Heavy tanks of Japan during the Second World War. Japanese tanks of the Second World War. tank memory

Good World Evil (Myth)

The development of armored forces in Japan
On November 25, 1936, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany signed the Anti-Comintern Pact. A year later, in 1937, fascist Italy joined the agreement. The Berlin-Rome-Tokyo Axis Coalition proceeded to divide spheres of influence. Japan, which has long dreamed of power over the "Great East Asia", and having already managed to capture Manchuria by this time, turned out to be the most ready of its allies for large-scale military operations. In 1937, Japan launched an invasion of China. And it is no coincidence that the first tank was created in the Land of the Rising Sun in this year, which was predicted to play a role the main striking weapon of the Japanese ground forces.

Light tank "Ha-go"
"Ha-go" became the most massive Japanese tank of the 30s - 40s - in total, 1300 vehicles were produced until 1943. Small and light tanks generally formed the basis of Japan's tank fleet in World War II. According to the views of the Japanese military leadership, tanks were intended to accompany infantry in battle as part of small units. In a 1935 instruction on the preparation tank units it was stated that "the main purpose of the tanks is to fight in close cooperation with the infantry." Their main tasks were considered to be: combating firing points and field artillery and making passages for infantry in barriers. Tanks could be sent to "close raids" for Front edge enemy defense to a depth of no more than 600 m. At the same time, having violated his defense system, they had to return to their infantry and support its attack. The most maneuverable type of combat operations were "deep raids" along with cavalry, motorized infantry in vehicles, sappers and field artillery. In defense, tanks were used to carry out frequent counterattacks (mostly at night) or to fire from an ambush. The fight against enemy tanks was allowed only when absolutely necessary. True, by the end of the war, Japanese instructions already considered tanks as the most effective anti-tank weapon. Often, light tanks in defense were buried in the ground.

Type 97, aka "Chi-Ha" - medium tank Imperial Japanese Land Forces.
Today's story is about the most famous Japanese tank of World War II. The most famous, and the most massive in production.

The Chi-Ha was one of the first Japanese tanks designed by Tomio Hara's group of engineers. Actually, this machine 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 machines was the following: Japanese land army divided then in relation to tanks into two camps. One - led by the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff ground forces and the Osaka arsenal. They considered it more expedient to build as quickly as possible and as many light tanks 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 fewer tanks, but more advanced ones - full-fledged ones.
medium tanks with good armor, maneuverability and weapons. Both sides never came to a mutual agreement, so the engineers were ordered to develop two versions of the tank 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 general staff, and be a lighter and cheaper car.

Medium tank "Type 01 Chi-Khe"
Tank "Type 01", also known as "Chi-Khe", was built on the basis of the tank "Type 97 Chi-Ha" and, in fact, was its modification.

Taking into account the combat experience of the Chi-ha tank, the Japanese designers decided to improve an impressive number of units of their armored vehicles. The reason for this was the not-too-impressive results of the Japanese Chi-Ha tanks when meeting with the American M3s. New tank, "Type 01 Chi-Khe", aka "middle sixth", was supposed to get a more powerful gun - the weakest point of all previous tanks, also a more powerful engine, and thicker armor.

So, given the sad experience of collisions with American tanks, Japanese engineers were forced to introduce a number of significant changes in the design of their armored vehicles. At that time, the "Type 97 Chi-Ha" and its modification "Shinhoto Chi-Ha" were considered the best Japanese tanks. However, as it turned out, the "Chi-Ha" was armed with a too weak turret gun, not capable of penetrating the thick armor of the "Americans" from a long distance. It was also decided that "Chi-Ha" did not have too much reliable protection, both in terms of the thickness of the armor, and in terms of the angle of inclination of the armor plates.

The first tank to receive these modifications was the Type 01 Chi-Khe.
Compared to its predecessor, the Chi-Ha tank, the Type 01 is slightly longer and slightly narrower. The increase in the thickness of the frontal armor plates, as well as their more obtuse angle of inclination, caused the tank to become heavier by a little over two tons. On the new car, there was no longer a cutting forward and blinds on the sides.

Japanese tank building dates back to the 20s of the last century. Until the creation modern tank in the design of combat vehicles, several lines are clearly traced.

Firstly, due to the constant shortage of raw materials, tanks were never built in large numbers. The maximum was reached in 1942, then 1191 units were built in a year, then the number was constantly decreasing. For comparison, over 24,000 tanks were produced in the USSR during this period, and 6,200 in Germany.

Secondly, to ensure dominance over the Pacific theater of operations, Japan gave priority to the construction powerful fleet and aviation, and ground forces played the role of "cleansing".

Even adopted on January 25, 1945, the decree "Program of emergency measures to achieve victory" in the production of weapons gave priority to the construction of aircraft. Therefore, for the successful transfer of tanks by ships, the latter had to have low weight and dimensions. Because of both reasons, the Japanese industry has never produced heavy combat vehicles.

Japanese strategists believed that there could be no tank battles on the islands, so for a long time tanks were armed only with machine guns to destroy manpower and suppress enemy firing points. By the way, the strategists were right - tank battles on the islands were extremely rare.

The use of tanks by the Japanese army

The regulations and instructions of the Japanese army assigned tanks the role of close reconnaissance and infantry support in battle, and therefore, until 1941, large tank units were not created.

The main task of the tanks, as stated in the charter of 1935, is to "fight in close cooperation with the infantry." That is, as already mentioned, the destruction of the enemy’s manpower, the fight against his firing points, the suppression field artillery, not suppressed during air and artillery preparation, as well as a breakthrough in the defensive line of defense of passages for infantry.

Limited interaction of tanks with aircraft and field artillery was allowed. Sometimes tank units or just one tank were sent beyond the front line of enemy defense to a maximum depth of up to 600 m, in the so-called "close raids". After breaking the defense system, the tanks had to immediately return to the infantry to support their attack.

