Type 95 folding boat
| Type 95 folding boat | |
|---|---|
Soldiers of the Ikeda division cross a Chinese river with the help of Type 95 folding boats, 1940 |
|
| General properties | |
| crew | 3 + 16 |
| length | 7.4 m |
| width | 1.5 m |
| height | 0.7 m |
| Dimensions | 200 kg |
| Armor and armament | |
| Main armament | no |
| agility | |
| drive | paddle |
| Top speed | |
| Power / weight | |
The Type 95 folding boat ( Japanese 九五 式 折 畳 舟 , kyūgo-shiki oritata fune ) was a folding boat that was used from 1935 to 1945 by the Imperial Japanese Army in the Second Sino-Japanese War and during the Pacific War. The designation Type 95 indicates the year the troops were introduced, the year Kōki 2595 or 1935 according to the Gregorian calendar.
history
In 1935, the Imperial Japanese Army introduced the Type 95 folding boat to give the troops a means of transport to quickly cross rivers. For the transport, the boat was loaded either on trucks or specially designed vehicles in the folded state. The folding boat had a total weight of approx. 200 kg. A special feature of the Type 95 was that it could be used in two parts. The front part was 4.15 m long and weighed 98.5 kg. At the front it had a pointed bow and was flattened at right angles at the stern . The rear part was 3.3 m long and weighed 101.5 kg. The two parts were dropped into the water after being assembled by soldiers. The folding boat had space for a crew of 3 and 16 soldiers. The boat skin was made of plywood . Connections, transitions and flexible parts were sealed with rubber . The buoyancy was approx. 5280 kg.
If necessary, several Type 95s could be tied together in order to build narrow bridges for the infantry to cross small rivers .
The Type 95 folding boat was in service until the end of the war in 1945.
Web links
- Type 95 Collapsible Boat. Taki's Page, accessed May 26, 2015 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Type 95 Collapsible Boat. Taki's Page, accessed May 26, 2015 .