Type 5 Ke Ho – Japanese tier 5 light tank

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SS: Today, we have another guest article from SoukouDragon :) Enjoy

Author: SoukouDragon, US forums

A new light tank designed for the Imperial Japanese army. It was to carry with it the same firepower as the Chi Ha Shinhoto and have 300mm wide treads. The 150hp engine was supercharged. Main armament was the Type 1 47mm tank gun. Since it was expected to use its cannon often, 90 rounds was required.

Characteristics

Weight: 10 tons
Length: 4.380mm
Width: 2.235mm
Height: 2.227mm

Armor (mm)
Turret Front: 20
Turret Side: 16
Turret Back: 16
Hull Front: 20
Hull Side: 16
Hull Back: 12
Hull Top: 12
Hull Bottom: 8

In world of tanks, its 15 hp/ton is grossly outmatched by the other tier 5 light tanks which have over 25hp/ton. Even with 300mm wide tracks on the 10 ton tank, it is difficult to imagining the Ke Ho to have similar acceleration with the other tier 5 light tanks. The diesel 150hp engine is an in-line 6 cylinder engine. Even though the Chi He tank is of similar dimensions to the Ke Ho but a little longer, the Chi He’s 240hp V12 diesel engine would probably be too large to serve as an upgrade even though 240hp would probably provide enough hp/ton.

The 47mm cannon would be comparable to the 50mm L/60 on the VK 1602 Leopard. The combat weight of the Type 1 47mm cannon is about 400kg. With about just 140kg more, the experimental 57mm cannon that was tested on the early Chi To could perhaps be fitted on as an upgrade. That would give the Ke Ho competitive firepower amongst the tier 5 light tanks.

Experimental 57mm Tank Gun (L48.5)

Combat Weight: 543kg
Muzzle velocity: 810m/s
Type 1 AP round
Penetration: 60mm at 1,000m

Source:

“Japan’s Tanks” by Hara Tomio　1978（日本の戦車 原乙未生)
“Japanese Army Cannons: Infantry cannons, anti-tank cannons” by Sayama Jiro (日本陸軍の火砲　歩兵砲　対戦車砲　他　佐山二郎)

22 thoughts on “Type 5 Ke Ho – Japanese tier 5 light tank”

  2. I think Type 5 Ke-Ho is Tier 4 LT.

    IF Type 4 Chi-to early plan (20 ton or 25 ton, 400PS, 45-50km?, 57mm gun) with on board 500PS engine?

    I think that the Type 4 Chi-to early plan can become Tier 5 LT.

  3. >500PS engine
    Type 4 chi-to and Type 5 Chi-ri II planned engine. Prototype engine was Caputured by the United States Army.

  4. I think IF LT plans

    fact:
    Type 4 Chi-to early 30 ton plan (400PS) : 45km/h
    est:
    Type 4 Chi-to early 30 ton plan (500PS) : 50-55km/h

    est :
    Type 4 Chi-to early 20 ton plan (400PS) : 55km/h
    Type 4 Chi-to early 20 ton plan (500PS) : 60-65km/h
    Type 4 Chi-to early 25 ton plan (400PS) : 50km/h
    Type 4 Chi-to early 25 ton plan (400PS) : 55-60km/h

  7. Interesting kou and otsu versions of the Type 5. Would you be able to provide a primary source that describes the existence of both plans?

    The early 25 ton Chi To might be too large to act as a light tank . As the Chi To was upgraded to a 75mm cannon plan in 1944, the tank was hurried to a 30 ton class tank. That would suggest that the hull of the 30 ton Chi To was by large the same size as the 57mm Chi To plan. Not sure about the 20 ton version.

    SoukouDragon

    • >Would you be able to provide a primary source that describes the existence of both plans?

      sry. I dont know other source.

      >That would suggest that the hull of the 30 ton Chi To was by large the same size as the 57mm Chi To plan.

      exactly. but Its smaller than Aufklarungspanzer Panther.

