O-I

This article is about the tank. For the article about the glass container manufacturer, see Owens-Illinois.

O-I
Type	Super-heavy tank
Place of origin	Japan
Production history
Designed	1939–1940(100ton O-I), 1944(120ton O-I)
Produced	1940(100ton O-I), 1945(120ton O-I)
Number built	2 (one 100ton O-I prototype, and one 120ton O-I prototype)
Specifications
Weight	100-120 tons
Length	10 m
Width	4.2 m
Height	4 m
Crew	11
Armor	maximum of 200 mm(120ton O-I)
Main armament	105 mm gun
Secondary armament	37 mm Type 1 gun, 3x 7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun(120ton O-I)
Engine	Two V-12 gasoline engines 550PS
Power/weight	-
Suspension	-
Operational range	-
Speed	25 km/h

O-I was the name given to a proposed series of Japanese super-heavy tanks, to be used in the Pacific Theater. The vehicle was monstrous, carrying 11 crew in its 100-120ton body, but only one 120ton O-I model was rumored to have been built in 1944 and afterward sent to Manchuria. Exact information is lacking however, and it is unknown whether it ever saw combat. Whereas the original plans called for three turrets for the one large cannon and two smaller guns, a more advanced experimental prototype, the Ultra-Heavy Tank OI featured no fewer than four turrets. It is unlikely that the Ultra-Heavy was ever actually built.

Links

• Artist rendition of the O-I

Sources

• Tanks! Armored Warfare Prior to 1946