Type 3 Chi-Nu

Type 3 Chi-Nu
A type 3 "Chi-Nu" in the JGSDF weapons academy in Ami
General properties
crew	6th
length	5.73 m
width	2.33 m
height	2.61 m
Dimensions	18.8 t
Armor and armament
Armor	20-50 mm
Main armament	75 mm type 3
Secondary armament	Machine gun type 97 7.7mm
agility
drive
suspension	Leaf springs
Top speed	39 km / h
Power / weight

Type 3 Chi-Nu ( Japanese 三 式 中 戦 車 チ ヌ , San-shiki Chūsensha Chi-Nu; 中 戦 車 chūsensha = "medium tank") was a Japanese tank of the Second World War .

history

In 1941, the Japanese army began developing a prototype tank, the Type 1 Chi-He . He owned the drive and armament of the Type 97 Shinhōtō Chi-Ha tank , with the hull and turret being completely redesigned. In the following years this tank was mass-produced with unchanged armament.

In 1944 a prototype was developed that had the structure of the Type 1, but had a new turret with a 75 mm Type 3 cannon. The new cannon had poor ballistic properties , but it was not possible to mount a more powerful weapon on this chassis .

By the end of the war, 60 Type 3 Chi-Nu had been produced. They were divided into three armored divisions to defend the Japanese islands .

The tank Type 3 Chi-Nu had a classic design and was equipped with a row six cylinder - diesel engine driven. The drive consisted of six wheels, a drive wheel and three rollers for support. The four middle wheels could be locked and were suspended by leaf springs.

Armament

The tank was equipped with a 75 mm caliber Type 3 cannon. A heavy type 97 machine gun with a caliber of 7.7 mm was attached next to the driver as additional armament .

The crew consisted of a driver, two gunmen, a loader, a radio operator and a commander.

swell

• Steven Zaloga: Japanese Tanks 1939-1945 . Osprey Publishing, 2011, ISBN 978-1-78096-207-8 , pp. 21 .
• Chris Bishop: The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II . Sterling Publishing, 2002, ISBN 978-1-58663-762-0 , pp. 19 .
• Chris Chant, Richard Jones: Tanks . Zenith Imprint, 2004, ISBN 978-0-7603-1871-3 , p. 97 .