As a kind of reconnaissance, small tanks were used in the first echelon, which opened the enemy's fire system, followed by medium and light tanks with infantry. Objectively, such a system of warfare became outdated after, but in conflicts in Burma, China, Malaya and other countries it brought certain results. Sometimes tanks were used as part of joint groups for deep raids, in addition to tank units, the group included: motorized infantry, cavalry and sappers in field artillery vehicles. During the march, tanks with the task of destroying the enemy interfering with the advance could be attached to the vanguard. At the same time, they had to move either in “leaps” ahead of the avant-garde or in a parallel course. When guarding, they could allocate 1-2 tanks to the post.

During the defense, they were used to carry out counterattacks or fire from ambushes, often used as fixed firing points. Direct battles with enemy tanks were strictly forbidden, allowed only as a last resort.

Personnel tank troops was generally well prepared. Drivers, radio operators, gunners, shooters were trained in special schools for 2 years. Tank commanders were recruited from among the combined arms, who even inside the tank did not part with their sword. To comply, they underwent only retraining for 3-6 months.

In general, in the description of the military operations of the Japanese army, notes characteristic of the military concepts of the USSR and Germany were visible - maneuverability and surprise, but a small number and low specifications tanks were forced to consider the latter more as positional means.

Designation of Japanese tanks

To designate military equipment and weapons in Japan, two interchangeable options were used: numerical or using hieroglyphs.

At numerical designation the year of adoption of the model for service was used for the reckoning "from the foundation of the Empire" (660 BC). Until the “round” year 1940 (3000 according to the Japanese calendar), the full designation (four digits) or the last two were used, so the 1935 models corresponded to the names “type 2595”, “2595” or “95”, and for the 1940 model year - “type 100". Starting from 1941, only the last digit was used in the designation: sample 1942. - "type 2", 1943 - "type-3", etc.

In another version of the designation, names were used consisting of a hieroglyph denoting the type of combat vehicle and a counting hieroglyph.

For example, "Ke-Ri" and "Ke-Ho". Here, the numerical value corresponded to the development number, and not to the year of adoption. It goes without saying that there were exceptions, for example, “Ka-Mi” consists of the word “floating” and the beginning of the name of the digging company “Mitsubishi”, and “Ha-Go” consists of a “counting” hieroglyph and the word “model”. Sometimes some machines were named after the names of firms and arsenals - "Osaka", "Sumida". In some documents, including Japanese ones, Latin abbreviations are used to designate tanks and armored vehicles, as a rule of thumb for prototypes.

If we talk about Japanese tanks in general, they were distinguished by their low weight and weak armor. At a specific pressure of 0.7-0.8 kg/cm2, they had good permeability. But at the same time they had weak fire support, primitive means of observation and were provided with poor communication devices.

Until 1940, when welding was used, tanks were assembled using rivets on the frame. Based on the low growth of tankers, the internal space was compressed to the maximum. Repair and maintenance of components and assemblies facilitated the abundance of hatches, which at the same time weakened the armor plates.

Of the positive characteristics, it can be noted that the Japanese were the first in the world to use course machine guns and diesel engines; different classes of vehicles used the same commander's turrets, the same suspension scheme, etc., which greatly facilitated the training of personnel.

History of Japanese tank building

Japan's first own tank was built in 1927 by the arsenal in Osaka, an experimental two-tower tank "Chi-i" (middle first) weighing 18 tons. Before that, foreign-made tanks were used, the French M21 Chenillet, Renault FT-18, NC-27, Renault NC-26, English Mk.IV, Mk.A Whippet, MkC, Vickers, Vickers 6-ton. All purchased samples were carefully analyzed by designers. So in French (they went into the series as "Otsu"), the engine was replaced by a diesel one. By the way, the French NC-27 (“Otsu”) and Renault FT-18 (“Ko-gata”) were used by the army until 1940.

In addition to the two-turret "Chi-i", an 18-ton three-turreted tank "Type 2591" and in 1934 a three-turret "Type 2595" were created in 1931. If these machines were at least actually created, then the creation of the “Type 100” or “O-i” (big first) stopped at the design work, it was planned to use a three-turret machine weighing 100 tons to break through fortified areas. This ended the experiments with the creation of multi-turreted tanks, several built tanks "2591" were used in China.

On the basis of the Vickers Mk.S tanks in the early 30s. the medium tank "I-go" ("first model") or "89 Ko" was created. It became the first mass-produced tank, from 1931-1937 230 units were produced.

Japanese tank building received a significant boost after the High Command made a decision on large-scale mechanization of the army in 1932, followed by corresponding orders from industry.

The Japanese managed to avoid the wedge craze. After analyzing the purchased Cardin-Loyd tankette, the Japanese created a small Type 2592 tank. It used the suspension proposed by the most famous Japanese tank builder Tomio Hara. The model turned out to be so successful that several new models were later built on it.

In 1935, the industry began to produce the most famous light tanks "Ha-go", and from 1937 - medium tanks "Chi-ha". Both models were the main ones in the Japanese tank fleet to the end.

The planning of military operations on the islands required the presence of floating combat vehicles for the landing. Work on the creation of such machines has been carried out with varying degrees of success since the late 20s, but the peak came at the end of World War II. In 1934, there was an attempt to create a floating tank by giving the body a displacement shape "2592" or "A-I-Go", since 1941. the floating "Type 2" or "Ka-mi" is serially admitted, since 1943 "Type 2" or "Ka-chi", and in 1945. appeared "Type 5" or "To-Ku".

After the transition to strategic defense, tank production has increased significantly, some models have undergone modernization, some have been discontinued and replaced with new models. So the lungs appeared: 1943 - modernized "Ha-go" - "Ke-ri" (light sixth), 1944 - "Ke-nu" (light tenth), 1944 - "Ke-Ho" (light fifth); and medium: 1941 modification of "Chi-ha" - "Chi-He" (middle sixth), 1944 - "Chi-to" (middle seventh), 1945 - in a single copy of "Chi-Ri" (middle ninth), 1945 - "Chi-Nu" (middle tenth).

