Type 3 Ho-Ni III

Infobox Weapon
name=Type 3 Ho-Ni III


caption=Type III Ho-Ni III tank destroyer
origin= flag|Empire of Japan
type=
is_vehicle=yes
length=5.52 meters
width=2.29 meters
height=2.39 meters
weight=8.5 tons
suspension=bell crank
speed=38 km/hr
vehicle_range=200 km
primary_armament=75 mm Type 3 Gun
secondary_armament=-
armour=12-25 mm
engine=Mitsubishi Air-Cooled V12 Diesel
crew=5
engine_power=170 hp
pw_ratio=10 hp/ton

The nihongo| Type 3 Ho-Ni III|三式砲戦車 ホニIII|San-shiki hōsensha gun tank was a tank destroyer and self-propelled artillery of Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. The Type 3 No-Ni II superseded the Type 1 Ho-Ni I in production, and was much safer for the crew due to its having a completely enclosed superstructure. [http://www.irvania.com/downloads/TBOTJapan.pdf]

History and development

One of the primary shortcomings of the Type 1 Ho-Ni I and Type 2 Ho-I was the semi-enclosed casemate for the main gun, which made these types unsuitable for the close combat situations expected for a tank destroyer design. The fully enclosed and armored casemate of the Type 3 Ho-NI III was intended to address this issue, and an order was placed with Hitachi Ltd in early 1944. Production was hampered by material shortages, and by the bombing of Japan in World War II, and only 31 or 41 units were completed by the time of the end of the war. [ [http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_type_3_ho_ni_III.html] History of War.org]

Design

The Type 3 Ho-Ni III utilized the chassis of the earlier Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank.

The main armament of the Type 3 Ho-Ni III was a 75 mm Type 90 Field Gun, loosely based on the French Schneider et Cie Canon de 85 mle 1927 which was also used in the Type 3 Chi-Nu tank. The 75 mm main gun was mounted in a fully rotating two-man gun turret. There was no provision for secondary armament. [Zaloga, Japanese Tanks 1939-45]

Combat record

Although the Type 3 Ho-Ni III were assigned to various combat units, most were stationed within the Japanese home islands to defend against the projected Allied Invasion. As the surrender of Japan occurred before that invasion, there is no record of the Type 3 Ho-Ni III ever being used in actual combat.

References

*cite book
last = Zaloga
first = Steven J.
year = 2007
title = Japanese Tanks 1939-45
publisher = Osprey
location =
id = ISBN 1-84603-091-8

External links

* [http://www3.plala.or.jp/takihome/newfolder/Ho-Ni3.html Photos at Taki]
* [http://www.onwar.com/tanks/japan/data/honi3.htm Specifications at OnWar]
* [http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_type_3_ho_ni_III.html History of War.org]
* [http://www.the-blueprints.com/index.php?blueprints/tanks/tanks-t/22628/view/ Blueprint of Type 3 Ho-Ni III]
* [http://ww2drawings.jexiste.fr/Files/1-Vehicles/Axis/3-Japan/05-SPG/Type1-HoNi/Type3-HoNi3.htm Drawing of Ho-Ni III]

References