the tracks.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. The 24 V on-board network included a 500 W generator, a voltage regulator, and four 180 Ah batteries. In the middle of the frontal sheet of the hull, a headlight was attached, on which a bell-shaped visor could be worn for blackout on the march. The headlight and marker lights were also mounted on the aft hull sheet.

MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. Only command vehicles were equipped with radio stations. They were easily recognizable by the large handrail antenna on the tower. An additional radio station with an increased communication range, if it was available on the tank, worked on two whip antennas located in the rear of the hull, or on a horizontal antenna in the form of a wire stretched diagonally on two high rods mounted on the hull in front on the left and behind on the right.

Ball mount machine gun in the front sheet of the tower "Shinhoto Chi-ha". An unsuccessful imitation of a machine gun was welded into a ball apple by the "specialists" of the tank museum in Kubinka.

Chassis scheme:

1 - drive wheel, 2 - front roller spring, 3 - dual carrier roller, 4 - crank arm, 5 - front bogie spring, 6 - single carrier roller, 7 - rear bogie spring, 8 - rear roller spring, 9 - tensioning mechanism, 10 - guide wheel, 11 - balancer.

Official designation: Type 1 "Chi-ha"
Alternative notation: ?
Start of design: 1936
Date of construction of the first prototype: 1937
Stage of completion: mass-produced in 1938-1945, used by the Japanese army until the early 1960s.

Long fighting in China and the general world trends in tank building, implemented in the mid-1930s, made it very clear to the General Staff of the Japanese army that Type 89 \ Type 94 tanks did not meet modern requirements. In this regard, in 1936 a new specification was developed, which provided for the creation of a medium tank with increased combat qualities.

During this period, relations between the two military-industrial groups within the Japanese army became most pronounced. Representatives of the first of them, which consisted of General Staff officials and specialists from the arsenal in Osaka, argued that the ground forces needed as many inexpensive and easy-to-use painful machines as possible. The second group, which included front-line officers and arsenal specialists in Sagami, was convinced that "herds of tankettes" would not solve the issue and it would be better to develop more powerful tanks, albeit in smaller quantities. Thus, the discussion about what a medium tank should be deadlocked, although the General Staff then played a dominant role. As a result, it was decided to order two prototypes of two different tanks for comparative tests. The arsenal in Osaka began to develop a tank under the designation "Chi-ni"("fourth medium"), which was distinguished by a rather modest mass. In parallel, Mitsubishi began designing a heavier machine, later known as Type 97 "Chi-ha"("third middle").

The first, at the end of 1936, entered the tests "Chi-ni". Structurally, this tank combined both foreign and domestic experience in tank building. Osaka arsenal specialists chose a chassis layout partially borrowed from the British Vickers Mk.E (6-ton) tank, which saved a little weight and made the ride smoother. The armament, although not quite up to the mark (one 37 mm cannon and one 7.7 mm machine gun), was considered quite sufficient. The security of the tank was also acceptable - the frontal armor of the hull and turret were up to 25 mm thick. On paved roads, a maximum speed of up to 34 km / h was shown.

Since at that time Mitsubishi was just completing work on its own project, the Japanese command gave a clear preference to “Chi-ni. However, after the outbreak of another war with China in the summer of 1937, opinions regarding the Osaka arsenal project changed. It turned out that the army needed a slightly different tank, equipped with enhanced weapons and better protection. It was not possible to refine the Chi-ni according to the changed requirements - the turret was not designed to install larger-caliber guns, and an increase in the thickness of the armor inevitably led to an increase in the mass and deterioration of the tank's driving characteristics. In addition, the Chi-ni crew consisted of only three people, and the commander had to combine the duties of a gunner and loader.

Thus, the Mitsubishi project was now considered more promising. However, one should not think that "Chi-ha" was innovative in a constructive sense. Rather, on the contrary, Japanese engineers actively used the developments on the Ha-go light tank, borrowing a number of elements from it both in the design of the hull and chassis.

