Type 4 Ke-Nu | |
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General Historical Information | |
Place of origin | Japan |
Category | Light Tank |
Debut in FHSW | v0.4 |
Speed | 40 km/h |
Armour | 26 - 6 mm |
Main armament | 57mm Type 97 (56 rounds) ↑ Gun ↓ Mg |
Coaxial weapon | 7.7mm Type 97 mg (100 rounds) ↑ Gun ↓ Mg |
General Ingame Information | |
Used by | Japan |
Crew in‑game | 3 |
Ammunition | HE & HEAT (Random) |
Special abilities | Transported on Daihatsu landing craft |
Seat 2 | Commander |
Seat 3 | 7.7mm Type 97 mg (100 rounds) |
Seat 4 | Passenger Seat |
Seat 5 | Passenger Seat |
Historical Picture | |
It looks like the famous Type 95 Ha-Go, but it is not the Ha-Go! It is the Type 4 Ke-Nu (四式軽戦車 ケヌ Yon-shiki keisensha Kenu?) and it was a light tank of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. It was a conversion of existing hulls of Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks re-fitted with a larger tower of the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank.
History and development[]
The Type 4 Ke-Nu was a side effect of the on-going development of the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank. The original Type 97 Chi-Ha had been armed with a low muzzle velocity 57 mm tank gun. Operational experience in Manchukuo, China in the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War and against the Soviet Union at Nomonhan during the brief Japanese-Soviet Border War in 1939 revealed that this gun was totally inadequate against any form of opposing armor, and a new higher velocity 47 mm tank gun was developed. This was then installed in the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank to produce the Type 97-kai Shinhoto version. This left a large number of surplus Type 97 turrets, which were later retrofitted onto the hulls of the obsolete Type 95 Ha-Go light tank. The result was designated the Type 4 Ke-Nu. In total, approximately 100 units were converted in 1944.
Design[]
Essentially a Type 95 light tank with a Type 97 medium tank gun turret, the Type 4 Ke-Nu had slightly better firepower, but at the expense of an additional ton in weight. This reduced the top speed of the tank to 40 km/h, but did nothing to alleviate the greatest weakness of the Type 95, its lack of suitable armor protection for the hull. Maximum armor protection for the tank (25 mm) was provided by the Type 97 turret, and it was easily defeated by the 37 mm, 75 mm and 2-pounders mounted on Allied tanks.
Combat record[]
The conversion coming in 1944 was too late to make any impact on Japanese combat operations, and most of the Type 4 Ke-Nu were retained in the Japanese home islands against the projected American invasion. Some were assigned to units in Korea and Manchukuo, and saw brief combat against Soviet forces in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria.
Source: Wikipedia
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