| Type 92 Tankette | |
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| Place of origin |  Empire of Japan |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 3.5 tons |
| Length | 3.95 meters |
| Width | 1.63 meters |
| Height | 1.86 meters |
| Crew | 3 |
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| Armor | 6 - 12 mm |
| Primary armament |
Type 92 13 mm heavy machine gun |
| Secondary armament |
1 x 7.7 mm Type 91 gun |
| Engine | Mitsubishi/Ishikawajima In6 air cooled 6 cylinder gasoline (petrol) 45 hp (34 kW) |
| Suspension | Bell crank |
| Operational range |
200 km |
| Speed | 40 km/h |
The Type 92 Heavy Armoured Car (九二式重装甲車 Kyū-ni-shiki Jyū-sōkōsha) was the Empire of Japan's first indigenous tankette. Designed for use by the cavalry of the Imperial Japanese Army by Ishikawajima Motorcar Manufacturing Company (currently Isuzu Motors), the Type 92 was designed for reconnaissance and infantry support. Although actually a light tank, it was called sōkōsha (armored car) in Japanese due to political sectionalism within the Japanese Army (tanks were controlled by the infantry, whereas the new weapon was intended for the cavalry).
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History and development
After World War I, many European countries attempted to mechanize their cavalry. Knowing this tendency in Europe, Japanese cavalry also experimented with a variety of armored cars with limited success. The wheeled armored cars were not suitable for most operations in Manchuria, due to the poor road conditions and severe winter climate. Japan (along with The British Army) were almost unique in that horse cavalry continued to be used side by side with armored cars. [1]
From the early 1920s, the Imperial Japanese Army Cavalry School based in Chiba prefecture, Japan tested a variety of European light tanks, including six Carden Loyd tankettes and several Renault FT-17, and a decision was reached in 1929 to proceed with the domestic development of a new vehicle based largely on the Carden Loyd design to address the deficiencies of wheeled armored cars.[2]
The development of the Type 92 began with a hybrid amphibious car, which had both tracks and wheels and able to run in the opposite direction on the water and on the ground. The experiment was not entirely successful, and the Japanese cavalry was not impressed with the performance. After this, the amphibious car concept was abandoned, and the design changed to a tracked vehicle for ground use only.
Production was initiated by Ishikawajima Motorcar Manufacturing Company in 1932. Production was plagued by technical problems and in total only 167 units where built between 1932 to 1939. After some initial problems with the running gear, the Type 92 proved well suited for the rough terrain and poor roads of Manchuria and China and was able to attain a speed of 40 km/h.some vehicles was equiped with two searchlights for nigth operations and Type 94 Mk 4 Otsu (1934 model) radio device (0.6 miles of range and weigth of 88 lb)connect with antenna of 23', reverse L shape.
The Type 92 was eventually replaced by the Type 94 Te Ke during the Second Sino-Japanese War, although both British and American sources often confused the two models. [3]
Variants
There were four variants of the Type 92: an early wheeled prototype, an experimental amphibious tank (Type 92 A-I-Go) with a watertight hull, floats and propellers (only 2 built), early production model with two bogies on each side, each with two small rubber-lined road wheels. This was superseded in production with and a late production model with improved suspension, when it was discovered in combat operations that the Type 92 tended to throw its tracks in high speed turns. [3]
Armor and armament
The Type 92 used riveted and welded armor with a maximum thickness of 6 mm in the hull to 12 mm in the turret. The thin armor enabled the weight to be kept to three tons; however, the armor was not thick enough to withstand even normal rifle fire. [4]
In terms of armament, the main weapon was a turret-mounted, manually-transversed Type 92 13 mm heavy machine gun, licensed built from Hotchkiss). Secondary armament was a side-mounted 6.5 mm Type 91 machine gun, replaced later by the 7.7 mm Type 92 Heavy Machine Gun. [3]
Although its armor was thinner, its weaponry much lighter than it European contemporaries, the Type 92 was able to reach a speed of 40 km/h.
Areas of operation
The Type 92 tankette was deployed primarily with the Kwantung Army in Manchuria and with the Chosen Army in Korea
Notable actions in which the Type 92 participated included:
- Battle of Harbin – (1st Cavalry Brigade)
- Battle of Rehe - (1st Special Tank Company of the IJA 8th Division)
External links
- Type 92 Tankettes at wwiivehicles.com
- Specifications at OnWar
- Report on Type 92 from September 1945 Intelligence Bulletin
- Taki's Imperial Japanese Army
References
- Foss, Christopher (2003). Great Book of Tanks: The World's Most Important Tanks from World War I to the Present Day. Zenith Press. ISBN 0760314756.
- Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crestline. ISBN 0760315000.
- Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 1939-45. Osprey. ISBN 1-84603-091-8.
Notes
See also
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