The layout of the "Chi-ha" did not differ much from the original light tank. The hull had a mixed design, but almost all armor plates were attached to a steel frame with bolts and rivets, which was an obvious anachronism, but allowed the replacement of individual components in field conditions. Booking was differentiated and ranged from 8.5 to 27 mm - in this respect, "Chi-ha" practically did not differ from "Chi-ni". In the front part of the hull, which had a stepped shape, transmission units were installed (consisting of a 4-speed gearbox, a multi-plate main clutch, a planetary turning mechanism, single-stage final drives and final drives), behind which there were places for the driver (in the protruding wheelhouse on the right sides) and a machine gunner. The upper gable armor plate, with two hatches for servicing the transmission, had an inclination of 80 °, the lower one - 62 °.

The middle part of the body was occupied by the fighting compartment. The sides were vertical and made of armor plates with a thickness of 20-25 mm, however, the turret box took the form of a truncated pyramid and had an armor thickness of 20 mm and a slope of the sides of 40 °. The frontal sheet of the fighting compartment was set at an angle of only 10 °. A conical turret was installed on the roof of the box with a stern niche shifted to the left and a squat commander's turret with a mushroom-shaped cap. An escape hatch was made in the rear wall of the tower. A rectangular cutout was made in front of the turret for mounting a 57 mm Type 97 gun with a barrel length of 18.5 calibers. Its guidance sector turned out to be very modest - from -9 ° to + 15 ° in the vertical plane and 5 ° in the horizontal plane. Despite the insufficient armor penetration characteristics, the 57-mm gun had a small mass and a short barrel recoil, which was critically important in the conditions of limited turret space. The place of the tank commander was on the right side of the gun, the place of the loader was on the left. The thickness of the walls of the tower was 25 mm at angles of installation of 10°-12°. Additional armament included course and turret 7.7-mm machine guns Type 97.

The Chi-ha tank was equipped with a Mitsubishi V-shaped diesel engine with an HP 170 power. The cooling system is air, with an oil air cleaner. The engine was started from an electric starter. Fuel tanks of 120 and 115 liters were located along the sides of the engine compartment. The exhaust pipes were brought out on both sides and equipped with mufflers, protected in front by armored shields. Also, blinds were installed on the sides, closed in a combat position with armored covers, which rose on the march and were fixed in a horizontal position.

The chassis of the Chi-ha tank was not very original. Applied to one side, it consisted of the following items:

- six double rubber-coated rollers; four medium ones were blocked in pairs and equipped with a Hara-type suspension, and the outer rollers were equipped with an individual spring suspension;

- three supporting rollers;

— the directing wheel of a back arrangement;

- front drive wheel;

- small-link caterpillar: 96 tracks with one crest 330 mm wide and 120 mm pitch.

Thus, the process of unification of individual elements, which began with the light tank "Ha-go", was continued on the medium tank "Chi-ha". In general, this process made rational sense, since mass production of tanks was greatly facilitated. various types.

Both tank prototypes were built in early 1937. The first of them was equipped with a standard undercarriage, and the second received a undercarriage. The number of support wheels was increased to eight, which had a positive effect on the smoothness of the ride. At the same time, the outer wheels retained their individual suspension, and the six middle wheels were blocked in pairs in a checkerboard pattern (front spoked on the left, rear with an alloy wheel on the right). Also, instead of three supporting rollers, four were installed. Certain advantages in such a scheme were undoubtedly present, but from an operational point of view, the Hara-type suspension was still more acceptable.

Comparing the technical characteristics obtained during the testing of prototypes "Chi-ha" and "Chi-ni", the choice was made in favor of the first. The Mitsubishi tank did not have unconditional advantages, but more powerful weapons and a better distribution of responsibilities between crew members affected. In addition, the disembarkation and landing of tankers could be carried out through the tower hatch or through the hatch above the machine gunner's head. At the same time, the fighting compartment turned out to be too cramped, because of which it was necessary to use fender niches like those of the Hago tank, and the armor remained bulletproof. In addition, the tank did not have any means of external communication.

Despite the apparent inconsistency with the current world requirements, the Chi-ha were adopted by the Japanese army. Production began in 1938, when 110 pre-series and serial tanks were assembled at Mitsubishi enterprises. Further, the release of "Chi-ha" continued in larger series:

1938 - 110

1939 - 202

1940 - 315

1941 - 507 (part of the tanks were equipped with a 47-mm gun)

1942 - 28.

Thus, medium tanks "Chi-ha" became one of the most massive in history. Japanese tank building. However, their release did not end there.

