List of Type 97 Chi-Ha variants

This is a list of vehicles developed from the Japanese Type 97 Chi-Ha tank.

Amphibious tanks

Amphibious tank derived from the Type 1 Chi-He Chassis, armed with a 47 mm main gun and two 7.7 mm machine guns.
Amphibious cargo and troop carrier developed by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). The engine component and electric devices were watertight and it could be carried underwater attached to a submarine.
Amphibious tank armed with one 47 mm or 25 mm Type 1 gun and two 7.7 mm Type 97 machine guns. Possibly based on the Chi-To or Chi-Ri hull.
Amphibious vehicle based on the Chi-To or Chi-Ri Chassis.

Engineering vehicles

Derived from the Type 97 Chi-Ha Tank, it had a trench digging plow in the stern. This vehicle was made around 1941-42 for service in Manchuria. Some examples were sent to Wewak on the north coast of Papua-New Guinea for use by the Japanese 6th Div AIF.

Medium tanks

Type 97 with a new turret armed with the Type 1 47 mm gun.
Experimental Medium Tank with similar chassis to the Type 97.
Chi-He is a successor to Chi-Ha. The speed and the armor were better than Chi-Ha but it still had a 47 mm gun that was inadequate against the M4 Sherman.
This tank was developed in order to cope with M4 Sherman. Its hull is the same of Chi-He and its gun was converted from 75 mm Type 90 field gun. The Chi-Nu was deployed in Japan proper to prevent expected Allied invasion.

Gun tanks

The Imperial Japanese Army called closed fire support tanks as "gun tanks". The experimental model was based on the Chi-Ha and the production model was based on Chi-He. Ho-I was deployed in the gun tank company of the tank regiment. There is no record that Ho-I was used in action.
Late in World War II, the Imperial Japanese Navy made this Type 97 Chi-Ha variant by replacing its gun with a naval 12 cm (120 mm) short gun. Produced in small numbers and deployed by the Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces.

Armored carriers

ATG Variant for armed transport light AT Gun in Type 97 TK tankette structure.

Siege weapons and heavy mobile artillery

As a 300 mm heavy mortar mounted in Type 4 Medium Tracked Carrier Chi-So chassis.

Self propelled guns

A self-propelled anti-tank gun. Using the Chi-To and Chi-Ri tank guns on the Type 4 Medium Tracked Carrier Chi-So chassis.
An SPG with 75 mm Cannon in Type 5 Light Tank chassis. The turret was removed, and a Type 99 mountain gun was placed in the hull similar to Ho-Ni/Ho-Ro SPGs.
This SPG with Type 96 15 cm (149.1 mm) Howitzer in Type 97 Medium Tank chassis, similar to Ho-Ni/Ho-Ro SPGs.
This SPG developed by the Imperial Japanese Navy with a naval Type 10 120 mm AA Gun in a Type 97 Medium Tank chassis.
This SPG with Type 38 120 mm Howitzer in Type 95 Light Tank chassis, similar to Ho-Ni/Ho-Ro SPGs.
Ka-To's development was ordered in 1943, but the actual process of development is unknown. Ka-To's hull was similar to the Type 4 Chi-To or Type 5 Chi-Ri Medium. Its main armament was to be newly developed.such TD poses resemblances with prototype of Type 95 Heavy Tank also
This SPG with 105 mm main cannon in Type 95 Heavy Tank chassis, similar to Hummel or Elefant.
This SPG with 105 mm main cannon in Type 95 Heavy Tank chassis, similar to Ho-Ni/Ho-Ro SPGs. This SPG was different from Ji-Ro.
Turret removed and 75 mm gun installed to create a self-propelled gun. They were organized along similar lines as artillery units.
As the Ho-Ni I with a 105 mm gun.
The Ho-Ni III had an enclosed fighting compartment around the gun and was deployed in tank regiments as a tank destroyer.
This SPG with Type 38 15 cm (149.1 mm) Howitzer in Type 97 Medium Tank chassis, similar to Ho-Ni SPG.

Other variants

Armoured recovery vehicle with a collapsible crane powered by a 240 hp diesel engine.
Type 97 Medium Tank "Chi-Ha" fitted with 2 revolving drums carrying rows of chains for mineplowing.Essentially a copy of the British mine flail tanks.
A Type 97 with the turret removed and a steel prow mounted for creating paths through forests. Used in Manchuria to aid the fight against the Soviet Union. One group was sent to New Guinea for use in the construction of an airfield there.
Observation tank with dummy main gun.
As Chi-Ha Tank special modification in combat front, unarmed, packed with explosive charges with crew of 1 or 2, for Kamikaze used in collision strikes against Allied tanks or infantry assaults.
Command tank with a 57mm dummy gun, usually supplemented by a live 37mm gun on the hull instead of the machine gun. Easily recognized by the rail-antenna on its turret, it had long-range communications and superior optics.
The Ka-Ha was a Type 97 tank. The main gun was a dummy and there was no machinegun. It carried a dynamo which could generate a high voltage (10,000 Volt) current.[1]

References

  1. ↑ (Japanese) Ka-Ha

2. Zaloga, Steven J. Japanese Tanks 1939-45. Osprey Books, 2007. ISBN 978-1-84603-091-8.

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