Modern Japanese tanks

After the end of World War II, while under the American occupation forces, the production of armored vehicles in Japan completely ceased. Its restoration began from the moment the "self-defense forces" were created, at first armed with the American M24 and M4. It should be noted that all post-war tank building in Japan is under the strong influence of the United States. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries becomes the main developer of tanks.

The first post-war tank was the Type 61, which remained in service until 1984. Pre-war traditions were visible in the tank, for example, the aft engine with front-wheel drive. Starting from 1962, development began on the main battle tank, it became the serial "74". First of all, to counter the Soviet "T-72", in 1989 the third generation tank "90" was adopted. On February 13, 2008, Japan introduced the latest generation Type 10 tank. In appearance, the Type 10 resembles the Merkava Mk-4 and Leopard 2A6, but in terms of weight it is closer to Russian tanks. In principle, this is only a prototype and it can go into the series with some changes.

Twenty years before the start of the war with China and the ensuing offensive throughout Southeast Asia, the Empire of Japan began to form its armored forces. The experience of the First World War showed the prospects of tanks and the Japanese took note of it. The creation of the Japanese tank industry began with a thorough study of foreign vehicles. To do this, starting in 1919, Japan purchased from European countries small batches of tanks various models. In the mid-twenties, the French Renault FT-18 and the English Mk.A Whippet were recognized as the best. In April 1925, the first Japanese tank group was formed from these armored vehicles. In the future, the purchase of foreign samples continued, but did not have a particularly large size. Japanese designers have already prepared several of their own projects.

Renault FT-17/18 (The 17 had an MG, the 18 had a 37mm gun)

Mk.A Whippet tanks of the Imperial Japanese Army

In 1927, the Osaka arsenal revealed to the world the first Japanese tank of its own design. had combat weight 18 tons and was armed with a 57 mm cannon and two machine guns. Armament was mounted in two independent towers. It is quite obvious that the first experience of self-creation of armored vehicles was not crowned with much success. Tank "Chi-I" was, in general, not bad. But not without the so-called. childhood diseases, which was excusable for the very first design. Taking into account the experience of testing and trial operation in the troops, four years later another tank of the same mass was created. "Type 91" was equipped with three towers, which were 70 mm and 37 mm guns, as well as machine guns. It is noteworthy that the machine-gun turret, being designed to defend the vehicle from the rear, was located behind the engine compartment. The other two towers were located in the front and middle parts of the tank. The most powerful gun was mounted on a large medium tower. The Japanese used this scheme of armament and layout on their next medium tank. "Type 95" appeared in 1935 and was even built in a small series. However, a number of design and operational features eventually led to the abandonment of multi-tower systems. All further Japanese armored vehicles were either equipped with a single turret, or managed with a machine gunner’s wheelhouse or armored shield.

The first Japanese medium tank, which was referred to as 2587 "Chi-i" (sometimes it was called "medium tank No. 1")

"Special Tractor"

After abandoning the idea of ​​a tank with several towers, the Japanese military and designers began to develop another direction of armored vehicles, which eventually became the basis for a whole family of combat vehicles. In 1935, the light / small tank "Type 94", also known as the "TK" (short for "Tokubetsu Keninsha" - literally "Special Tractor"), was adopted by the Japanese army. Initially, this tank with a combat weight of three and a half tons - because of this, in the European classification of armored vehicles it is listed as a tankette - was developed as a special vehicle for transporting goods and escorting convoys. However, over time, the project developed into a full-fledged light combat vehicle. The design and layout of the Type 94 tank subsequently became a classic for Japanese armored vehicles. The TK body was assembled on a frame made of rolled sheet corners, the maximum thickness of the armor was 12 millimeters of the upper part of the forehead. The bottom and roof were three times thinner. In front of the hull housed the engine compartment with a Mitsubishi "Type 94" gasoline engine with a power of 35 Horse power. Such a weak motor was enough for a speed of only 40 km / h on the highway. The suspension of the tank was designed according to the scheme of Major T. Hara. Four track rollers per caterpillar were mounted in pairs at the ends of the balancer, which, in turn, was mounted on the hull. The shock-absorbing element of the suspension was a coil spring mounted along the body and covered with a cylindrical casing. On each side, the undercarriage was equipped with two such blocks, while the fixed ends of the springs were in the center of the undercarriage. The armament of the "Special Tractor" consisted of one Type 91 machine gun of 6.5 mm caliber. The Type 94 project was generally successful, although it had a number of shortcomings. First of all, the claims were caused by weak protection and insufficient armament. Only one rifle-caliber machine gun was an effective weapon only against a weak enemy.

"Type 94" "TK" captured by the Americans

"Type 97" / "Te-Ke"

The terms of reference for the next armored vehicle implied more high levels protection and firepower. Since the Type 94 design had a certain potential for development, the new Type 97, also known as Te-Ke, in fact became its deep modernization. For this reason, the suspension and hull design of the Te-Ke was almost completely similar to the corresponding Type 94 units. At the same time, there were differences. The combat weight of the new tank increased to 4.75 tons, which, in combination with a new, more powerful engine, could lead to serious changes in balancing. To avoid too much load on the front road wheels, the OHV engine was placed at the rear of the tank. A two-stroke diesel developed power up to 60 hp. At the same time, an increase in engine power did not lead to an improvement in driving performance. The speed of the "Type 97" remained at the level of the previous "TK" tank. The transfer of the engine to the stern required a change in the layout and shape of the front of the hull. So, due to the increase in free volumes in the nose of the tank, it was possible to make a more ergonomic driver's workplace with a more comfortable “cutting room” protruding above the frontal and upper hull sheets. The level of protection of the "Type 97" was slightly higher than that of the "Type 94". Now the entire body was assembled from 12 mm sheets. Besides, top part the sides of the hull had a thickness of 16 millimeters. Such an interesting feature was due to the angles of inclination of the sheets. Since the frontal was located at a greater angle to the horizontal than the side ones, different thickness allowed to provide the same level of protection from all angles. The crew of the tank "Type 97" consisted of two people. They did not have any special observation devices and used only viewing slots and sights. The workplace of the tank commander was located in the fighting compartment, in the tower. He had a 37 mm cannon and a 7.7 mm machine gun at his disposal. The Type 94 gun with a wedge breech was loaded manually. Ammunition of 66 armor-piercing and fragmentation shells fit along the sides, inside the tank hull. Penetration armor-piercing projectile was about 35 millimeters from a distance of 300 meters. Coaxial machine gun "Type 97" had more than 1700 rounds of ammunition.

