Major General James G. Blunt

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.[3]

Rear view of a Type 2 Ke-To

Design

The Type 2 Ke-To was based on the Type 98 Ke-Ni, using the same engine and bell crank suspension.[5] 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,[5] with a muzzle velocity of 800 m/s.[3][6] The new 37 mm gun used gave the tank "slightly better performance".[5] The conical turret also carried a 7.7 mm machine-gun in a coaxial mount.[7] The designation "Type 2" represented the Japanese Imperial Year 2602 (1942 AD), "Ke" represented "light", and "To" represented the number seven.[3][8]

Production

Production commenced in 1944, with 34 units completed by the end of the war.[2][3] 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.[3]

Prototype work vehicle

Prototype Type 2 Ke-To based 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.[9]

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.[10]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Zaloga 2007, pp. 17, 18.
  2. ^ a b Zaloga 2007, p. 17.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k History of War: Type 98 Type 2 Ke-To Light Tank
  4. ^ Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Type 2 Light Tank "Ke-To"
  5. ^ a b c Zaloga 2007, p. 18.
  6. ^ Hara 1973, p. 13.
  7. ^ Tomczyk 2002, p. 75.
  8. ^ History of War: Japanese Tank Designations
  9. ^ Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Articles on Japanese tank (Japanese text only)
  10. ^ 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

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_2_Ke-To_light_tank