Main Menu

Japan's Type 89 Medium⁴, Chi-Ro
Type 89 Yi-Go Medium⁶
Type 92 Medium⁴, Type 94 Medium⁴

Type 89 Medium, original model	Type 89 Medium	Type 89 Medium. Crossing bridge during training in June 1941. There is an umpire beside the tank with a white arm band.	Type 89 Medium. Going down a jungle road.
Type 89 Medium	Type 89 Medium	Type 89 Medium. During training.	Type 89 Medium. Near Shanghai.
Type 89A Chi-Ro Ko Medium	Type 89A Chi-Ro Ko Medium	Type 89B Chi-Ro Ot-Su Medium	Type 89B Chi-Ro Ot-Su Medium
Type 89A Medium Tank:	Type 89B Medium Tank:
Type 94 Chu Sensa, Shiki 94 Medium	Type 94 Chu Sensa, Shiki 94 Medium	Type 94 Chu Sensa Medium

Design

Many of the features were copied from the Vickers Mark C that was purchased from Britain in 1927.

This was the second home produced tank and was Prototype No. 2.⁴ It was completed in April 1929 and after testing was called the Type 89 Light Tank.⁴ After the Type 95 Light Tank appeared it was renamed the Type 89 Medium Tank.⁴

In 1929 the Type 89 was accepted for service and was classified as a medium tank as it weighed 10 tons.⁶

Main Armament

Gun had a muzzle velocity of 1,148 ft/sec.

Early Models

Initially it had a front plate with a door on the right.⁴ There was a vertical front plate with a bow MG on the right, and the driver's visor on the left.⁴ There was a small cupola mounted on the turret.⁴

The five return rollers were mounted on a girder.⁴

May have been called the Type 92 Medium.⁴

Later Models

Had one long sloping front plate.⁴ The driver was on the right and the bow MG on the left.⁴

Based on experience in the field by troops, there were changes made.⁶ The commander's cupola was changed from a small design to a larger one with a split hatch.^4,6

There were four return rollers.⁴ A ditching tail was added.⁴

May have been called type Type 94 Medium.⁴

Prototype

 

Production

Sagami Arsenal was designated to be the manufacturer of the Type 89.⁶ However, it had limited facilities and subcontracted much of the work.⁶ Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) built a new plant just to produce the Type 89.⁶

• Type 89:
  • Production: 1931 - ⁶
  • Type 89A: 113⁶
  • Type 89B: 291⁶
• Total: 404⁶
• Type 94: Osaka Arsenal⁵

Variants

• Type 89A Chi-Ro Ko: Had gasoline engine⁴, but after experience in Manchuria in the cold weather it was decided to substitute a diesel engine. Widely used in China and sometimes fitted with unditching tails. Had a box type hull with sloped glacis plates. Protective skirting covered the leaf springs.
• Type 89B Chi-Ro Ot-Su (Otsu?): Appeared in 1934 (sometimes known as the Type 94). Had single sloping front plate, new turret with commanders cupola, and a 6 cylinder diesel engine. Some vehicles had unditching tails at rear. The driver sat on the right and the hull MG gunner sat on the left. Steering was done by clutch and brake.
• Type 94, Chu Sensha, Shiki 94:The 57 mm fired a 5.7 lb AP shell at a muzzle velocity of 1,150'/sec.⁵

Usage

First used at the Shanghai Incident in 1932 as part of the naval landing force.

Used by the medium tank units of Yamashita's 25th Army during invasion of Malaya and Singapore.

Some also saw action in Burma and in the Philippines before the majority of them were moved in mid-1942 to China for use.

		Type 89A Chi-Ro Ko	Type 89B Chi-Ro Ot-Su	Type 94, Chu Sensha, Shiki 94
Crew	Commander, loader, driver, gunner-hull 44	42	41	45
Physical Characteristics
Weight	9.6 tons (initially)4, 11.3 tons (after modifications)4	28,000 lb 12.7 tons2, 13 tons	28,660 lb, 25,353 lb 11,500 kg, 13,000 kg1 12.79 tons1, 13 tons	15.4 tons5
Length w/gun	14' 2"4, 18' 10.25", 18' 11" (with trench crossing tail)4	16' 8", 18.8'2 5.1 m	14' 1", 18' 10"1 4.73 m, 5.73 m1	16.4'5 With ditching tail: 19.2'5
Length w/o gun
Height	7' 2"4, 8' 5"	8.48'2	7' 2", 8' 3"1 2.56 m1	8.7'5
Width	7'4, 7' 2"	7' 3", 7.17'2 2.2 m	7'1 2.13 m1	7.1'5
Width over tracks
Ground clearance				19"5
Ground contact length				132"5
Ground pressure				8.2 psi5
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	57 mm Model 90 57 mm4	57 mm2	57 mm1	57 mm Type 90, L/18.55
Secondary
MG	6.5 mm MG Type 91, turret rear, hull 2 MGs, turret rear, hull4	2: 6.5 mm MG2	2: 6.5 mm MG1	2: 6.5 mm Type 91 MG, hull, turret rear5
Side arms
Quantity
Main	100			1005
Secondary
MG	2,745			2,7505
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	174	10 - 172	171	Front: 0.67"5 Side: 0.43"5
Hull Front, Upper	17
Hull Front, Lower	17
Hull Sides, Upper	17
Hull Sides, Lower	17
Hull Rear	17
Hull Top	10
Hull Bottom	6
Turret Front	17			0.5"5 Mantlet: 0.75"5
Turret Sides	15			0.25"5
Turret Rear	15
Turret Top	10
Engine (Make / Model)		Daimler water cooled Mitsubishi2	Mitsubishi1,6	Mitsubishi5
Bore / stroke
Cooling		Water2	Air	Air5
Cylinders	6	62	61
Capacity
Net HP		1052, 1186	115, 1201 @ 1,800 rpm	1605
Power to weight ratio
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)	4 speed			4 forward, 1 reverse5
Steering				Clutch brake5
Steering ratio
Starter
Electrical system
Compression ratio
Fuel (Type)	Diesel4	Gasoline2,4,6	Diesel1,4,6	Diesel5
Octane
Quantity				211 gallons5
Road consumption
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	360°
Max speed	17 mph4	15 mph, 15.5 mph2 24.1 kph	15.5 mph, 16 mph1, 17 mph 26 kph1	28 mph5
Cross country speed				18 - 20 mph5
Road radius		87 miles	100 miles, 106 miles1 170 km1	100 miles5
Cross country radius
Turning radius
Elevation limits
Fording depth	3' 3"			39"5
Trench crossing	8' 3", 6' 7"			9'5
Vertical obstacle	2' 9", 3'			33"5
Climbing ability				34° (67%) slope5
Suspension (Type)	Leaf Spring			Spring5
Wheels each side	9			85, 1 roller5
Return rollers each side		5	4	45
Tracks (Type)				Dry pin5
Length
Width	12"			12.75"5
Diameter
Number of links				805
Pitch				5.5"5
Tire tread
Track centers/tread

Sources:

1. The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
2. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
3. -
4. Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
5. Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
6. Japanese Tanks 1939-45, Steven J. Zaloga, 2007

---