Type 97 Te-Ke

Serial production of Type 97 tanks began in 1938-39. Before its termination in 1942, about six hundred combat vehicles were assembled. Appearing at the very end of the thirties, "Te-Ke" managed to take part in almost all military conflicts of that time, from the battles in Manchuria to the landing operations of 1944. At first, the industry could not cope with the production of the required number of tanks, so it was necessary to distribute them between parts with great care. The use of the "Type 97" in battles went with varying degrees of success: weak armor did not provide protection from a considerable part of the enemy's firepower, and their own weapons could not provide the proper firepower and effective fire range. In 1940, an attempt was made to install a new gun with a barrel on the Te-Ke greater length and old caliber. The initial speed of the projectile increased by one hundred meters per second and reached a level of 670-680 m/s. However, over time, the insufficiency of this weapon became clear.

"Type 95"

A further development of the theme of light tanks was the "Type 95" or "Ha-Go", created a little later by "Te-Ke". In general, it was a logical continuation of previous machines, but it was not without major changes. First of all, the design of the chassis was changed. On previous machines, the idler also played the role of a track roller and pressed the track to the ground. On Ha-Go, this part was raised above the ground and the caterpillar acquired a more familiar look for tanks of that time. The design of the armored hull remained the same - a frame and rolled sheets. Most of the panels had a thickness of 12 millimeters, which is why the level of protection remained the same. basis power plant tank "Type 95" was a six-cylinder two-stroke diesel engine with an HP 120 power. Such engine power, despite the combat weight of seven and a half tons, made it possible to maintain and even increase the speed and maneuverability of the vehicle compared to the previous ones. Max speed"Ha-Go" on the highway was 45 km / h.

The main weapon of the Ha-Go tank was similar to the weapons of the Type 97. It was a 37mm Type 94 gun. The gun suspension system was made in a rather original way. The gun was not fixed rigidly and could move both in vertical and horizontal planes. Thanks to this, it was possible to roughly aim the gun by turning the turret and adjust the aiming using its own turning mechanisms. Gun ammunition - 75 unitary shells - was placed along the walls of the fighting compartment. Additional weapons "Type 95" at first were two 6.5-mm machine guns "Type 91". Later, with the transition of the Japanese army to a new cartridge, their place was taken by Type 97 machine guns of 7.7 mm caliber. One of the machine guns was mounted in the rear of the turret, the other in a oscillating mount in the front plate of the armored hull. In addition, on the left side of the hull there were loopholes for firing from the crew's personal weapons. The Ha-Go crew, for the first time in this line of light tanks, consisted of three people: a driver mechanic, a gunner and a gunner commander. The duties of the gunner technician included control of the engine and firing from the front machine gun. The second machine gun was controlled by the commander. He loaded the cannon and fired from it.

The first experimental batch of Ha-Go tanks was assembled back in 1935 and immediately went to the troops for trial operation. In the war with China, due to the weakness of the latter's army, the new Japanese tanks did not achieve much success. A little later, during the battles at Khalkhin Gol, the Japanese military finally managed to test the Type 95 in a real battle with a worthy opponent. This check ended sadly: almost all the Ha-Gos that the Kwantung Army had were destroyed by tanks and artillery of the Red Army. One of the results of the battles at Khalkhin Gol was the recognition by the Japanese command of the insufficiency of 37-mm guns. During the battles, Soviet BT-5s, equipped with 45 mm guns, managed to destroy Japanese tanks even before they approached the distance of confident defeat. In addition, there were many machine-gun tanks in the Japanese armored formations, which clearly did not contribute to success in battles.

"Ha-Go", captured by American troops on the island of Io

Subsequently, the Ha-Go tanks collided in battle with American equipment and artillery. Due to the significant difference in calibers, the Americans were already using with might and main tank guns 75 mm caliber - Japanese armored vehicles often carried big losses. By the end of the war on pacific ocean light tanks "Type 95" were often converted into stationary firing points, however, their effectiveness was low. Recent fights with the participation of "Type 95" took place during the Third Civil War in China. Trophy tanks were handed over to the Chinese military, with the USSR sending captured armored vehicles to the People's Liberation Army, and the US to the Kuomintang. Despite the active use of the "Type 95" after the Second World War, this tank can be considered quite lucky. Of the more than 2,300 built tanks, a dozen and a half have survived to our time in the form of museum exhibits. A few dozen more damaged tanks are local landmarks in some Asian countries.

