| Type 2 Ke-To | |
|---|---|
 Type 2 Ke-To light tank | |
| Type | Light tank |
| Place of origin | Empire of Japan |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1941 |
| Produced | 1944–1945 |
| No. built | 34 |
| Specifications (Type 2 Ke-To) | |
| Mass | 7.2 tons |
| Length | 4.11 m (13 ft 6 in) |
| Width | 2.12 m (6 ft 11 in) |
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Crew | 3 |
| Armor | 6–16 mm |
| Main armament | Type 1 37 mm tank gun |
| Secondary armament | 7.7 mm machine gun |
| Engine | Mitsubishi Type 100 air-cooled diesel 130 hp (97 kW) |
| Suspension | Bell crank |
| Operational range | 186 kilometers |
| Maximum speed | 50 km/h |
The Type 2 Ke-To (二式軽戦車 ケト, Nishiki keisensha Ke-To) was a light tank of World War II, produced in small numbers for the Imperial Japanese Army as an improvement of the existing Type 98 Ke-Ni. No Type 2 Ke-To light tanks are known to have engaged in combat prior to Japan's surrender at the end of World War II.
Design
The Type 2 Ke-To was based on the Type 98 Ke-Ni, using the same engine and bell crank suspension. However, the gun turret was enlarged to provide greater space for the crewmen and the main armament was changed to the more powerful Type 1 37 mm gun, with a muzzle velocity of 800 m/s. The new 37 mm gun used gave the tank "slightly better performance". The conical turret also carried a 7.7 mm machine-gun in a coaxial mount. The designation "Type 2" represented the Japanese Imperial Year 2602 (1942 AD), "Ke" represented "light", and "To" represented the number seven.
Production
Production commenced in 1944, with 34 units completed by the end of the war. No Type 2 Ke-To light tanks are known to have engaged in combat prior to Japan's surrender at the end of World War II.
Prototype work vehicle
An experimental "work vehicle" based on the Type 2 Ke-To light tank was produced in 1944. The armament consisted of a Type 97 7.7 mm machine gun in a smaller, modified turret. It was equipped with a 30kw generator, a flood light for night work and a light crane behind the tower.
Variant
The Type 4 work vehicle was an engineering vehicle developed in late 1944 on the chassis of the Type 2 Ke-To light tank. It was equipped with a dozer blade on the front end for use in airfield construction. It was also equipped with a 30kw generator to power tools and a flood light for night work. The exact number produced is not known.
Footnotes
- ^ Hara 1973, p. 13.
- Zaloga 2007, pp. 17, 18.
- ^ Zaloga 2007, p. 17.
- ^ History of War: Type 98 Type 2 Ke-To Light Tank
- Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Type 2 Light Tank "Ke-To"
- ^ Zaloga 2007, p. 18.
- Tomczyk 2002, p. 75.
- History of War: Japanese Tank Designations
- Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Articles on Japanese tank (Japanese text only)
- Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Type 4 Work Vehicle
References
- Hara, Tomio (1973). Japanese Combat Cars, Light Tanks, and Tankettes. AFV Weapons Profile No. 54. Profile Publications Limited.
- Tomczyk, Andrzej (2002). Japanese Armor Vol. 1. AJ Press. ISBN 83-7237-097-4.
- Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 1939–45. Osprey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
Further reading
- Foss, Christopher (2003). Great Book of Tanks: The World's Most Important Tanks from World War I to the Present Day. Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-1475-6.
- Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crestline. ISBN 0-7603-1500-0.
External links
- History of War: Type 2 Ke-To Light Tank
- Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page: Type 2 Light Tank "Ke-To"
