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

Type 92 Jyu-Sokosha

1932 WORLD WAR 2

Type 92 Jyu-Sokosha Story

Contact with foreign "tank" types led Imperial Japan to develop and produce its first indigenous tank product - the Type 92 "Jyu-sokosha". Design work began in 1931 and production spanned from 1932 to 1939. During World War II (1939-1945), approximately 167 of these vehicles were produced.

When built, the car weighed 3.5 tons and had a crew of 3. Dimensions include 13 feet long, 5 feet wide, 4 inches and 6 feet high. Armor protection ranges from 6mm to 12mm, which will prove suitable for small arms fire. The main armament is a 13mm Type 92 series heavy machine gun and a 7.7mm Type 97 light machine gun, powered by an Ishikawa (Franklin) Sumida C6, a 45 hp air-cooled inline six-cylinder gasoline engine.

Range is limited to 120 miles and top speed is 25 mph. The hull is suspended on a bell crank suspension system. The superstructure uses slabs and gussets, with a transverse tower attached to the roof of the superstructure. The on-wheel track arrangement has six dual tire wheels, a front drive sprocket and a rear sprocket. Three track return rollers were used along the sides of the fuselage.

The engine is mounted in the rear of the fuselage.

The Type 92 appears in military history at a time when many cavalry-based components were entering a stage of modernization, largely brought about by the more practical WWI (1914-1918) mechanized vehicles. During the interwar period, a number of designs emerged that aimed to provide protection, speed and firepower through wheeled and tracked structures.

Light tanks and "tanks" initially proved to be the norm, and their speed was critical to any quick attack by infantry units. One of the most influential tank designs appeared in the UK under the Carden-Loyd brand.

After years of experimentation, the Type 92 has emerged from testing and research into a viable final product for the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). As would be expected from any first locally designed and manufactured product, the Type 92 was initially plagued by mechanical issues that limited the type's use and popularity. Due to the relatively small number of builds, these were pushed into military operations in Manchuria with reasonable results - mechanical problems continued, and both weapon and armor protection proved poor.

Also, being a fast tank, the vehicle's top speed leaves much to be desired compared to its contemporaries. As the design time passed quickly, the Type94 Te Ke series adopted a more modern tank system. 823 were produced, compared to 167 of the Type 92.