Medium "Chi-Ha"

Shortly after the start of testing the Ha-Go tank, Mitsubishi presented another project, rooted in the early thirties. This time, the good old TK concept became the basis for a new medium tank, called Type 97 or Chi-Ha. It should be noted that "Chi-Ha" had little in common with "Te-Ke". The coincidence of the digital development index was due to some bureaucratic issues. However, it was not without borrowing ideas. The new "Type 97" had the same layout as the previous machines: the engine in the stern, the transmission in the front and fighting compartment between them. The design of "Chi-Ha" was carried out according to the frame system. The maximum thickness of the rolled hull sheets in the case of the "Type 97" has increased to 27 millimeters. This provided a significant increase in the level of protection. As practice later showed, the new thicker armor turned out to be much more resistant to enemy weapons. For example, American heavy machine guns Browning M2 confidently hit Ha-Go tanks at distances up to 500 meters, but they left only dents on the Chi-Ha armor. More solid armor led to an increase in the combat weight of the tank to 15.8 tons. This fact required the installation of a new engine. On the early stages The project considered two motors. Both had the same power of 170 hp, but were developed by different companies. As a result, Mitsubishi diesel was chosen, which turned out to be a little more convenient in production. And the ability to quickly and conveniently connect tank designers with engine engineers has done its job.

Given the current trends in the development of foreign tanks, the Mitsubishi designers decided to equip the new Type 97 with more powerful weapon than previous tanks had. A 57 mm Type 97 gun was mounted on the turret. As on the "Ha-Go", the gun could swing on pins not only in the vertical plane, but also in the horizontal, within a sector 20 ° wide. It is noteworthy that the thin horizontal aiming of the gun was carried out without any mechanical means - only by the physical strength of the gunner. Vertical aiming was carried out in the sector from -9 ° to + 21 °. The standard gun ammunition included 80 high-explosive fragmentation and 40 armor-piercing shells. Armor-piercing ammunition weighing 2.58 kg from a kilometer pierced up to 12 millimeters of armor. At half the distance, the penetration rate increased by one and a half times. Additional armament "Chi-Ha" consisted of two machine guns "Type 97". One of them was located in front of the hull, and the other was intended for defense against an attack from behind. The new gun forced the tank builders to go for another increase in the crew. Now it included four people: a driver, gunner, loader and commander-gunner.

In 1942, on the basis of the Type 97, the Shinhoto Chi-Ha tank was created, which differed from the original model. new cannon. The 47-mm Type 1 gun made it possible to increase the ammunition load to 102 rounds and at the same time increase armor penetration. A 48-caliber barrel accelerated the projectile to such speeds at which it could penetrate up to 68-70 millimeters of armor at a distance of up to 500 meters. The updated tank turned out to be more effective against enemy armored vehicles and fortifications, in connection with which mass production was launched. In addition, a large part of the more than seven hundred manufactured Shinhoto Chi-Ha was converted during repairs from simple Type 97 tanks.

The combat use of "Chi-Ha", which began in the very first months of the war in the Pacific theater of operations, until a certain time showed sufficient effectiveness of the applied solutions. However, over time, when the United States entered the war, already having tanks such as the M3 Lee in its troops, it became clear that all the light and medium tanks available to Japan simply could not fight them. For a reliable defeat of American tanks, accurate hits on certain parts of them were required. This was the reason for the creation of a new turret with a Type 1 cannon. One way or another, none of the modifications of the "Type 97" could compete on an equal footing with the equipment of the enemy, the USA or the USSR. Including as a result of this, out of approximately 2,100 pieces, only two whole Chi-Ha tanks have survived to our time. Another dozen survived in a damaged form and are also museum exhibits.

Japanese tanks 1939-1945

In 1940, work began on a deep modernization of the medium tank "Chi-Ha", and as a result, the designers got a completely new machine - Type 1 "Chi-Ha". One of major differences The “Chi-He” from its predecessor was the body: for the first time in Japan, it was made not riveted, but welded. This in itself had a positive effect on the survivability of the machine in combat conditions. In addition, the thickness of the hull armor has increased, reaching 50 mm "in the forehead" and 20 mm on the sides and in the stern. A new triple turret was installed on the tank, and a fifth crew member appeared - the loader. This made it easier for the tank commander. The Chi-Khe was equipped with a 47 mm Type 1 cannon, developed on the basis of an anti-tank gun, but with improved recoil devices and trigger mechanism. The projectile of this gun pierced normal armor up to 68 mm thick at a distance of 500 meters. The same gun was installed on the Shinhoto Chi-Ha. The increased thickness of the armor led to an increase in the mass of the Chi-Khe by one and a half tons compared to the Chi-Kha. The new Mitsubishi diesel engine with a capacity of 240 horsepower not only compensated for this increase, but also allowed the Chi-He to reach speeds of up to 44 km / h. The release of the new tank began in 1941 by Mitsubishi and the Sagami arsenal. At the same time, the production of "Chi-Ha" did not stop. Until 1945, 601 Type 1 "Chi-He" tanks were built. Separate vehicles remained in service with the Japan Self-Defense Forces until the end of the 1960s.

From 1938 to 1944, Japanese engineers were engaged in the modernization of a number of production tanks, but for the most part, things did not progress beyond the construction of one or more prototypes. So, on the basis of the Ke-Ni light tank, a new model was created - Type 2 Ke-To, built in just a few copies. On the basis of "Ha-Go" in 1943 was designed light tank"Ke-Ri" with a 57-mm gun in a new turret. This car was also produced only in a small series. There were other projects, but the limited volume of the article does not allow us to talk about them.

In 1944, work was completed on the new Type 5 Ke-Ho light tank. With its layout and armament, it resembled the Chi-Khe, but it was equipped with a two-man turret and a 150 horsepower diesel engine. Chassis had six twin rollers on each side. The thickness of the armor "Ke-Ho" was 25 mm in the frontal part, and along the sides and in the stern - 12 mm. The tank weighed 8.4 tons. According to the test results, the tank was recognized as successful, but they did not manage to establish its mass production before the surrender in Japan.

