Type 3 Ho-Ni III
| Type 3 Ho-Ni III | |
|---|---|
Self-propelled anti-tank gun | |
| Place of origin | Empire of Japan |
| Production history | |
| No. built | 31[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 17 tons |
| Length | 5.52 m (18 ft 1 in) |
| Width | 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in) |
| Height | 2.39 m (7 ft 10 in) |
| Crew | 5 |
| Armor | 12–25 mm |
Main armament | Type 3 75 mm tank gun |
Secondary armament | - |
| Engine | Mitsubishi air-cooled V12 Diesel 170 hp |
| Power/weight | 10 hp/ton |
| Suspension | bell crank |
Operational range | 200 km (120 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 38 km/h (24 mph) |
The Type 3 Gun tank Ho-Ni III (三式砲戦車 ホニIII, San-shiki hōsensha) was a tank destroyer and self-propelled artillery of Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. The Type 3 Ho-Ni III superseded the Type 1 Ho-Ni I and its variant the Type 1 Ho-Ni II in production, and gave better protection to the crew by having a completely enclosed superstructure. It was also meant to replace the Type 2 Ho-I for fire support.[2]
History and development
Previous gun tanks, Type 1 Ho-Ni I and
Hitachi Ltd.[2] Although production began in 1944, it was hampered by material shortages, and by the bombing of Japan in World War II.[3][4] Only 31 units were completed by the time the war ended.[1]
Design
The Type 3 Ho-Ni III utilized the Type 97 chassis. The main armament of the Type 3 Ho-Ni III was a Type 3 75 mm tank gun, which was based on the
Schneider et Cie Canon de 85 mle 1927.[5][6] The Type 3 75 mm tank gun was also used in the Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank.[7] The Type 3 Ho-Ni III 75 mm main gun was mounted in a fully enclosed fighting compartment with its flanks protruding beyond the hull sides, giving the appearance of a gun turret, although in reality it was incapable of rotation. The welded superstructure had sloped armour and the gun mount had additional stamped armor plate. The superstructure had very small observation slits and a small observation hatch on each side. There was a top roof hatch in the superstructure and its rear armour plate formed a double hatch that opened to each side.[8] There was no provision for secondary armament, and no front hull machine-gun.[9]
Service record
Although the Type 3 Ho-Ni III were assigned to various combat units, most were stationed within the
Japanese home islands to defend against the projected Allied Invasion. As the surrender of Japan occurred before that planned invasion, there is no record of the Type 3 Ho-Ni III being used in actual combat.[10][11]
Tanks of comparable role, performance and era
- Germany: Marder II, Marder III, StuG III
- Great Britain: Archer
- Hungary: Toldi Páncélvadász
- Italy: Semovente 75/34
- Japan: Ho-Ni I
- Romania: TACAM T-60, TACAM R-2
- Soviet Union: SU-76
- Sweden: Ikv 72, Pvkv m/43
Notes
- ^ a b Zaloga 2007, p. 19.
- ^ a b Zaloga 2007, pp. 19, 21.
- ^ Zaloga 2007, pp. 15, 19, 20, 22.
- ^ Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Type 3 Gun Tank "Ho-Ni III"
- ^ Tomczyk 2005, p. 3.
- ^ Mayer 1984, pp. 57–59.
- ^ Tomczyk 2007, p. 7.
- ^ Tomczyk 2007, pp. 7–8, 27.
- ^ Tomczyk 2007, p. 9.
- ^ Zaloga 2007, p. 20.
- ^ Tomczyk 2007, p. 8.
References
- Mayer, S. L. (1984). The Rise and Fall of Imperial Japan. The Military Press/Bison Books. ISBN 978-0517423134.
- Tomczyk, Andrzej (2005). Japanese Armor Vol. 4. AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371676.
- Tomczyk, Andrzej (2007). Japanese Armor Vol. 5. AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371799.
- ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
External links
- Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page - Akira Takizawa
- Photos at Taki
- History of War.org
- Blueprint of Type 3 Ho-Ni III
- Drawing of Ho-Ni III