    • >“Japan’s Tanks” by Hara Tomio　1978（日本の戦車 原乙未生)

      SoukouDragon, You Know 25 ton Chi-to plan sketch. this book page 141.

  8. I have some serious doubts over that top sketch.
    Firstly I though the Japanese were metric and that clearly shows inches implying it was copied from a source.
    Secondly, it is quite obviously not a blueprint and is at best a sketch drawing using what looks like a Shinhoto Chi-Ha turret on a scaled down hull. I just can’t see enough space in the tank for the proposed engine you state. An in-line 6 cylinder engine just isn’t going to fit.

  9. So in Hara`s 1978 book, there is a drawing of a Ke Ni mounting the turret for the 47mm cannon. It looks very similar to the Type 5 kou model posted above. Picture in link below.

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jMcBMZtGpVY/Ub8PA7svhlI/AAAAAAAAAdo/A0X_OVTDLSY/s1600/Ke+Ni+with+47mm+turret.jpg

    It is designated as Type 98 Kai

    There is another one next to the Ke Ni Kai called a Type 95 Kai. Picture in link below.

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wrt45atOcM4/Ub8SvaAWg5I/AAAAAAAAAd4/LAqaC17uAHY/s1600/Type+95+Kai+6789687.jpg

    Hara didn’t mention two plans for the Type 5. Maybe a kou and an otsu is specified by someone like Sayama. But in any case, supposedly, only one prototype was made. Unfortunately no photos of the prototype seems to exists. Until I can see another primary source stating the Type 5 had a kou and an otsu, I will just take Hara’s publication that the Type 5 Ke Ho is the picture in the article above and that the others are a Type 95 Kai and a Type 98 Kai.

  10. So in Hara`s 1978 book, there is a drawing of a Ke Ni mounting the turret for the 47mm cannon. It looks very similar to the Type 5 kou model posted above. Picture in link below.

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jMcBMZtGpVY/Ub8PA7svhlI/AAAAAAAAAdo/A0X_OVTDLSY/s1600/Ke+Ni+with+47mm+turret.jpg

    It is designated as Type 98 Kai

    There is another one next to the Ke Ni Kai called a Type 95 Kai. Picture in link below.

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wrt45atOcM4/Ub8SvaAWg5I/AAAAAAAAAd4/LAqaC17uAHY/s1600/Type+95+Kai+6789687.jpg

    Hara didn’t mention two plans for the Type 5. Maybe a kou and an otsu is specified by someone like Sayama. But in any case, supposedly, only one prototype was made. Unfortunately no photos of the prototype seems to exists. Until I can see another primary source stating the Type 5 had a kou and an otsu, I will just take Hara’s publication that the Type 5 Ke Ho is the picture in the article above and that the others are a Type 95 Kai and a Type 98 Kai.

    SoukouDragon

  12. So in Hara`s 1978 book, there is a drawing of a Ke Ni mounting the turret for the 47mm cannon. It looks very similar to the Type 5 kou model posted above. Picture in link below.

    It is designated as Type 98 Kai

    There is another one next to the Ke Ni Kai called a Type 95 Kai. Picture in link below.

    Hara didn’t mention two plans for the Type 5. Maybe a kou and an otsu is specified by someone like Sayama. But in any case, supposedly, only one prototype was made. Unfortunately no photos of the prototype seems to exists. Until I can see another primary source stating the Type 5 had a kou and an otsu, I will just take Hara’s publication that the Type 5 Ke Ho is the picture in the article above and that the others are a Type 95 Kai and a Type 98 Kai.

  15. Ignore John Doe, he’s just spitting out misinformation based on ignorance.

  16. i think it’s going to be like chaffee in a why i think what thare doing is makeing a nother tank like chaffee it probly is slow than chaffee and less hp/ton but i bet it’s going to have alout more view range than chaffee maybe like 420 in wot or maybe thay might give it the highest view range in game 430