In 1943, the Osaka arsenal developed a new 75 mm Type 3 gun equipped with muzzle brake. From a distance of 100 meters, it could penetrate 90 mm armor, and from 1000 meters - 65 mm. This gun was equipped with a new medium tank, which was put into service in 1943 under the designation Type 3 "Chi-Nu". Structurally and in terms of the layout of the modules, he repeated the “Chi-Khe”, weighed 18.8 tons and could reach speeds of up to 39 km / h. Until the end of the war, only 60 tanks of this type were built. All of them were stationed on the Japanese islands and did not take part in the hostilities. However, compared to other Japanese production vehicles of that time, the Type 3 Chi-Nu was the most powerfully armed tank.

I did not have time to go into mass production of a new sample of the medium tank Type 4 "Chi-To". Compared to the Chi-Nu, it was significantly better armored (the thickness of the armor "in the forehead" of the hull was 75 mm, along the sides - up to 35 mm) and was equipped with a long-barreled 75-mm cannon, developed on the basis of an anti-aircraft gun. In addition to the cannon, the tank was armed with two 7.7 mm Type 97 machine guns. Compared to earlier models of medium tanks, the Chi-To weighed much more - about 35 tons. At the same time, thanks to a diesel 400-horsepower engine, the tank could accelerate to 45 km / h. The modified undercarriage design and wider tracks provided the Chi-To with good cross-country ability. In total, until 1944, 5 copies of this machine were built.

Based on the Type 4 "Chi-To" design, two samples of the "Chi-Ri" medium tank were developed and built. This machine was armed with two guns at once. A 75 mm cannon, similar to the one mounted on the Chi-To medium tank, was placed in a rotating turret. The 37-mm cannon (from the Ke-To tank) was placed in the frontal hull plate. On the second copy, the 37-mm cannon was replaced with a machine gun. The hull of the tank was welded, the armor plates on the sides were located at a slight slope. There is a version that when designing the hull, Japanese engineers were "inspired" by the German Panther. The tank was equipped with a Kawasaki diesel engine built under license from BMW. Compared to the Chi-To, the hull armor along the sides and in the stern was reinforced and reached 50 mm. The maximum speed of the car is 45 km/h.

Tactics and organization of the armored forces of Japan

The active formation of tank units and subunits began in Japan simultaneously with the conduct of active hostilities. In 1931, the Kwantung Army was formed on the territory of Manchuria and exercises were conducted, as a result of which the first charters and instructions for the armored forces were developed. The Gunjin Tank Brigade was in those years the main experimental unit that determined the tactical and technical requirements.

In the 1930s, tanks and armored vehicles were considered in the Japanese army as a means of close reconnaissance and infantry escort in battle. The formation of large independent armored units during these years was not carried out, tanks served to reinforce infantry divisions.

Nevertheless, back in the early 1930s, there was a lot of talk in Japan that, at least in Manchuria, it was still necessary to create large motorized formations that would not be inferior to the units of Japan’s main rival, the Red Army. In practice, this plan could not be realized, and throughout the Sino-Japanese war, tank regiments were divided into companies, and sometimes even individually, and attached to infantry units.

Three military conflicts influenced Japanese military tank theories: the use of armored vehicles by the Italians in Abyssinia in 1935-1936, the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939, and the conflict on the Khalkhin Gol River in 1939. By 1940, the Japanese began to consider tanks not only as a means of strengthening infantry and cavalry, but also as a weapon of deep penetration into the enemy's defenses. A new field charter was written, recognizing independent combat missions for tanks. As a result, the structure of departments has also changed. Thus, in the Kwantung Army, instead of a mixed mechanized brigade, two tank groups (or brigades) appeared, each of which included three tank regiments. Some infantry divisions received mechanized units.

To the beginning of full-scale operations in the Pacific Ocean japanese army had 18 separate tank regiments, each of which staffing included four companies. In addition, tank companies appeared in infantry divisions- as a rule, from 9 machines Type 95 "Ha-Go". The 1st and 4th Special Airborne Detachments were also replenished with similar companies. Imperial Navy. There were separate tank companies in the reserve of the main command.

Tank units were attached to the armies in preparation for the offensive. Two regiments participated in the operations of the 14th Army against the Philippines, three regiments in the battles of the 15th Army for Thailand and Burma and the 25th Army for Malaya.

In 1942, based on German combat experience in Africa and Europe, Japan began to enlarge its tank units. From now on, medium tanks were to become the main striking force in them. In March 1942, a decision was made to form tank groups, which were actually divisions. Each division was to be composed of two tank brigades, infantry and artillery regiments, engineer battalion, reconnaissance battalion, a battalion of quartermasters and support. Each division was assigned a communications company. The Chi-Ha and Type 89 tanks were tasked with supporting infantry. The Shinhoto Chi-Ha vehicles were supposed to fight the enemy tanks.

During 1943, tank regiments were further reformed. Some of them received an additional company, while others, on the contrary, decreased in composition. In any case, the Japanese had to fight in very specific conditions that did not allow the massive use of tanks and armored vehicles.

On the defensive, the Japanese used tanks to counterattack or ambush. A skirmish with enemy tanks was allowed only as a last resort. By the end of the war, the views of the Japanese command changed, and tanks began to be seen as the most effective ground anti-tank weapon.

After 1941, much attention in Japanese armored forces began to be given to the preparation of soldiers for fighting in the jungle, hot regions, mountains, in the absence of any developed road network. The methods of using tanks in amphibious operations were studied. The actions of small mobile groups consisting of various branches of the armed forces were practiced. Against a poorly armed enemy, this tactic proved to be very effective. But with such opponents as the USSR and the USA, it worked much worse, mainly because of the better technical equipment armies of these states and a large number guns that could fight the relatively weakly protected tanks of Japan.

Japanese tanks after World War II

After the surrender in 1945, Japan for a long time "dropped out" of the process of creating tanks. However, the growing cold war led to the fact that in the 1950s the Americans began to supply the Japan Self-Defense Forces with a limited number of armored vehicles. Since 1950, about 250 M4A3E8 tanks have arrived from the USA. 375 M24 Chaffees were delivered in 1952.