Having received new tanks, the General Staff demanded to improve their tactical and technical characteristics. Minimal changes were made to the design of serial Chi-ha tanks. In particular, they began to equip command vehicles with radio stations with a handrail antenna, but they did not begin to fully radio all the tanks. A more serious modernization was to be carried out, which was largely accelerated by the battles at Khalkhin Gol, where the advantage of Soviet tanks and armored vehicles equipped with 45-mm 20K guns was revealed in a very sharp form. The three-month battle more than convincingly showed that the Japanese medium tanks were less effective than the light Soviet BT-7 and T-26. The most urgent was the issue of equipping the "Chi-ha" with a more powerful tank artillery system. The 47 mm Type 97 cannon was chosen as a replacement, with much better performance. So, with a barrel length of 48 calibers, an armor-piercing projectile weighing 1.4 kg received an initial speed of 825 m / s. At a distance of up to 500 meters, he pierced a vertically mounted sheet of armor 50 mm thick, which was considered a good indicator. The gun was installed in a mask with a wall thickness of 30 mm. The ammunition included 120 armor-piercing and armor-piercing fragmentation shots. Ammunition for machine guns has been increased from 3825 to 4025 rounds.

In connection with the installation of new weapons, the design of the tower had to be changed. It became noticeably higher and wider, and also received a developed aft niche. The commander's turret and the upper hatch (on the left side) were left in the roof of the tower and a periscope observation device was installed in front of it. There was also a stern hatch for loading ammunition and dismantling the gun. Next to him, with an offset to the port side, a 7.7-mm machine gun was installed. The rest of the tank has not changed.
The first prototype of an improved tank, known as Type 97 Kai or "Shinhoto Chi-ha"("third medium with a new artillery turret"), was presented for testing in 1940. The success of the updated design was obvious and next year the re-equipment of serial Chi-ha tanks began with new towers with 47-mm guns. A full-fledged production of "Shinhoto Chi-ha" was launched only in 1942, when 503 cars were assembled. In 1943, the Mitsubishi factories produced another 427 tanks, after which the assembly of the Shinhoto Chi-ha was discontinued.

Newly built vehicles received a modernized engine compartment ventilation system, full-fledged armored muffler boxes were installed, and a box of spare parts was attached to the rear of the hull. A 12-button light alarm was also introduced for communication inside the tank. Later production tanks began to be equipped with smoke grenade launchers. Initially, a four-barreled grenade launcher was mounted on a frame on the side of the turret, but their installation above the gun's max turned out to be more successful.

Despite the rather mediocre fighting qualities the Chi-ha tank became a good base for tracked vehicles, which can be divided into two categories: special and maintenance.

Special armored vehicles:

- a unique modification of the machine for the destruction of wire communication lines, which has the name in foreign sources High-Voltage Dynamo Vehicle "Ka-Ha". Improvements to the tank came down to dismantling the gun and installing a dynamo with a generator direct current voltage of 10000 volts. As conceived by the creators, the electrical impulse sent through the telegraph wire was supposed to destroy the means of communication and enemy signalmen who had the misfortune to carry out negotiations on these devices at the same time. In total, four Ka-Khas were built, which were placed at the disposal of the 27th Independent Engineer Regiment stationed in Manchuria. No data could be found on their use.

"Ka-so"- an armored vehicle of artillery observers without weapons in the tower.

- armored logging machine, a limited series was produced for use in Siberia, but in the end they found use in the jungles of New Guinea.

"Chi-ki"- a commander's tank, distinguished by a modernized turret with a modified commander's turret and a second hatch in the roof, as well as an improved radio station, navigation devices, and additional signaling devices. In addition to the absence of a 57-mm gun, the command tanks were distinguished by a handrail antenna on the turret. At the same time, to compensate for the weakened armament, instead of a course machine gun, a 37-mm or 57-mm framed gun was installed in the frontal hull plate. Later, they still had to return to the turret gun mount, and a horizontal antenna was mounted on two high rods. Work on the modification of the "Chi-ki" was carried out in parallel with the design of a medium tank, and the first prototype was equipped with an experimental undercarriage with three two-wheel bogies. Only after testing was unification carried out and the tank began to be equipped with a standard suspension.

"Chi-yu"- modification of an armored mine trawl. The turret and armament were not dismantled, but a frame was attached to the front of the hull, in front of which a mine trawl was installed. The number of samples collected is unknown.

