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Ka-Ha flamethrower tank number 2 (試製火焔発射戦車 カホ車)
The Ka-Ha tank, or more precisely the engineering vehicle, is a Japanese tank with two flamethrowers, created around 1943. One prototype was created, which for unknown reasons was not accepted into service.
History
The Japanese Imperial Army introduced a flamethrower vehicle called the Sōkō Sagyō Ki (装甲作業機) in 1935. It was an engineering vehicle that was not suitable for direct combat with the enemy. Therefore, the army wanted to rework the Chi-Ha tank so that it would retain its ability to fight the enemy while retaining its 57mm gun, and so that it could use flamethrowers to destroy the enemy’s manpower. The Japanese army borrowed two solutions from its German allies and from enemy armies, which they decided to use in their fire tanks. The first solution resembled the M3 Satan tank, i.e. the type 97 rifle from the hull was replaced with an ordinary type 93/100 flamethrower. It was a very simple modification, but it meant that the fuel supply lasted only for 10 to 15 seconds, which was a very small amount. Therefore, it was decided to create a vehicle similar to the German Panzer II Flamm, where it was decided to mount two specially manufactured flamethrowers on the sides of the hull in very similar mounts as the side heavy machine guns in the M3 Stuart tanks.The first version was created in May 1942, and the second one, due to a large number of modifications, was created only at the beginning of 1943. None went into mass production, probably due to major problems with flamethrower fuel. The first variant was again converted into a regular chi-ha tank, and the second, which was heavily modified, was abandoned and found by the Americans in 1945 after the surrender of Japan.
Ka-Ha art and models
Construction description
The hull of the Ka-Ha tank has been heavily modified. The very characteristic frontal armor plate has been modified so that it looks like a chi-he tank, but it does not have the Type 97 hull rifle. On the sides, the hull was modified to resemble captured M3 tanks, where additional M1919 rifles were mounted on the sides. The Ka-Ha tank was equipped with specially developed flamethrowers, which were a modification of the Type 100 flamethrowers.The modifications increased the range to about 43 meters, the width of the flame increased from 3 to 5 meters, and thanks to the two tanks that were located at the rear of the vehicle, the maximum firing length was 100 seconds. Because of these tanks, the rear of the tank was also drastically modified to accommodate them, it ended with a vertical plate. The Ka-Ha retained the two-man turret from the Chi-Ha tank, which was armed with a 57mm gun.The hull was also raised by 15 centimeters to have more space inside for the crew, which consisted of 5 people (driver, gunner, commander, two flamethrower operators).
Specifications
- Length: 5.55 m
- Width: 2,31 m
- Weight: 2,36 m
- Height: ? (probably about 17 tons)
- Top speed: 38 km/h
- Crew: 5
- Operational range: 210 km
- Engine: Mitsubishi SA12200VD air-cooled V12 diesel, hp/1,500 rpm ,170 hp/2,000
Armor
The same as in chi-ha, only that:
- Frontal hull plate: 25mm 90°
- Side hull plate: 25mm 90°
- Rear hull plate: 20 mm 90°
Armament
- Type 97 57mm tank gun (number of bullets probably about 100)
- 2 x Type 97 7.7mm machine guns (1 in turret rear, 1 on turret pintle mount) (3000 rounds)
- 2 x tank-mounted flamethrowers (Fuel supply for 100 seconds)
Summary
The Ka-Ha vehicle would be a very interesting vehicle for Japan in War Thunder. The vehicle has simple armor plates due to the modifications, which makes it easier to penetrate, but thanks to the flamethrowers, it is able to destroy unarmored enemy vehicles. In addition, the Flame Traps can be used as cover when attacking enemy positions. Overall, this is a very interesting vehicle that would be useful for Japan in WT. I encourage you to discuss in the comments and to share your own knowledge on this topic.
Finally, I apologize for the linguistic and logical errors because unfortunately English is not my main language and I had to use google translator.
Internet sources
九七式中戦車 - Wikipedia
List of Type 97 Chi-Ha variants - Wikipedia
火炎放射戦車 - Wikipedia
Ka-Ho - Japan’s Experimental Flame Tank - Passed for Consideration - War Thunder - Official Forum
火焔放射戦車 (plala.or.jp)
Flame work vehicle (plala.or.jp)
Suggestion: The Type 97 Chi-Ha Flamethrower tank! : r/enlistedgame (reddit.com)
Book sources
- Intelligence Report on Japanese Chemical Warfare Volume II - The Chemical Warfare Research and Development Work of the Japanese
- Intelligence Report on Japanese Chemical Warfare Volume V Part H - Japanese Chemical Warfare Equipment and Material
Intelligence report on Japanese chemical warfare. Volume V, part H; Japanese chemical warfare equipment and materiel. - World War II Operational Documents - Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library (CARL) Digital Library (oclc.org) - Japanese Tank and Antitank Warfare Military Intelligence Division, Special Series No. 34, August 1 1945
- 1943 Research Plan of the 3rd Army Technical Research Institute
