Type 1 Ho-Ni I
Type 1 Ho-Ni I | |
---|---|
Self-propelled anti-tank gun | |
Place of origin | Empire of Japan |
Production history | |
Produced | 1942 |
No. built | 26 of Type I[1]
54 of Type II[1] 31 to 41 of Type III[1][2] |
Specifications | |
Mass | 15.4 tons |
Length | 5.9 m (19 ft 4 in) |
Width | 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in) |
Height | 2.39 m (7 ft 10 in) |
Crew | 5 |
Armor | 25–51 mm |
Main armament | 75mm Type 90 gun |
Engine | Mitsubishi SA12200VD air-cooled V-12 diesel (21.7 litres) 170 hp at 2000 rpm |
Power/weight | 11.0 hp/t |
Suspension | bellcrank |
Operational range | 200 km (120 mi) |
Maximum speed | 38 km/h (24 mph) |
The Type 1 gun tank Ho-Ni I (一式砲戦車 ホニ I, Isshiki ho-sensha Ho-Ni I) was a tank destroyer and self-propelled artillery developed by the Imperial Japanese Army for use during World War II in the Pacific theater. It saw limited combat action, being first deployed at the Battle of Luzon in the Philippines in 1945. There were two variant models known as the Ho-Ni II and Ho-Ni III. All three types were only produced in limited numbers.
History and development
The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was the first self-propelled gun design of this particular type.

The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was developed by using the existing
They were designed to operate as self-propelled artillery at ranges of up to 12,000 metres (7.5 mi).[1][7] The design had no provision for a defensive machine gun, which together with the open structure made it vulnerable in close combat.[7]
The Type 97 chassis,
Variants

The Type 1 Ho-Ni II was one variant. It mounted a Type 91 105 mm howitzer and had a slightly changed superstructure as far as the design of the side armor with re-positioned observation visors.[9] The main gun could traverse 10 degrees to each side, but only had an elevation of 22 degrees due to the recoil of the gun.[10] A prototype was built in July, 1942. Production of the Type 1 Ho-Ni II did not begin until 1943. A total of 54 units were produced.[1]
The other variant was the Type 3 Ho-Ni III, which mounted a Type 3 75 mm tank gun in a completely enclosed armored casemate to address the issue of crew protection in close combat. The welded superstructure had sloped armor and the gun mount had additional stamped armor plate. A total of 31 to 41 units were produced through March 1945.[1][2][11][12]
Combat history

The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was first deployed in combat at the
The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was produced in small quantities in 1942, when it was superseded by the Type 1 Ho-Ni II and then the
Survivors
A Type 1 Ho-Ni I from the IJA 2nd Tank Division, 2nd Armored Artillery Regiment was captured by the
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Zaloga 2007, p. 19.
- ^ a b Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Type 3 Gun Tank "Ho-Ni III"
- ^ Tomczyk 2007, p. 15.
- ^ a b c Tomczyk 2007, p. 3.
- ^ a b Zaloga 2012, p. 34.
- ^ Tomczyk 2007, pp. 15–17.
- ^ a b c History of War: "Type 1 Ho-Ni I Self-Propelled Gun"
- ^ Tomczyk 2007, p. 8.
- ^ Tomczyk 2007, pp. 10, 20.
- ^ Tomczyk 2007, p. 9.
- ^ Tomczyk 2007, pp. 7–8, 27.
- ^ Ness 2014, p. 272.
- ^ Zaloga 2007, pp. 19, 37–39.
- ^ Rottman & Takizawa 2008, pp. 53, 55.
- ^ Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Type 1 "Ho-Ni" I
- ^ Tomczyk 2007, pp. 9–10.
- ^ Zaloga 2007, pp. 19–20.
References
- Ness, Leland (2014). Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces, 1937-1945. Volume 2, Weapons of the Imperial Japanese Army & Navy Ground Force. Helion and Company. ISBN 978-1909982758.
- Rottman, Gordon L.; Takizawa, Akira (2008). World War II Japanese Tank Tactics. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1846032349.
- Tomczyk, Andrzej (2007). Japanese Armor Vol. 5. AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371799.
- ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
- Zaloga, Steven J. (2012). M4 Sherman vs Type 97 Chi-Ha: The Pacific 1945. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1849086387.
Further reading
- Foss, Christopher (2003). Great Book of Tanks: The World's Most Important Tanks from World War I to the Present Day. Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-1475-6.
- Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crestline. ISBN 0-7603-1500-0.