Repair and technical armored vehicles:

"Se-ri"- armored recovery vehicle. Instead of a standard turret, a small conical turret with a 7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun was installed, and a crane boom with a lifting capacity of 5 tons was installed in the aft. The boosted Mitsubishi Type 100 engine installed on the ARV developed a power of 240 hp, which, in combination with a winch, made it possible to repair and evacuate medium tanks in the field. This machine did not become serial - the release was limited to 2 or 3 copies.

- a fairly original modification of the armored bridgelayer. In order to reduce laying time, a unique bridge drop design was developed using two missiles. In fact, the bridge flew several meters forward, causing the whole process to take several seconds. Another positive side, oddly enough, was its small carrying capacity. The bridge could easily withstand any Japanese light tank, but not an American one. However, serial production of T-g bridgelayers was not established.

"S-K"- Accurate data are not available. Presumably, the designation Experimental Trench Excavator S-K meant a trencher equipped with a steel plow fixed in the bow of the hull.

In addition, on the basis of the Chi-ha tanks of various series, many models of improved medium tanks and self-propelled guns, which is beyond the scope of this article.

Sources:
P. Sergeev "Tanks of Japan in the Second World War." 2000
S. Fedoseev "Medium tank Chi-ha" (Armored collection MK 1998-05)
S. Fedoseev Armored vehicles Japan 1939-1945" ("Historical Series", supplement to the journal "Technology-Youth"). 2003
Steven Zaloga, Tony Bryan "Japanese Tanks 1939-45"
Axis History Forum: Knocked out Japanese tanks

PERFORMANCE AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A MEDIUM TANK
"Chi-ha" sample 1938

COMBAT WEIGHT 14000 kg
CREW, pers. 5
DIMENSIONS
Length, mm 5730
Width, mm 2330
Height, mm 2420
Clearance, mm 420
WEAPONS one 57 mm Type 97 cannon and two 7.7 mm Type 97 machine guns
AMMUNITION 120 shots and 3825 rounds
AIMING DEVICES telescopic gun and optical machine gun sights
BOOKING hull forehead - 25 mm
board - 22 mm
feed - 25 mm
tower - 20 mm
gun mask - 25 mm
roof - 12 mm
bottom - 8 mm
ENGINE Mitsubushi Type 100, 12-cylinder, diesel, air-cooled; power 170 hp at 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION mechanical type: reducer, reduction gear box (8 + 2), cardan shaft, final clutches, final single row reduction gears
CHASSIS (on one side) four road wheels with Hara-type suspension, two rollers with individual spring suspension, three support rollers (all rubber-coated); caterpillar small-link, with one crest, 330 mm wide
SPEED 44 km/h on the road
HIGHWAY RANGE 210 km
OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME
Climb angle, deg. 30°-35°
Wall height, m 0,76
Ford depth, m 1,00
Ditch width, m 2,50
MEANS OF COMMUNICATION ?

The Type 97 Chi-Ha is a Japanese medium tank that was heavily used during the time, along with the more obsolete . In terms of mass, Chi-Ha was rather light - it could only be classified as medium according to the Japanese classification.

The history of the creation of Chi-Ha

By the mid-30s of the XX century, Japan's main medium tank Type 98 was completely outdated. The Japanese command revised the requirements for medium tanks and ordered the development of more maneuverable vehicles. In 1936, the final performance characteristics for the new medium tank were formulated - it had to be faster, more secure, smaller, and at the same time retain the old armament. Two prototypes were made - "Chi-ha" from the company "Mitsubishi" and "Chi-ni" from the arsenal in Osaka.

In 1936-1937, prototypes were tested, and at first preference was given to the lighter and cheaper Chi-Ni. But after the first major military clashes with China, it became obvious that the maneuverable and armored Chi-Ha would show itself better. As a result, he was adopted, designating the name "Type 2597". In 1937, the tank began to be mass-produced.

Tactical and technical characteristics (TTX)

general information

  • Classification - medium tank, although by world standards it was more of a light tank;
  • Combat weight - 15.8 tons;
  • Layout diagram - transmission compartment in front, engine compartment in the back;
  • Crew - 4 people;
  • Years of production - 1938-1943;
  • Years of operation - 1938-1945;
  • The number of issued - 2123 pieces.