In 1954, the Japan Self-Defense Force initiated the development of a new tank. Tactical and technical requirements were formulated, taking into account the specifics of the potential theater of operations in which the new tank was to fight. The tank had to be built compact enough and relatively light so that it could be delivered to the battlefield on a special truck. It was supposed to install a 90-mm gun as the main armament.

As part of this concept, several tank projects were developed. The first of these was the STA-1 project. This car was equipped with a Mitsubishi DL10T water-cooled diesel engine, and later a Mitsubishi 12HM-21WT diesel engine was installed on it, which had significantly less problems with overheating. As the main weapon, according to the requirements, a 90-mm cannon was used. The tank was only 2.2 meters high. The car did not go into serial production. One of the reasons for the refusal of further development was a very unsuccessful loading system.

In parallel with the STA-1, work was underway on another prototype, the STA-2. He also did not go into production, but experimental tanks STA-3 and STA-4 were built on the basis of the first and second STA. In general, they are very reminiscent of their predecessors. However, the STA-3 had a semi-automatic gun loading system, which increased the rate of fire.

Three years of work on the STA-3 and STA-4 ended in 1961 with the appearance and launch of the Type 61 main battle tank. It weighed 35 tons. Its main armament was a 90 mm rifled gun with initial speed projectile about 910 m / s. As auxiliary weapons, two Browning machine guns with a caliber of 7.62 and 12.7 mm were used. The thickness of the frontal armor of the hull was 55 mm, the turret - 114 mm. The tank developed a speed of up to 45 km / h. From 1961 to 1975, 560 Type 61 tanks were built.

In 1964, design work on the STB tanks began. As required, new fighting machine was supposed to weigh 38 tons and reach a speed of at least 50 km / h. It was supposed to use the 105-mm Royal Ordnance L7 gun made in Great Britain as the main armament.

In 1968, work began on the STB-1 prototype. A year later, a prototype of the tank entered the test, which lasted another year, until September 1970. In October 1970, the STB-1 was first shown publicly at the Japan Self-Defense Forces parade. Nevertheless, the tank did not go into mass production due to a number of design flaws. Work on the STB project continued until in 1973 the STB-6 prototype was accepted into service under the designation Type 74. However, this tank is already beyond the time frame of our material.

Summarize. The Japanese armored school was original and developed dynamically. In the period from the 30s to the end of World War II, the Japanese developed dozens of unique projects, the vast majority of which existed not on paper, but in metal - even if only in one or a few prototypes. The designers took into account that the machines would have to fight in hot climates, mountainous terrain and jungles. In fact, Japanese tanks were second only to the technology of the most powerful opponents of the Land of the Rising Sun: Soviet Union, US and UK. At the same time, some samples of equipment developed in Japan towards the end of World War II could well compete with the Shermans, Pershings and T-34s. But for their mass production, the Japanese did not have enough industrial capacity, resources and time. And even after an almost ten-year forced break, when Japan again took up the design of its own tanks in the mid-50s, these vehicles turned out to be no worse than their foreign counterparts.

Japan was one of the leading powers during World War II. Scale strategic intentions her leadership had to be confirmed by the high quality of technology. Therefore, in the 30s, the Japanese created many models of tanks that fought for several years without interruption on the Pacific front of World War II.

Purchase of Western models

The idea of ​​creating their own tanks appeared in Japan after the First World War. This conflict showed the promise of this modern type of weapon. Since the Japanese did not have their own industry necessary for the production of tanks, they began to get acquainted with the developments of the Europeans.

For Tokyo, this was a familiar method of modernization. The Land of the Rising Sun spent several centuries in total isolation and only in the second half of the 19th century began to develop intensively. From scratch, new branches of the economy and industry appeared. Therefore, the task of conducting a similar experiment with tanks was not so fantastic.

The first French Renault FT-18s were purchased in 1925, which at that time were considered the best cars of a kind. These models were adopted by the Japanese for service. Very soon, the engineers and designers of this country, having gained Western experience, prepared several of their pilot projects.

"Chi-I"

The first Japanese tank was assembled in Osaka in 1927. The car was named "Chi-I". It was an experimental model that never came to fruition. serial production. However, it was she who became the very “first lump”, which turned out to be the starting point for Japanese specialists for further technical research.

The model had a cannon, two machine guns, and its weight was 18 tons. Her design feature consisted of several towers on which guns were mounted. It was a bold and controversial experiment. The first Japanese tank was also equipped with a machine gun designed to protect the vehicle from the rear. Because of this feature, it was installed behind the engine compartment. Tests showed that the multi-turreted design was unsuccessful in terms of combat effectiveness. In the future, Osaka decided to abandon the implementation of such a system. The Japanese "Chi-I" tank has remained a historical model that has never been in a real war. But some of its features were inherited by cars later used on the fields of World War II.

"Type 94"

Mostly Japanese were developed in the 30s. The first model in this series is the Tokushu Ken'insha (abbreviated as TK, or "Type 94"). This tank was notable for its small dimensions and weight (only 3.5 tons). It was used not only for combat, but also for auxiliary purposes. Therefore, in Europe, "Type 94" was considered a tankette.

As an auxiliary vehicle The TC was used to transport goods and help convoys. According to the designers' idea, this was the original purpose of the machine. However, over time, the project evolved into a full-fledged combat model. Almost all subsequent Japanese inherited from the "Type 94" not only the design, but also the layout. In total, more than 800 units of this generation were produced. "Type 94" was mainly used during the invasion of China, which began in 1937.

The post-war fate of Tokushu Keninsha is curious. Part of the fleet of these models was captured by the Allies, who defeated the Japanese after nuclear tanks were handed over to the Chinese - communists and Kuomintang troops. These parties were hostile to each other. Therefore, the "Type 94" was tested for several more years on the fields of the Chinese civil war, after which the PRC was formed.

