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Japan's Ho-Ni I, II, III; Type 4 Ho-Ro

Photos

Ho-Ni I self propelled gun:
Japan's Ho-Ni I self propelled gun 		Ho-Ni III self propelled gun:
Japan's Ho-Ni III self propelled gun 		Type 97 Medium and Type 4 self propelled gun:
Japan's Type 97 Medium and Type 4 self propelled gun		 Type 4 self propelled gun:
Japan's Type 4 self propelled gun
Type 4 self propelled gun:
Japan's Type 4 self propelled gun
Aberdeen Tank Museum		      

Design

Ho-Ni

The Ho-Nis used a Type 97 Chi-Ha tank chassis.2 The first chassis was converted in June 1941.2

Ho-Ro Armament

The 150 mm howitzer dated back to 1905 and were withdrawn from service in 1942.4

Production

  • Ho-Ni I: 262, 124
    • Production: 1942 -2
  • Ho-Ni II: 542
    • Production: July 1942 - 19452
  • Ho-Ni III: 312 (57 were orderd2)
    • Manufacturer: Hitachi2

Variants

  • Ho-Ni I: 75 mm Type 90 field gun.2 Developed in 1942. The 75 mm gun fired a 14 lb round at a muzzle velocity of 2,260 '/sec to a maximum range of 13,000 yards.3
  • Ho-Ni II: 100 mm Type 91 howitzer.2
  • Ho-Ni III: 75 mm Type 90 field gun.2 Slightly better armor protection on top and rear of gun shield. The main armament was fully enclosed.2
  • Type 38 Ho-Ro: Used CHI-HA chassis without turret and a shield around front and sides of gun. Gun had range of 6,500 yards and fired a 79 lb shell.3 It was based on a Krupp design.

Usage

Type 38 (Type 4)

Was organized in 4 vehicle batteries.

Specifications

  Ho-Ni I Ho-Ni II Ho-Ni III
Crew 33 5 5
Physical Characteristics      
Weight 32,704 lb
14.6 tons, 15 tons3 		36,064 lb
16.1 tons		 36,064 lb
16.1 tons
Length 18.2'3    
Height 7.7'3    
Width 7.7'3    
Width over tracks      
Ground clearance 14"3    
Ground contact length 138"3    
Ground pressure 8.4 psi3    
Armament      
Main 75 mm Type 902,3 100 mm Type 91 howitzer2 75 mm Type 88 antiaircraft
75 mm Type 90 field gun2
Secondary      
MG      
Side arms      
Quantity      
Main      
Secondary      
MG      
Side arms      
Armor Thickness (mm) Front: 0.98"3
Side: 0.8"3 		   
Hull Front, Upper      
Hull Front, Lower      
Hull Sides, Upper      
Hull Sides, Lower      
Hull Rear      
Hull Top      
Hull Bottom      
Superstructure Front 2"3    
Superstructure Sides      
Superstructure Rear      
Superstructure Top      
Engine (Make / Model) Mitsubishi Mitsubishi Mitsubishi
Bore / stroke      
Cooling Air3    
Cylinders V-123 12 12
Capacity      
Net HP 1703    
Power to weight ratio      
Compression ratio 17.8:13    
Transmission (Type) Sliding pinion with high-low transfer case3
4 forward, 1 reverse3 		   
Steering Clutch brake3    
Steering ratio      
Starter Electric3    
Electrical System Starting: 24-volt3
Running: 12-volt3 		   
Ignition      
Fuel (Type) Diesel3 Diesel Diesel
Octane      
Quantity 52 gallons in 2 tanks3    
Road consumption 3.7 gallons/hour @ 9.3 mph3    
Cross country consumption      
Performance      
Traverse 20°3 20° 20°
Speed - Road 25 mph3 25 mph 25 mph
Speed - Cross Country      
Range - Road 130 miles3, 131 miles 131 miles 131 miles
Range - Cross Country      
Turning radius      
Elevation limits -5° to +25°3 -5° to +20° -5° to +20°
Fording depth 39"3    
Trench crossing 8.25'3    
Vertical obstacle      
Climbing ability 30° (57%) slope3    
Suspension (Type) Front and rear wheels independently sprung, center wheels sprung in pairs, coil springs3    
Wheels each side 63    
Return rollers each side 33    
Tracks (Type) Dry pin3    
Length      
Width 13"3    
Diameter      
Number of links 953    
Pitch 4.9"3    
Tire tread      
Track centers/tread 6.6'3    
  Type 38 HO-RO
/Type 4 HO-RO1
Crew 4 or 51,4, 53
Physical Characteristics  
Weight 26,260 lb4, 29,982 lb1
13,300 kg4, 13,600 kg1
15 tons3
Length 18.2'3, 18' 2"1,4
5.537 m1,4
Height 7.6'3
Height - Top of Shield 5' 1"1,4
1.549 m1,4
Width 7' 6"1,4, 7.6'3
2.286 m1,4
Width over tracks  
Ground clearance 14"3
Ground contact length 144"3
Ground pressure 8 psi3
Armament  
Main 150 mm Type 38 howitzer1,4
150 mm Type 38 howitzer, L/123
Secondary  
MG  
Side arms  
Quantity  
Main  
Secondary  
MG  
Side arms  
Armor Thickness (mm) 254
Front: 0.63"3
Side: 0.5"3
Hull Front, Upper 25
Hull Front, Lower  
Hull Sides, Upper  
Hull Sides, Lower  
Hull Rear  
Hull Top  
Hull Bottom  
Superstructure Front 1"3
Superstructure Sides 0.63"3
Superstructure Rear  
Superstructure Top  
Engine (Make / Model)  
Bore / stroke  
Cooling Air3
Cylinders V-121,3,4
Capacity  
Net HP 1701,3,4
Power to weight ratio  
Compression ratio 17.8:13
Transmission (Type) Sliding pinion with high-low transfer case3
4 forward, 1 reverse3
Steering Clutch brake3
Steering ratio  
Starter Electric3
Electrical System Starting: 24-volt3
Running: 12-volt3
Ignition  
Fuel (Type) Diesel1,3,4
Octane  
Quantity 52 gallons in 2 tanks3
Road consumption 3.7 gallons/hour @ 9.3 mph3
Cross country consumption  
Performance  
Traverse 30°3
Speed - Road 23.6 mph1,4, 25 mph3
38 kph1,4
Speed - Cross Country  
Range - Road 100 miles3, 156 miles4
250 km4
Range - Cross Country  
Turning radius  
Elevation limits  
Fording depth 3' 3"3,4
1 m4
Trench crossing 6' 7"4, 8.25'3
2 m4
Vertical obstacle 2' 8"4
0.812 m4
Climbing ability 30° (57%) slope3
Suspension (Type) Front and rear wheels independently sprung, center wheels sprung in pairs, coil springs3
Wheels each side 63
Return rollers each side 33
Tracks (Type) Dry pin3
Length  
Width 13"3
Diameter  
Number of links 953
Pitch 4.9"3
Tire tread  
Track centers/tread 6.6'3

Sources:

  1. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
  2. Japanese Tanks 1939-45, Steven J. Zaloga, 2007
  3. Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
  4. Armored Fighting Vehicles, 300 of the World's Greatest Military Vehicles, Philip Trewhitt, 1999
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