Chi-Ha layout

Dimensions

  • Case length - 5500 millimeters;
  • Hull width - 2330 millimeters;
  • Height - 2380 millimeters;
  • Ground clearance - 420 millimeters.

Booking

  • Armor type - surface-hardened rolled steel;
  • Forehead of the hull (middle) - 10 / 82 ° -20 / 65 ° mm / degree;
  • Hull board (top) - 20 / 25-40 ° mm / degree;
  • Hull feed (top) - 20 / 67 ° mm / degree;
  • Bottom - 8.5 mm;
  • Hull roof - 10-12 mm;
  • The forehead of the tower - 25 / 10 ° mm / degree;
  • The side of the tower - 25 / 10 ... 12 ° mm / degree;
  • Cutting feed - 25 / 12 ° mm / degree;
  • Tower roof - 10 mm.

Armament

  • Brand and caliber of the gun - Type 97, 57 millimeters;
  • Gun type - rifled;
  • Barrel length - 18.4 caliber;
  • Gun ammunition - 120;
  • Angles HV: -9…+21;
  • Sight - telescopic;
  • Machine guns - 2 × 7.7 mm Type 97.

Mobility

  • Engine type - Twelve-cylinder diesel V-shaped, liquid-cooled;
  • Power - 170 horsepower;
  • Highway speed - 38 km / h;
  • Cross-country speed - 19 km / h;
  • Power reserve on the highway - 210 km;
  • Specific power - 10.8 hp / t;
  • Suspension type - Hara;
  • Climbability - 30-35 degrees;
  • Overcoming wall - 1 meter;
  • Crossable moat - 2.5 meters;
  • Crossable ford - 1 meter.

Chi-Ha modifications

So Chi-Ha was very successful and popular, so several modifications were built on its basis, which were actively used along with the base tank.

Shinhoto Chi-Ha

When the Japanese troops clashed with the Soviets near the Khalkhin Gol River, it became clear that tank guns should have anti-tank properties in the first place. So in 1939, the "ShinhoTo Chi-Ha" was developed - a modification with a new turret and a 47 mm gun. It had a smaller caliber, but due to the length of the projectile, a high initial velocity was given, so that the new gun penetrated the armor of tanks much better. Shinhoto were produced along with the regular Chi-Ha until 1943.


Shinhoto Chi-Ha

Chi-Ha with a 120 mm cannon

On the basis of the Shinhoto, by order of the Marine Corps, they created a variation with a short-barreled naval gun with a caliber of 120 millimeters. Such a tank was produced after 1942 in small quantities.

Chi-Ki

It was a commander's tank - the tower was occupied by radio equipment and there was a 57-mm gun in it, and a 37-mm gun was installed in place of one machine gun.

Vehicles based on the Type 97 Chi-Ha

In addition to various modifications, other vehicles were also created on the basis of the Chi-Ha tank.

Anti-tank:

  • Ho-Ro is a self-propelled howitzer. Instead of a turret, a 150-mm howitzer was placed. Only about 12 were produced;
  • Ho-Ni - a whole series of self-propelled guns. Similar in design to the Ho-Ro, but the Ho-Ni III had a closed conning tower. They were mainly used for fire support. They were the only more or less massive self-propelled guns of Japan in World War II (about 170 pieces were produced).

Ho-Ni I - self-propelled guns based on Chi-Ha.

Special:

  • Ka-Ha - a machine for the destruction of wired communication lines due to the action of a dynamo machine with a DC generator. The creators assumed that he would destroy the means of communication through the telegraph wire. A total of four such machines were built, but there is no data on their use;
  • Ka-So - an armored vehicle for artillery observers. Did not have weapons in the tower;
  • Ho-K - logging machine used in the jungles of New Guinea;
  • Chi-Yu - an armored mine trawl with a turret and weapons.

Repair and technical

  • Se-Ri is a recovery vehicle. A small conical turret with a machine gun was placed on it, and on the stern there was a crane with a lifting capacity of 5 tons. Only a couple of copies were produced;
  • T-G - an armored bridgelayer that made it possible to assemble the bridge with the help of two missiles - the bridge flew out of the car in just a few seconds. At the same time, the resulting bridge could hold Japanese tanks, but failed under the American ones. However, the T-G was never mass-produced.

