Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms By Flag By Year By Tag

Type 3 Ka-Chi

1943 WORLD WAR 2

Type 3 Ka-Chi Story

The island hopping campaign of Imperial Japan during World War I (1939-1945) determined the type of army it should deploy and the style of doctrine it should adopt. This requires a strong navy of warships, mainly battleships and aircraft carriers, a strong collection of naval aircraft, and ground forces capable of attacking from the sea (i.e. amphibious assault).

To meet the latter requirements, the Japanese Navy adopted the Type 2 Ka-Mi amphibious tank, followed by 184 tanks in 1941. The vehicle is equipped with a 37mm turret and is operated by a crew of 5.

By 1942, however, it had been upgraded to a more powerful form, and the Army's Type 1 Chihe Medium Tank was selected for modification as an amphibious tank system. Development continued until 1943, essentially producing a larger and better protected Type 1, but for naval service. Her armament was upgraded to a 47mm main gun and 2 x 7.7mm Type 97 machine guns (one coaxial, the other bow mounted) for local defense.

Drive power is provided by a Mitsubishi 100 V12 air-cooled diesel engine producing 240 hp. The landing gear includes a crank suspension system, and an extra wheel is added to each side of the fuselage. Road speeds can reach 32 km/h, while the range is about 320 km.

Floating pontoons are mounted to the front and rear of the hull to provide buoyancy, which can be dropped once the boat reaches land. The snorkel provides air to the engine in the water.

The total number of crew members was six, sometimes seven, and the protection of personnel and armor reached a thickness of 50 mm.

Dimensions include 10.3m long, 3m wide and 3.8m high. The total weight is 28.25 tons.

After the U.S. entered World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the Japanese military focused on aircraft and warships, leaving authorities with limited interest in the Type 3 Ka-Chi. For this, only 19 prototypes were produced, and the first units went into action by the end of 1943.

Some were used to defend positions in the Pacific and Southeast Asia until the Allies captured these areas as they marched on Tokyo. The last duty was homeland defense, and they were nearly outpaced by American medium tanks such as the M4 Sherman.