Type 2 Ho-I Medium (Support) Tank
The infantry support tank Type 2 Ho-I was developed on the basis of Type 1 Chi-He. In fact it was more one self-propelled gun for the close combat than a traditional battle tank. It was to also to assist the Type 97 Chi-ha vis-a-vis the allied armored tanks. After a first attempt to adapt the 75 mm Type 41 of mountain on the chassis of the Type 97 Chi-Ha. However in April 1941, the choice was related to the 75 mm Type 99 for tanks. When the Japanese started to meet on the battle fields of the Pacific and Asia as from 1942, the American tanks M4 Sherman and M3 Stuart, they had anything comparable to oppose to them. It was thus decided to widen the field of actions of Ho-I to the anti-tank missions by providing piercing projectiles to the 75 mm Type 99.
In addition to the 75 mm Type 99 in turret, Ho-Hi was also armed with a machine-gun of 7.7 mm Type 97 on the hull. The turret was entirely swivelling what allowed to use of Type 2 Ho-I as traditional battle tank also. With if not, the chassis was that designed for Type 1 Chi-He.
Because of problems of delivery of material (because of the bombardments), the production of Ho-I was limited to 30 specimens and at the end of 1944, the program was cancelled. All Ho-Is were retained in archipelago to defend the nation against a future American invasion. They were never used into the combat.
The infantry support tank Type 2 Ho-I was developed on the basis of Type 1 Chi-He. In fact it was more one self-propelled gun for the close combat than a traditional battle tank. It was to also to assist the Type 97 Chi-ha vis-a-vis the allied armored tanks. After a first attempt to adapt the 75 mm Type 41 of mountain on the chassis of the Type 97 Chi-Ha. However in April 1941, the choice was related to the 75 mm Type 99 for tanks. When the Japanese started to meet on the battle fields of the Pacific and Asia as from 1942, the American tanks M4 Sherman and M3 Stuart, they had anything comparable to oppose to them. It was thus decided to widen the field of actions of Ho-I to the anti-tank missions by providing piercing projectiles to the 75 mm Type 99.
In addition to the 75 mm Type 99 in turret, Ho-Hi was also armed with a machine-gun of 7.7 mm Type 97 on the hull. The turret was entirely swivelling what allowed to use of Type 2 Ho-I as traditional battle tank also. With if not, the chassis was that designed for Type 1 Chi-He.
Because of problems of delivery of material (because of the bombardments), the production of Ho-I was limited to 30 specimens and at the end of 1944, the program was cancelled. All Ho-Is were retained in archipelago to defend the nation against a future American invasion. They were never used into the combat.