Combat use

In the battles at Khalkhin Gol, the Chi-Ha tanks have not yet been used, but only tested at the front. After the defeat, it was decided to replace many of the "Ha-Go" with Type 97 "Chi-ha", so they began to be produced more actively.

In 1941, the Japanese invaded Malaya and the Philippines. In battles with American tanks mostly participated, but the medium "Chi-Ha" was also used by the Japanese troops to accompany the infantry and the final destruction of the enemy.

In the battles on Bataan, the Chi-Ha was already used much more actively, but in the end it turned out that their 57-mm weapons were ineffective against the American Stuarts. Therefore, two Shinhoto Chi-Ha were transferred to the islands. For the first time this modification was used in the landing on Corregidor, May 5, 1942.

In Malaya, "Chi-Ha" was also used actively and very successfully, mainly due to the fact that the enemy did not have anti-tank weapons. Tanks played a special role in the capture of Singapore on 15 February.

In 1943, Japan in the Pacific and Asia was forced to switch from offensive to defensive. To do this, all units were actively equipped with tanks, both Chi-Ha and Ha-Go, as well as floating and other modifications.

In the battles on the island of Saipan in July 1944, the Japanese tank forces clashed with American tanks. As a result, many Japanese vehicles were lost under fire from the M4 and anti-tank M3. The same thing happened on the island of Guam.

On the Pacific Theater of Operations, these two islands became the places of the most active use Japanese tanks. It was here that it became clear that the Chi-Ha were already outdated - they made their way too easily with American cannons and even heavy machine guns.


Type 97 Chi-Ha with a tanker

Philippines and Japanese islands

In the Philippines, Japanese tanks also did not perform too well - in battles with American tanks, especially Shermans and self-propelled guns, many Chi-Ha and Shinhoto Chi-Ha were lost. Japanese tanks also failed in the defense of Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Formosa. True, one stronghold with three Shinhoto Chi-Ha managed to put up stubborn resistance - the fighting on the island of Iwo Jima went on from February to March 26. But in the end, resistance was crushed anyway. In the fierce battles in Okinawa, tanks almost did not participate. Especially because of the defeat in the Philippines, the Japanese did not take risks and transfer tanks to Okinawa.


Chi-Ha shot down in the Philippines

Continental battles

On the continent, "Chi-Ha" fought in Burma and China. In Burma, the last Japanese tanks were killed in a collision with Shermans in March 1945. In China, tanks performed more successfully, mainly due to the weak anti-tank defense of the enemy. By the way, when Japan capitulated, the third tank division operating in China was not completely disarmed - it was used to defend Beiping from the National Liberation Army.

When the Manchurian offensive operation of the Soviet troops began, the Kwantung Army had several tank brigades and regiments armed mainly with Chi-Ha and Shinhoto Chi-Ha. In total, the grouping had 1215 tanks. In general, their application was unsuccessful, and they were defeated. The same was expected of Japanese tanks in the Kuril Islands - the remains of the Shinhoto Chi-Ha can still be seen on Paramushir Island.

After Japan surrendered, the Chi-Ha was used in the Third Chinese Civil War, by both sides. They were mainly used to support infantry. In Japan itself, "Chi-Ha" were in service until the 60s, but were used more as training vehicles.

tank memory

Museums today store three Chi-Ha tanks, and there are also 11 vehicles that were badly damaged in battles:

  • Indonesia, Malanga, National Museum;
  • China, Beijing - People's Revolutionary Museum;
  • Japan, Yasukuni Shrine;
  • Japan, Tank School of the Imperial Japanese Army;
  • Russia, Ivanovskoye village in the Moscow region, Military Technical Museum. The tank is on the move;
  • Russia, Kuril Islands, Shumshu island. Several damaged tanks;
  • On the islands of Guadalcanal, Saipan and Duke of York Island there are 9 Chi-Ha tanks abandoned by crews or damaged in battles.

Remains of Shinhoto Chi-Ha in the Kuril Islands

tank photos


Padded Chi-Ha
Type 97 Chi-Ha at the US Army Museum in Aberdeen
Shinhoto Chi-Ha with crew

Tank in culture

Despite widespread use, in popular culture the tank "Chi-Ha" has no significant mentions. He is not mentioned in the films or in fiction, but it can be found in game world of tanks as a Japanese medium tank of the third tier and as a medium tank of the first rank.


