Prototype Type 94 TK tankette with Type 94 37mm tank gun

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Prototype Type 94 TK tankette with Type 94 37mm tank gun
The Type 94 TK tankette armed with a Type 94 37mm tank gun was a Japanese prototype tank developed in 1937. It was created to increase the firepower of the Type 94 tankette. Only one prototype was made.
History
When the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1937, Japan still had Type 94 tankettes in use and production, which were light (3.4 tons) and poorly armed (Type 91 6.5mm machine gun), which had its pros and cons. In 1937, work was being completed on the improved Type 97 Te-Ke tankettes, which were better armed with a Type 94 37mm tank gun or a Type 97 7.7mm machine gun. The Japanese knew that the combat capabilities of the Type 94 TK tankettes needed to be improved, so work began on an upgraded model. It was decided to modify the chassis by lengthening it, changing the idler wheel, and enlarging the drive wheel. Additionally, the engine was replaced with one of entirely Japanese production, and a few other minor changes were introduced. After these modifications, the tankettes were also armed with a Type 97 7.7mm machine gun. This led to the formation of the late production Type 94 TK (sometimes referred to as Type 94 Otsu). However, this did not significantly improve firepower, which was a major problem in the fighting in China. Therefore, a decision was made to upgrade the armament of the Type 94. It was decided to use the Type 94 37mm gun to upgrade the Type 94 TK’s armament to the standard of the Type 97 Te-Ke tankette. To be able to use the 37mm gun, a new turret was needed, which was cylindrical in shape with a convex roof to accommodate the commander and loader. To improve the driver’s comfort (the engine was in front next to the driver and there was no separating partition), the air intake was changed from the side of the tank to a much larger triangular-shaped intake than the original. The vehicle’s fender was divided into front and rear sections without a middle part. The Type 94 TK tank modified in this way was probably created at the end of 1937. It is not exactly known why it was not put into mass production, but there are a few likely reasons. First, in 1938, the production of the Type 94 TK was discontinued because it was already outdated. The second reason was the increase in weight, which could have worsened the tank’s capabilities. And the third reason is that there were already better tanks (Type 97 Te-Ke, Type 95 Ha-Go). The further fate of the Type 94 TK prototype tankette armed with the Type 94 37 mm tank gun is unknown.

Photos of the Type 94 TK prototype tankette with a Type 94 37mm tank gun

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Art of the Type 94 TK prototype tankette with a Type 94 37mm tank gun

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Construction description
The prototype Type 94 TK tankette with the Type 94 37mm tank gun is a Japanese tankette. The Type 94 TK is built using riveting and welding techniques. The Type 94 TK is powered by a front-mounted Mitsubishi Franklin air-cooled, inline 4-cylinder gasoline engine producing 32 hp (24 kW), which could propel the 3.45-ton (?) tank to about 40 km/h. The suspension of the Type 94 TK consists of four bogies (two on each side), each with two road wheels, along with two small support wheels. The drive wheel is at the front, and the large idler wheel touches the ground. The rear chassis extends beyond the vehicle outline and is mounted on a frame. The main armament of the Type 94 TK tankette is the Type 94 37 mm gun, which is mounted in a two-man cylindrical turret. The tankette’s turret is located at the rear of the vehicle. The driver sits at the front of the vehicle next to the engine. The frontal armor of the Type 94 TK tankette is 12 mm thick, 8 mm on the sides, and 10 mm at the rear. The tankette’s turret probably has 12 mm of armor on each side.

Technical sketches

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Specifications

  • Crew: 3
  • Length: 3,35 m
  • Width: 1,62 m
  • Weight: 1,62 m (?)
  • Height: 4 t (?)
  • Operational range: 200 km
  • Engine: Mitsubishi Franklin air-cooled, inline 4-cylinder gasoline engine producing 32 hp (24 kW)
  • Power-to-weight ratio: 9 hp/ton
  • Top speed: 40 km/h (?)

Armor

  • Hull: 12mm front, 8mm sides, 10 mm rear , 6mm roof
  • Turret: 12mm on each side (?) , 6mm roof (?)

Armament

  • Main armament: 1 x Type 94 37 mm
    • Range of motion: +20° upward and -15° downward , 360° horizontally
    • Effective range: 7000 m
    • Ammunition supply: probably 66-75 rounds
    • Ammunition Types:
      • Type 94 APHE
      • Type 94 HE

Summary
The Type 94 TK tankette prototype with the Type 94 37mm tank gun is an interesting tank for Japan in War Thunder. This tank, thanks to its small size and good speed, is well-suited for quickly changing positions and attacking by surprise. Additionally, the three-person crew enhances its combat capabilities. I encourage you to discuss in the comments and to share your own knowledge on this subject.
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

九四式軽装甲車 - Wikipedia
Type 94 tankette - Wikipedia
Type 94 Te-Ke IJA tankette (1935)
Type 94 Te-Ke Tankette | World War II Database
Type 94 Te-Ke - Tankette model 94 (1934)
Type 94 TK tankette
Lehké obrněné vozidlo typ 94 : Japonsko (JPN)

Book sources
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