Japanese Ha-Go Tank - Tankfest 2022

A Japanese Light Tank Type 95 Ha-Go in the arena at The tank Museum, Bovington during Tannest 2022. The Type 95 Ha-Gō (九五式軽戦車 ハ号, kyūgo-shiki kei-sensha Ha-Gō, also known as the Ke-Go) was a light tank used by the Empire of Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Nomonhan against the Soviet Union, and in the Second World War. It proved sufficient against infantry but was not designed to combat other tanks. Approximately 2,300 were produced, making it the most numerous Japanese armoured fighting vehicle of the Second World War. From the early 1930s, the Japanese army began experimenting with a mechanized warfare unit combining infantry with tanks. The Type 89 Medium tank couldn’t keep pace with the motorized infantry. To solve this problem, Tomio Hara of the Army Technical Bureau proposed a new light tank capable of 40 km/h speed and started development in 1933. The prototype was completed in June 1934 at the Army’s Sagami Arsenal. Initial tests were positive, but it was too heavy and was reworked to bring the weight down. It was tested in Manchuria, reports were favourable and a second prototype built and completed in November 1935. It became the main tank for mechanised infantry units as it was superior to the available alternatives. Its name was based on the year since the beginning of the Empire that the tank was produced; Type 2595. Sometimes a surname was used to supplement or replace the naming ideograms used for Japanese armored fighting vehicles. The Type 95 had the surname “Ha-Go“ (third model) that was given by the designer of the tank, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries which started mass production of the tank in 1938, with the tank and parts made by several different companies; besides Mitsubishi, that included, Niigata Tekkoshō, Dowa Jido Sho, Sagami Arsenal Kokura Rikugu Jiohei Sho and Ihesil. It had 3 crewmen: a commander, a hull machine gunner, and a driver. Only the commander was seated in the turret, responsible for observation, loading, aiming, firing the main gun, as well as decision-making and commanding the crew. The hand-operated turret was small and extremely cramped. The primary armament of the most produced version was a Type 94 (1934) 37 mm tank gun. It elevated between −15 to 20 degrees. The tank carried two types of 37 mm ammunition, high-explosive and armour-piercing. For the latter, muzzle velocity was 580 m/s (1,900 ft/s) and armour penetration was 36 mm (1.4 in) at a distance of 275 m (902 ft). Secondary armament was originally two 6.5 mm Type 91 machine guns, but these were replaced with two 7.7 mm Type 97 light machine guns, one mounted in the hull front and the other in the back of the turret, facing to the rear right. The most characteristic feature was its simple suspension system. Army officer Tomio Hara designed the bell crank scissors system. This suspension system became standard on the majority of the subsequently designed Japanese tanks. For the Type 95, two paired bogie wheels per side were suspended on a single bell crank and connected to a coil spring mounted horizontally outside the hull. The tracks were driven through the front sprockets. There were two return wheels. The suspension had troubles early on, with a tendency to pitch on rough ground, and so it was modified with a brace to connect the pairs of bogies. Despite this, the tank continued to give its users a rough ride across any uneven ground. It was provided with an interior layer of asbestos padding separated from the hull with an air gap, to isolate the crew from the sun-heated armor plates, and to protect the crew from injury when the tank moved across rough terrain. It was fitted with a 120 hp (89.5 kW) Mitsubishi A6120VDe air-cooled 6-cylinder diesel engine, located in the rear compartment on the right side. This gave it good mobility. Some tanks were fitted with two reflectors in the front of the vehicle for night operations. This example is currently the only working survivor of its type and uses its original engine. It was previously displayed at the Zero Park, Shirahama (Japan). It bears hull number 4335 and appears to have been made in February-March 1943. It carries a late-war high velocity Type 98 37mm cannon. It was one of about 20 issued to Dokuritsu Konseii 52 Ryodan (52nd Independant Mixed Brigade) and sent in 1943 to Ponape (Pohnpei) Island near Truk in the Pacific. Most of the remaining tanks are still there. In about 1985, tank number 4335 was acquired by Major General Seigo’s Museum Foundation in complete unrestored condition. It was shipped back to Japan and put on display after external restoration at the Military Museum in Kyoto. When the museum closed the tank was moved to the Zero Park Display Area at Shirahama Gyoen Hotel near Osaka, and when this closed in 2005, it was restored to running order by Lewszyk Engineering Works, Poland. Video and Audio content is Copyright © High Flight