"Type 97"

In 1937, the "Type 94" was declared obsolete. Further research by engineers led to the emergence new car- a direct descendant of Tokushu Keninsha. The model was called "Type 97" or "Te-Ke" for short. This Japanese tank was used during the fighting in China, Malaya and Burma until the very end. In fact, it was a deep modification of the "Type 94".

The crew of the new car consisted of two people. The engine was located at the rear, and the transmission was at the front. An important innovation compared to its predecessor was the unification of the combat and management departments. The vehicle received a 37 mm cannon inherited from the TK.

New Japanese tanks in the field were first tested in battles on the Khalkhin Gol River. Since they did not participate in the first attacks on Soviet positions, most of the Te-Ke managed to survive. Almost all active combat units of this type were deployed to the Pacific theater of World War II. These small tanks were used especially effectively for reconnaissance of enemy positions. They were also used as machines organizing communication between different parts front. The small size and weight made the Type 97 an indispensable weapon for infantry support.

"Chi-Ha"

Interestingly, almost all Japanese tanks of World War II were developed by Mitsubishi employees. Today, this brand is known primarily in the automotive industry. However, in the 30-40s, the company's factories regularly produced reliable vehicles for the army. In 1938, Mitsubishi began production of the Chi-Ha, one of the main Japanese medium tanks. Compared to its predecessors, the model received more powerful guns (including 47 mm guns). In addition, it was distinguished by an improved aiming.

"Chi-Ha" were used in combat from the very first days after their appearance on the assembly line. At the initial stage of the war with China, they remained an effective tool in the hands of Japanese tankers. However, after the United States was drawn into the conflict, the Chi-Ha had a serious combat competitor. These were tanks of the M3 Lee type. They easily coped with all Japanese lung machines and middle segment. Largely because of this, out of more than two thousand Chi-Ha units, only a dozen representatives of this model remain today as museum exhibits.

"Ha-Go"

If we compare all the Japanese tanks of World War II, we can distinguish two of the most basic and common models. This is the above-described "Chi-Ha" and "Ha-Go". This tank was mass-produced in 1936-1943. In total, more than 2300 units of this model were produced. Although it is difficult to single out the best Japanese tank, it is the Ha-Go that has the most rights to this title.

His first sketches appeared in the early 1930s. Then the Japanese command wanted to get a car that could become effective auxiliary means for cavalry charges. That is why "Ha-Go" was distinguished by such important qualities, as high permeability and mobility.

"Ka-Mi"

An important feature of the "Ha-Go" was that this tank became the basis for numerous modifications. All of them were experimental and therefore not widely used. However, this does not mean that there were no competitive models among them.

High-quality, for example, was "Ka-Mi". It was unique in that it remained the only mass-produced amphibious Japanese tank of World War II. The development of this modification of "Ha-Go" began in 1941. Then the Japanese command began to prepare a campaign to advance to the south, where there were many small islands and archipelagos. In this regard, it became necessary to land an amphibious assault. Japanese heavy tanks could not help in this matter. Therefore, Mitsubishi started the development of a fundamentally new model, based on the most common tank of the Land of the Rising Sun "Ha-Go". As a result, 182 Ka-Mi units were produced.

Use of amphibious tanks

The undercarriage of the old tank was improved so that the vehicle could be used effectively on the water. For this, in particular, the body was significantly changed. Due to their originality, each "Ka-Mi" was going slowly and for a long time. For this reason, the first major operation using amphibious tanks did not take place until 1944. The Japanese landed on Saipan - the largest of the By the end of the war, when the imperial army did not advance, but, on the contrary, only retreated, its landing operations. Therefore, "Ka-Mi" began to be used as a conventional ground tank. This was facilitated by the fact that in its design and running characteristics it was universal.

In 1944, photos of Japanese tanks floating along the coast of the Marshall Islands went around the world. By that time, the empire was already close to defeat, and even the appearance of a fundamentally new technology could not help it in any way. Nevertheless, the Ka-Mi themselves produced great impression on opponents. The hull of the tank was spacious. Five people were placed in it - a driver, a mechanic, a gunner, a loader and a commander. Outwardly, the Ka-Mi immediately caught the eye because of its two-man turret.

"Chi-he"

"Chi-He" appeared as a result of work on bugs related to the characteristics of Chi-Ha. In 1940, Japanese designers and engineers decided to catch up with Western competitors by the most simple way copying foreign technologies and developments. Thus, all the initiative and originality of the Eastern specialists were put aside.

The result of this maneuver was not long in coming - "Chi-He" more than all its Japanese "relatives" both externally and internally began to resemble European counterparts of that time. But the project came too late. In 1943-1944. only 170 "Chi-He" were produced.

"Chi-Nu"

The continuation of the ideas embodied in "Chi-He" was "Chi-Nu". It differed from its predecessor only in improved weapons. The design and layout of the hull remained the same.

The series was small. At the final stage of the Second World War in 1943-1945. only about a hundred "Chi-Nu" were produced. According to the idea of ​​the Japanese command, these tanks were to become an important force in the country's defense during the landing of American troops. Due to the atomic bombings and the imminent surrender of the state leadership, this foreign attack never happened.

"Oh-I"

How different were Japanese tanks? The review shows that among them there were no models of the heavy class according to the Western classification. The Japanese command preferred light and medium vehicles, which were easier and more efficient to use in conjunction with the infantry. However, this did not mean at all that there were no projects of a fundamentally different type in this country.

One of these was the idea of ​​a super-heavy tank, which was tentatively named "O-I". This multi-turreted monster was supposed to accommodate a crew of 11 people. The model was designed as an important weapon for the upcoming attacks on the USSR and China. Work on the "O-I" began in 1936 and, one way or another, was carried out until the defeat in World War II. The project was either closed or restarted. Today there is no reliable data that at least one was produced prototype this model. "O-I" remained on paper, as did Japan's idea of ​​its regional dominance, which led it to a disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany.