Type 4 Ke-Nu light tank

Type 4 Ke-Nu
Type 4 Ke-Nu light tank
TypeLight tank
Place of originEmpire of Japan
Production history
Designed1944
Produced1944
No. builtapprox. 100[1][2][3]
Specifications
Mass8.4 tons[4]
Length4.30 meters
Width2.0 meters
Height2.0 meters
Crew3[1]
Armor6–25 mm
Main
armament
Type 97 57 mm tank gun
Secondary
armament
2x Type 97 7.7 mm machine guns
EngineMitsubishi A6120VDe air-cooled inline 6-cylinder diesel
120 HP[1]
Power/weight-
Suspensionbellcrank
Operational
range
240 km
Maximum speed40 km/h[1]

The Type 4 Ke-Nu (四式軽戦車 ケヌ, Yon-shiki keisensha Kenu) was a light tank of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. It was a conversion of existing Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks, re-fitted with the larger turret of the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank.

History and development

Mockup of a Type 4 Ke-Nu at Victory Park, Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Moscow

The Type 4 Ke-Nu was a variant of the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank.[2][5] The original Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank was armed with a low muzzle velocity 57 mm tank gun. Operational experience against the Soviet Red Army at Nomonhan during the Soviet–Japanese border conflicts in 1939 revealed that this gun was inadequate against opposing armor, and a new higher velocity 47 mm tank gun was developed. This was installed in the Type 97 Chi-Ha with a larger turret to produce the Type 97-kai Shinhoto version.[1][6] This left a number of surplus Type 97 Chi-Ha 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.[2][5] The retrofitting did decrease the problem of cramped turret place for the crew, which had been encountered in an earlier attempt to up-gun Type 95 light tanks with a 57 mm tank gun in a prototype known as the Type 3 Ke-Ri light tank.[7] According to several estimates, approximately 100 tanks were converted late in World War II.[1][2][3] An exact number of the tanks converted is not known.

Designation

While most sources contend that the vehicle describe in this article is the Type 4 Ke-Nu, several researchers have argued that this designation is based on incorrect identification, and the vehicle is not a Ke-Nu. According to Japanese researcher Akira Takizawa, the vehicle that combined the Chi-Ha turret with the Ha-Go hull has no currently known formal designation, and its previous identification as the Ke-Nu is "incorrect." [8] Takizawa instead argues that the Type 4 Ke-Nu, is a variant of the Type 2 Ke-To light tank with a new turret and a Type 1 47 mm anti-tank gun.[9]

However, according to the Russian tank researcher Yuri Pasholok, the Chi-Ha turret and Ha-Go hull combination was designated Type 3 Ke-Ru in the Imperial Japanese Army tank indexes. He further argues, similar to Takizawa, that the Ke-Nu was a variant of the Ke-To and the previous identification of the vehicle as the Ke-Nu was a "mistake."[10] This idea is further corroborated by an additional Japanese source which also argues that the Ke-Nu was a variant of the Ke-To, while the Ke-Ru is the correct name for the Chi-Ha turret and Ha-Go hull combination.[11]

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 the retrofitting increased the weight of the tank to 8.4 tons.[4] This reduced the top speed of the tank to 40 km/h.[1] Given the replacement turret had thicker armor, it did provide the crew with some additional protection in that area, but did nothing to alleviate the Type 95's greatest weakness of the lack of suitable armor protection for the hull. Maximum armor protection for the tank (25 mm) was provided by the Type 97 turret,[12] but it was defeated by the 37 mm, 75 mm and 2-pounders mounted on Allied tanks.

Combat record

Close up of Type 4 Ke-Nu

The conversion coming in 1944 was too late to make any impact on Japanese combat operations. Some were assigned to units in Korea and Manchukuo, and saw brief combat against Soviet Red Army forces in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria.[1][3]

Survivors

There are no known complete and intact surviving Type 4 Ke-Nu tanks. However, there are often claimed to be two surviving examples on display at the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Moscow and the Kubinka Tank Museum. According to the Russian Researcher, Yuri Pasholok, both of these vehicles are museum made mockups. The example on display at the Museum of the Great Patriotic War combines a Ha-Go hull with a mockup Chi-Ha turret. The example on display at Kubinka has a Ha-Go hull with an original Chi-Ha turret welded to it.[10]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h History of War: Type 4 Ke-Nu Light Tank
  2. ^ a b c d Roland 1975, p. 32.
  3. ^ a b c McCormack 2021, p. 140.
  4. ^ a b Hara 1973, p. 13.
  5. ^ a b Zaloga 2007, p. 18.
  6. ^ Zaloga 2007, pp. 13, 14.
  7. ^ History of War: Type 3 Ke-Ri
  8. ^ Takizawa, Akira. "Type 95-modified 57mm Gun Light Tank". takihomepage.web.fc2.com. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  9. ^ Takizawa, Akira. "Ke-Nu". takihomepage.web.fc2.com. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  10. ^ a b Pasholok, Yuri. "Бронетанковая вивисекция по-японски".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ MILITARY CLASSICS Vol.57". Ikaros Publishing. 2021.
  12. ^ Tomczyk 2007, p. 19.

References

  • Hara, Tomio (1973). Japanese Combat Cars, Light Tanks, and Tankettes. AFV Weapons Profile No. 54. Profile Publications Limited.
  • McCormack, David (2021). Japanese Tanks and Armoured Warfare 1932–45. Fonthill. ISBN 978-1-78155-810-2.
  • Roland, Paul (1975). Imperial Japanese Tanks. Bellona Publication. ISBN 978-0852424346.
  • Tomczyk, Andrzej (2007) [2002]. Japanese Armor Vol. 2. AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371119.
  • Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 1939–45. Osprey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
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