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Amphibious Tanks in Japanese Service
Type 2 Ka-Mi
During the mid-1930s, the Army wrangled for and successfully won the
rights to produce a line of amphibious assault vehicles (read: tanks) for
future operations. After producing a number of prototypes, most notably
the Type 92 A-I-GO, the Imperial General Staff determined that it was
simply a waste of time and effort mucking about with all that buoyancy
nonsense, and completely abandoned the idea all together. The Combined
Fleet, however, was more than happy to take back the rights to producing
amphibious vehicles from its ground-locked colleagues, and was
responsible for the production of all field deployed amphibious vehicles in
the Japanese military from that point on.
The first successful design for the IJN was produced in 1940, based
upon the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank, and was classified as the Type 2
Ka-Mi.
The Type 2 was built with a water-tight hull with two detachable
pontoons for flotation - one to the fore, one to the aft of the vehicle.
These could be detached without having to leave the vehicle, a feature
which many Allied amphibious vehicles did not have. Armament consisted
of a turreted 37mm anti-tank gun, supported by coaxial and hull machine
guns. Like only a minority of Japan's armored arsenal, the Type 2 Ka-Mi
did not feature a rear mounted LMG in the aft of its turret. The entire
construct was driven by a diesel engine, which controlled a pair of
propellers in the rear portion of the hull. Two rudders were provided for
steering in the water, and these were controlled by the commander via a
pair of cables. The crew of the Type 2 Ka-Mi consisted of five to six men;
at least one of these was an onboard mechanic whose job it was to
oversee operations of the vehicle while at sea. The Type 2 could be
operated without the mechanic, and this was frequently the case once
landing operations had been completed and the vehicles were used inland.
An intriguing practice of the crews was that many chose to operate the
Type 2 with the pontoons attached, even inland. These apparently
provided some additional protection, acting as a sort of spaced armor.
They would have been of particular use against the high explosive
rounds used by some Allied forces (most notably the Australians)
opposing the Japanese.
A few Type 2s were specially modified to be launched from submarines.
These were used until the end of the war as special operations vehicles.
Mitsubishi specially constructed each Type 2 Ka-Mi for the IJN. They were
not mass produced, and thus numbers were relatively small, with only
around two hundred vehicles completed. The Navy, of course, had
wanted a far larger number. Those examples completed were used
throughout the Pacific; conversely, few were deployed to mainland Asia.
They are most usually associated with the Philippine campaigns and the
battle on Saipan.
Ironically, Type 2s were rarely used in amphibious invasions, partly
because they were rarely available in sufficient numbers for operations
of the type until the window for such operations had passed. They were,
however, encountered inland in a number of operations. In some
instances, they were used to outflank Allied forces across unfordable
water obstacles, and as special ops vehicles (as noted above). The Type
2 was particularly valued for its maneuverability in difficult terrain, and
was quite popular with its crews.
During the mid-1930s, the Army wrangled for and successfully won the
rights to produce a line of amphibious assault vehicles (read: tanks) for
future operations. After producing a number of prototypes, most notably
the Type 92 A-I-GO, the Imperial General Staff determined that it was
simply a waste of time and effort mucking about with all that buoyancy
nonsense, and completely abandoned the idea all together. The Combined
Fleet, however, was more than happy to take back the rights to producing
amphibious vehicles from its ground-locked colleagues, and was
responsible for the production of all field deployed amphibious vehicles in
the Japanese military from that point on.
The first successful design for the IJN was produced in 1940, based
upon the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank, and was classified as the Type 2
Ka-Mi.
The Type 2 was built with a water-tight hull with two detachable
pontoons for flotation - one to the fore, one to the aft of the vehicle.
These could be detached without having to leave the vehicle, a feature
which many Allied amphibious vehicles did not have. Armament consisted
of a turreted 37mm anti-tank gun, supported by coaxial and hull machine
guns. Like only a minority of Japan's armored arsenal, the Type 2 Ka-Mi
did not feature a rear mounted LMG in the aft of its turret. The entire
construct was driven by a diesel engine, which controlled a pair of
propellers in the rear portion of the hull. Two rudders were provided for
steering in the water, and these were controlled by the commander via a
pair of cables. The crew of the Type 2 Ka-Mi consisted of five to six men;
at least one of these was an onboard mechanic whose job it was to
oversee operations of the vehicle while at sea. The Type 2 could be
operated without the mechanic, and this was frequently the case once
landing operations had been completed and the vehicles were used inland.
