The Type 95 Ha-go tank was a prominent light tank used by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. It was designed to replace the outdated Type 89 Chi-Ro tank and played a crucial role in Japan's military campaigns of the Chinese and Manchurian theaters. While the Ha-go demonstrated impressive agility and mobility, it also suffered from significant limitations, making it a flawed machine on the battlefield.
Background:
Developed in the 1930s, the Type 95 Ha-go tank entered service in 1936, and production began at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries that same year. Its name, "Ha-go," translates to "third model" and reflects its position in Japan's tank development program. The tank was part of the IJA's efforts to modernize its armored forces and expand its capabilities for future conflicts. Like the Type 89 that the Type 95 would replace, it was primarily intended to be an infantry support vehicle. While the Type 89 had served the Japanese army well with its armor and 57mm maingun, it was to be to slow and heavy to take advantage of breakthroughs and could not keep up with infantry on the attack. By the late 1930's the Type 89 was showing its age and was obsolete by the time the Japanese and Russians slugged it out at Khalkin Gol. A new tank was needed that was lighter and could use speed to support attacking infantry.
Design:
The Ha-go was a compact and lightweight tank, weighing between 7.5 to 8.5 tons, depending on the variant. Its design focused on mobility and ease of transport, essential for the island-hopping warfare in the Pacific. The tank's hull was constructed using riveted steel plates, and it featured a relatively thin armor ranging from 6mm to 12mm, which provided limited protection against enemy fire.
The tank was armed with a Type 94 37mm main gun mounted within a revolving turret. The Type 94 gun was capable of firing high-explosive and armor-piercing rounds. The rear of the turret also mounted a Type 91 6.5mm machinegun for engaging enemy infantry. The Type 91 was a slightly modified Type 11 hopper-fed machinegun used by the infantry. In addition, the Type 95 had a second Type 91 machine gun mounted in the bow of the hull to engage infantry and soft targets. While the 37mm gun was adequate for dealing with enemy infantry and light vehicles, it proved ineffective against more heavily armored enemy tanks. The machine guns could be removed from the tank and employed in a ground role with bipods that were stored within the tank. In later versions of the Type 95, the Type 91 machineguns would be replaced by magazine fed Type 97 machineguns.
The Type 95 crew consisted of a commander, driver, and bow gunner. The commander directed the movements of the tank and operated the 37mm main gun and turret machinegun. The commander had an armored cupola on the top of the turret through which he could observe the battlefield through viewing ports. The driver’s main responsibility was to maneuver the tank at the orders of the commander, but also served as another set of eyes to identify targets or threats. The bow gunner had multiple duties. He operated the bow machinegun, maintained a view of the outside left of the tank and served to pass ammunition to the tank commander when necessary.
Left: Early Type 91 6.5mm clip fed machinegun. Right: later Type 97 7.7mm machinegun
Maneuverability:
The Ha-go's main strength lay in its agility and maneuverability. With a powerful diesel engine, the tank could reach a top speed of around 25 to 30 miles per hour (40 to 48 km/h) on roads and exhibited excellent off-road capabilities. This agility allowed the Ha-go to navigate through difficult terrains, dense jungles, and narrow island trails that were common in the Pacific theater. The Type 95 also featured an innovative suspension system designed by Tomio Hara of the Army technical Bureau. Hara created what is now known as the “bell-crank” system of suspension. The Ha-go’s suspension is made up of two pairs of road wheels mounted on either end of a center rotating arm. The arm is connected to a set of horizontally mounted springs that push against the other set of road wheels and allow the suspension to actuate against each other. The bell crank system provided many advantages for the Japanese. It was simple and easy to manufacture, and all of the suspension components were external to the tank, saving valuable interior space. The suspension system was also easy to service and repair in the field.
In the dense tropical environments of the Pacific islands, the Ha-go's mobility gave it a significant advantage. It could quickly outmaneuver and flank its opponents, making it a formidable threat in certain combat scenarios. Its small size also contributed to its ability to hide and ambush enemy units effectively.
Flaws and Limitations:
Despite its agility, the Ha-go suffered from several critical limitations. The most glaring of these was its insufficient armor protection. The thin armor plating made the tank highly vulnerable to enemy fire, including infantry anti-tank weapons and other tanks' main guns. Even light anti-tank rifles and bazookas used by enemy forces could penetrate the Ha-go's armor with relative ease.
Furthermore, the 37mm gun's performance against enemy tanks was lacking, especially as the war progressed and enemy forces fielded heavier and better-armored tanks. This made the Ha-go ineffective in tank-to-tank combat and left it at a severe disadvantage against enemy armored units. The tank's small size also posed challenges for its crew. Operating in the harsh conditions of the Pacific islands, the crew faced cramped conditions, limited storage space, and challenging logistics for extended missions.
Another major flaw was its innovative bell-crank suspension system. While it did have major advantages, the flaw was that all the components were mounted to the exterior of the tank. This made the suspension vulnerable to enemy fire. The bell-crank system also allowed for great articulation in the road wheels which would lead to a quite uncomfortable ride over rough ground and could actually lead to the tank getting stuck when passing over deep holes or trenches.
Performance:
The Type 95 Ha-go tank saw extensive action throughout World War II, from the early Japanese military campaigns in China to the later battles in the Pacific islands. During the early stages of the war, the Ha-go performed reasonably well against less-equipped and lightly armored opponents. It was used effectively in the Philippines, Malaya, and the Pacific Islands, where its mobility and small size allowed it to exploit weaknesses in enemy defenses. However, as the war progressed, the limitations of the Ha-go became increasingly apparent. It struggled against more advanced and heavily armored enemy tanks, such as the American M4 Sherman or British Matilda tanks. The lack of adequate protection and firepower meant that the Ha-go became increasingly obsolete against the Allies' better-equipped and more advanced armored units.
In conclusion, the Japanese Type 95 Ha-go tank was a significant asset in the early stages of World War II, demonstrating agility and maneuverability that proved effective against less advanced opponents. However, its thin armor and inadequate firepower limited its usefulness as the war progressed and more formidable adversaries entered the battlefield. Despite its flaws, the Ha-go played a crucial role in Japan's armored forces during the war and remains a notable part of the history of tank development and military strategies in the Pacific theater.
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