The most massive and most successful japanese tank period of World War II. Developed by Mitsubishi Jukoge KK in 1936. Adopted in 1937. Produced from 1938 to 1945 by Mitsubishi, Hitachi Seisakusho, Nihon Seikusho and the arsenal in Sagami (Sagami Rikugun Zoheisho " ).

DESIGN AND MODIFICATIONS

Type 2597 "Chi-ha" - riveted hull and turret. The armor plates of the frontal part and sides of the hull were located at angles of 10 - 80 ° to the vertical. The turret is conical in shape with a stern niche and a commander's turret. Armament: 57-mm cannon with a barrel length of 18.5 caliber and two machine guns - forward in the hull and aft in the turret. The barrels of machine guns were protected by box-shaped armored casings.

"Shinhoto Chi-ha" (Type 97 kai - "Chiha" with a new turret and weapons). 47mm cannon "Type 1" with a barrel length of 48 calibers. Ammunition 104 rounds. The gun mantlet allowed the gun to swing with its shoulder rest in a horizontal plane without turning the turret. The tower is riveted with a developed aft niche and a commander's cupola. Combat weight 15.8 tons. Dimensions; 5500x2330x2380 mm. Crew 4 people. Most of the new tanks were a remake of the already released "Chi-ha". The newly manufactured vehicles were distinguished by the ventilation system of the engine compartment and the presence of light and sound communication between the commander and the driver.

1220 units of "Chi-ha" and "Shinhoto Chi-ha" were manufactured.

Type 1 "Chi-he" - a welded body of a simplified design. Straightened front hull sheet of increased thickness. The turret and weapons remained the same as those of the Shinhoto Chi-ha. Combat weight 17.2 tons. Dimensions: 5730x2330x2420 mm. Booking - 20 ... 50 mm. Crew 5 people. 240 hp diesel engine 600 units made.

Type 2 "Ho-ni" - an assault tank based on the "Chi-he" with a 75-mm Type 99 short-barreled gun, intended for fire support of line tanks and infantry in battle. Combat weight 16.7 tons. 33 units were made.

Type 3 "Chi-nu" - "Chi-he" with a new welded hex turret. Armament: 75 mm Type 3 cannon with a barrel length of 38 calibers. Combat weight 18.8 tons. Crew 5 people. Manufactured 60 units.

Baptism of fire "Chi-ha" received in 1939 during the battles with the Soviet troops in Mongolia, near Khalkhin-Gol. The 3rd Tank Regiment of the Kwantung Army had four combat vehicles of this type.

In the Philippines in December 1941, "Sneeze" first encountered American tanks. main role light "Ha-go" played in battles, but "Chi-ha" also participated in the hostilities, usually leading infantry attacks. Already the first battles showed the low effectiveness of the 57mm Chi-ha guns in tank battles with highly mobile, maneuverable "Stuarts", moreover, capable of firing from long distances. Therefore, along with the Chi-ha, the Shinhoto Chiha tanks began to be included in the units.


Tanks of the 23rd Tank Regiment of the Kwantung Army. In the foreground is the platoon commander's vehicle, the medium tank "Chi-ha", in the background, the light tank "Ha-go". The semicircular protruding cabin of the mechanic - the driver and the shape of the flaps of the hatch cover of the commander's cupola are clearly visible



Trophy tank "Chi-ha", captured by the Americans on about. Guadalcanal (top and bottom)




In the battles in Malaya, "Chi-ha" of the 1st, 6th and 14th tank regiments operated. They had to move mainly in columns along rare roads in the jungle. Under these conditions, tanks were also used as a vehicle for transporting property.

In Burma in the winter - spring of 1942, the Chi-ha tanks again participated in battles, mainly with the "Stuarts".

However, the main theater of combat use of Japanese tanks in general and Chi-ha tanks in particular were the islands of the Pacific Ocean. True, due to the specificity of geography, tank battles here were not massive. For example, on about. Guadalcanal in 1942, there was only one Japanese tank company. The culmination was the Japanese attempt to force the river. Mathenik and attack the positions of the US Marines on the opposite bank. Of the 12 "Chi-ha" that tried to ford the river, most were lost to the fire of 37-mm anti-tank guns. This ended the tank battles on the island.

On Saipan in 1944, the Japanese used their tanks to counterattack together with the infantry and suffered heavy losses from the fire of infantry anti-tank weapons and Sherman tanks. The Japanese adhered to similar tactics on about. Guam. A successful attack was carried out, for example, by five "Chi-ha" on the night of August 8-9 on the positions of American marines, whose "bazookas" were put out of action due to rain. True, the very next day the Shermans attacked a Japanese stronghold, knocked out two tanks and captured seven.



The crews of the 4th Tank Regiment inspect the first "Chi-ha" that came to them. In the background - medium tank 2594



Medium tank "Shinhoto Chi-ha". Burma, 1944


Saipan and Guam became the place of the most intensive use of Japanese tanks in the Pacific theater of operations. On June 16, they also carried out their last massive attack on Saipan. The fighting here also demonstrated the complete inconsistency of the "Chi-ha" with the requirements of the time - they were easily knocked out by the fire of "bazookas", tank and anti-tank guns, there were also cases of these vehicles being hit by fire heavy machine guns and rifle grenades.

On about. Leite, the Japanese tanks failed to carry out a single more or less successful counterattack and were mostly knocked out. The remaining tanks were used as fixed firing points. By May 5, 1945, the Americans had destroyed 203 Chi-ha and Shinhoto Chi-ha tanks in the Philippines.

On the continent, tanks of this type fought in Burma and China as part of the 14th Panzer Regiment and the 3rd Panzer Division, respectively.

By the beginning of the Manchurian offensive operation of the Soviet troops in 1945, the Kwantung Army included the 1st and 9th separate tank brigades and the 35th tank regiment. The 9th Brigade served as the tank reserve of the Kwantung Army. Japanese tank forces were significantly weakened by losses in the autumn offensive of 1944 in China and the transfer of part of the units and equipment to the Japanese islands. In total, the Kwantung grouping, together with the 17th Korean Front, by August 1945 had 1215 tanks of various types. Soviet troops numbered 1.7 million people and 5200 tanks and self-propelled guns. Japanese tanks almost did not participate in the battles and all were captured. The troops of the Trans-Baikal and 1st Far Eastern fronts, for example, got up to 600 serviceable Japanese tanks.




Medium tank Type 1 "Chi-he"


Artillery medium tank "Ho-i", captured by the Americans in 1945



The "Chi-nu" that did not enter the battle, intended for the defense of Japan. 1945


Events developed differently on the islands of the Kuril chain. "Chi-ha" and "Shinhoto Chi-ha" of the 11th tank regiment, along with units of the 91st infantry division were on the islands of Shumshu and Paramushir. They took part in the battles with the Soviet troops conducting the Kuril landing operation. In addition, the Japanese had two separate tank companies in the Kuriles. To counter the Soviet landing (the 101st rifle division with a battalion of marines) on Shumshu Island on August 18-20, 1945, the Japanese additionally transferred tanks from Paramushir Island.

Shumshu and Paramushir were cleared of the Japanese on August 23, and all the Kuril Islands by September 1.

After the surrender of Japan, "Chi-ha" and "Shinhoto Chi-ha" continued their military service - during the Third Civil War in China (1945 - 1949). Serviceable vehicles taken from the Kaantun army, including 350 "Chi-ha", Soviet troops handed over to the People's Liberation Army. On the other hand, a significant number of Japanese tanks, with the assistance of the Americans, received the Kuomintang troops of Chiang Kai-shek.

As for the Chi-nu tanks, they entered the 4th Panzer Division, intended for the defense of the mother country, and did not take part in hostilities.

Simultaneously with the "Chi-ha", a specialized command tank "Chi-ki" was adopted for the headquarters of the regimental level. This machine was equipped with a more powerful radio station, navigation instruments and additional signaling devices. The 57-mm cannon was dismantled, and as compensation, instead of the course machine gun, a 37-mm cannon was installed in the frontal hull plate. In turn, on the basis of "Chi-he" command tanks "Ka-so" were produced. The 47-mm cannon on them was replaced by a mock-up, thus freeing up space for an additional radio station.

In Japan, the surviving "Chi-ha" and "Chi-he" remained in service until the 1960s and were used as training ones.



Soviet soldiers inspect Japanese tanks "Chi-ha" at the exhibition of trophies of the Red Army in the TsPKiO im. Gorky. Moscow, 1945