An intriguing practice of the crews was that many chose to operate the
Type 2 with the pontoons attached, even inland. These apparently
provided some additional protection, acting as a sort of spaced armor.
They would have been of particular use against the high explosive
rounds used by some Allied forces (most notably the Australians)
opposing the Japanese.
A few Type 2s were specially modified to be launched from submarines.
These were used until the end of the war as special operations vehicles.
Mitsubishi specially constructed each Type 2 Ka-Mi for the IJN. They were
not mass produced, and thus numbers were relatively small, with only
around two hundred vehicles completed. The Navy, of course, had
wanted a far larger number. Those examples completed were used
throughout the Pacific; conversely, few were deployed to mainland Asia.
They are most usually associated with the Philippine campaigns and the
battle on Saipan.
Ironically, Type 2s were rarely used in amphibious invasions, partly
because they were rarely available in sufficient numbers for operations
of the type until the window for such operations had passed. They were,
however, encountered inland in a number of operations. In some
instances, they were used to outflank Allied forces across unfordable
water obstacles, and as special ops vehicles (as noted above). The Type
2 was particularly valued for its maneuverability in difficult terrain, and
was quite popular with its crews.
Type 3 Ka-Chi
The success of the Ka-Mi pleased the Japanese Navy, and it was
decided that a weapon with better armament and protection would be
most useful in future operations. It was also determined that any
successor to the Ka-Mi should be capable of being submarine launched,
to accommodate the increasingly difficult task of daytime reinforcement
for island garrisons.
Type 3 Ka-Chi was developed to these standards in 1943, and entered
service in late 1943-1944. It was based upon the hull of the Type 1
Chi-He, and thus featured considerably better armored protection and
firepower than its predecessor. Standard armament was Japan's
successful 47mm Anti-Tank gun, made most famous with the Type 97
Shinhoto. This was supplemented with a coaxial machine gun and a hull
mounted weapon of the same type.
Like the Ka-Mi, the Ka-Chi featured detachable front and rear pontoons. It
could be operated with these pontoons attached on the ground, if
necessary, but I am not aware if such a use was as common as it was
with the Type 2. The Type 3 was distinctively different from the Ka-Mi in
featuring a large snorkel for aerating the diesel engine aboard more
efficiently and keeping the exhaust free of water. This was installed with
the detachable rear pontoon. Internal configuration was somewhat
improved, and rudder controls were more reliable than they had been in
the Type 2. The vehicle featured a crew of seven individuals, one of
whom (as before) served as on-board mechanic.
The Type 3 Ka-Chi was produced in fairly limited numbers, as in the case
of the Chi-He upon which it had been based, but it did see an active
combat life. It is identified, by at least one source, as being deployed
during the fighting at Kwajalein.
The success of the Ka-Mi pleased the Japanese Navy, and it was
decided that a weapon with better armament and protection would be
most useful in future operations. It was also determined that any
successor to the Ka-Mi should be capable of being submarine launched,
to accommodate the increasingly difficult task of daytime reinforcement
for island garrisons.
Type 3 Ka-Chi was developed to these standards in 1943, and entered
service in late 1943-1944. It was based upon the hull of the Type 1
Chi-He, and thus featured considerably better armored protection and
firepower than its predecessor. Standard armament was Japan's
successful 47mm Anti-Tank gun, made most famous with the Type 97
Shinhoto. This was supplemented with a coaxial machine gun and a hull
mounted weapon of the same type.
Like the Ka-Mi, the Ka-Chi featured detachable front and rear pontoons. It
could be operated with these pontoons attached on the ground, if
necessary, but I am not aware if such a use was as common as it was
with the Type 2. The Type 3 was distinctively different from the Ka-Mi in
featuring a large snorkel for aerating the diesel engine aboard more
efficiently and keeping the exhaust free of water. This was installed with
the detachable rear pontoon. Internal configuration was somewhat
improved, and rudder controls were more reliable than they had been in
the Type 2. The vehicle featured a crew of seven individuals, one of
whom (as before) served as on-board mechanic.
The Type 3 Ka-Chi was produced in fairly limited numbers, as in the case
of the Chi-He upon which it had been based, but it did see an active
combat life. It is identified, by at least one source, as being deployed
during the fighting at Kwajalein.
SENSHAN - Japanese Armored Vehicles of the Second World War
