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"Ke-Nu" Type "4" Light Assault Tank

In 1941, on the basis of the light tank “Ha-Go”, the type “95” developed a special lightweight “assault” tank, which received the designation “Ke-Nu” (light tenth) type “4”. However, due to the lack of demand of the troops in such a tank, it was put into service in the Japanese army only in 1944, and at the same time they mastered the production in small batches using the available hu-go light tank hulls. In total, between 1944 and 1945, approximately 100 Ke-Nu tanks, type “4”, were manufactured. The main difference between the tanks “Ke-Nu” type “4” was a double turret with a 57-mm cannon, taken unchanged from the medium tank “Chi-Ha” type “97 ?. On the tanks "Ke-Nu" used the reserve towers from the tanks "Chi-Ha", formed as a result of modernization in 1943 - 1944, when these machines were brought to the level of "Shinhoto Chi-Ha."

The crew “Ke-nu” could consist of four people: the tank commander, loader, driver and technician-gunner, and three people - modeled on the tank “Ha-Go” (commander, driver and gun technician) . The hull of the “Ke-Nu” type “4” had a riveted structure of rolled sheets of armor steel, for riveting used rivets with bullet-proof heads. The number of molded parts in the hull structure was minimized, with curved sheets widely used (cutting the driver and the hull side in the tower area). For access to the transmission in the forward part of the hull there were two single door hatches. The crew accessed the control room through the hatch of the driver, he also had a front inspection hatch and a signal hatch on the cabin roof. In the wheelhouse arrow located on the left side of the front hull sheet, there was a ball bearing for the 7.7-mm tank machine gun type "97", and the machine gun itself had a protective casing of the barrel. The tank was installed double tower riveted design, the sides of which were made bent. The roof of the tower consisted of two sheets connected by welding. As in the case, the cast parts in the tower construction were practically not used, with the exception of the gun mask. Two members of the crew sat in the turret: the commander to the right of the gun, the gunner to the left.

The main armament of the tank consisted of a 57-mm semi-automatic tank gun type "97" with a vertical wedge gate. For the convenience of pointing, the mask with the gun was fastened on the trunnions, which made it possible to make accurate aiming of the gun without turning the turret. The installation of a 57-mm cannon in the Ke-nu tower allowed it to swing in a horizontal plane within ± 5 °. The angle of elevation of the gun was + 2 °, the reduction was 9 °. The mass of the 57-mm high-explosive fragmentation projectile was 2.7 kg, and the initial velocity was 420 m / s. In the stern of the turret, a second “97” type tank machine gun was mounted in a ball bearing, which also had a protective casing of the barrel. On the roof of the turret there was a commander's turret with a large double-wing hatch for the crew to exit, which differed in design from what was used on “Chi-Ha” type “97” tanks. In the cap of the commander's hatch, a periscopic observation device was mounted and there was a hole for signaling flags. In some cases, a radio station with a handrail or a whip antenna could be installed on the Ke-nu tank. In addition, an anti-aircraft machine gun could be mounted on a special swivel on the roof of the tower in front of the gunner's hatch.

The tank was equipped with a 6-cylinder 2-stroke diesel splitter of air cooling by the Mitsubishi company NVD6120 with a power of 120 hp. Access to the engine was carried out through a double hatch on the engine plate. To access the batteries in the upper stern plate there was a small hatch. On the body was installed four fenders. A spare parts box and entrenching tools were fastened on the left stern shelf, and a silencer was located on the right. On the tank “Ke-Nu” type “4” a suspension according to the Hara scheme was used with elastic elements in the form of springs located in a horizontal position along the hull. The tank had four double rubberized support rollers (as applied to one side), interconnected in pairs in two trucks. Driving wheels of a forward arrangement (with tsevochny gearing), directing wheels - a back arrangement. On each side there were two double rubber-supported rollers. The tank used cast tracks 250 mm wide. Each small-track caterpillar with an open hinge and one ridge consisted of 97 tracks.

The lightweight “assault” tank “Ke-Nu” was distinguished by its low mass, light armor, and satisfactory mobility. The chassis of these combat vehicles were adapted to the conditions of the terrain on which they were to operate. The specific pressure on the ground ranged from 0.7-0.8 kt / sq. Cm, which provided the Ke-Nu tanks with good throughput. “Ke-Nu” type “4”, created as fire support tanks, was very limitedly used at the final stage of World War II in the Japanese army, including in the Pacific theater of operations and in Manchuria, mainly by marines, but a small amount was also present in the ground forces of the Japanese army. In August 1945, some of these vehicles were sent to Korea and Manchuria, where they briefly participated in battles against the Red Army.