Type 5 To-Ku

The Special Type 5 Launch To-Ku (特五式内火艇 トク, toku-go-shiki uchibitei To-Ku) was a Japanese prototype amphibious tank developed in 1945.[2] The development status by the end of the Pacific War is not clearly known.

Type 5 To-Ku
Place of originEmpire of Japan
Production history
Designed1945
Specifications
Mass29.1 tons[1]
Length10.8 m (with floats)[1]
Width3.0 m[1]
Height3.38 m[1]
Crew7[1]
Armor10–50 mm[1]
Main
armament
Type 1 47 mm gun[1]
Secondary
armament
1× 25 mm gun[1]
2× 7.7 mm Type 97 MG's[1]
Enginewater-cooled 12-cylinder Mitsubishi diesel
240 hp[1]
Power/weight8 hp/ton
Suspensionbell crank
Operational
range
320 km (unknown if referring to sea or land)[1]
Maximum speed 32 km/h (land)
10 km/h (water)[1]

The To-Ku was large and heavy; it boasted extensive armor protection with 50 mm of armor plate in the front hull. The turret was a modified version of the one used on the Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha medium tank that was fitted with a Type 1 25 mm gun and a rear facing Type 97 7.7 mm machine gun.[3] The front hull mounted a Type 1 47 mm tank gun and a Type 97 7.7 mm machine gun.[4] The chassis was based on the Type 5 Chi-Ri medium tank and the suspension, pontoons and propulsion system were substantially the same as the Type 3 Ka-Chi.[3] According to one source, a prototype was completed by the end of the war.[2] According to another source, a prototype was not completed by the end of the war.[5]

Notes
  1. Tomczyk 2003, p. 33.
  2. Tomczyk 2003, p. 32.
  3. Tomczyk 2003, pp. 32, 43.
  4. Tomczyk 2003, pp. 32, 33.
  5. Hara, Tomio. "日本の戦車", p. 199.

References
  • Tomczyk, Andrzej (2003). Japanese Armor Vol. 3. AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371287.
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