Tank Chats #50 Ha-Go | The Tank Museum

Tank Chats playlist • Tank Chats from The Ta... The Type 95 Ha-Go tank was produced by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1935 and used throughout the Second World War.
The Tank Museum's Type 95 was captured in Malaya and was examined in Calcutta before being sent to Britain. Surviving Japanese tanks from the Second World War are extremely rare.
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[@mcmoose64]

Any tank is a terrifying beast when facing an enemy with zero anti-tank capability. The Australian forces discovered this at the Battle of Milne Bay when they were ordered to leave their Boys anti-tank rifles at their base before advancing to contact with the Japanese.

[@cybertronian2005]

Also the III Indian Corps coming up against these things in Malaya who'd never seen a tank before

[@davidgoodnow269]

Oh, hell . . . the perfect weapon for the problem, issued and everything . . . and left behind!

[@nbome2733]

@@davidgoodnow269 there's no excuse to defend such laziness, but to be fair the jungle and its terrain made bogging through the green ocean absolute hell, and then theres the beating sun and its scorching heat, malaria, mal nutrition, lack of modern medicine to treat various jungle related sicknesses and animal bites. So i can understand why theyd leave extremely heavy guns behind, but its still a reckless and deadly decision

[@davidgoodnow269]

@@nbome2733 Shut your hole, scum. I have no idea why you chose *ME* to give lethal insult, but your challenge to duel is accepted!

[@kelvinktfong]

This tank. Smashed British defenses during the Malaya campaign of 1941/42. British high command did not believe that tanks could be used in the jungle

[@Briselance]

The same way we thought tanks could never go through the Ardennes Forests before 1940. :-S

[@artificialintelligence8328]

And yet they had AT weapons perfectly capable of penetrating the petite Type 95.

[@johnwilliams9240]

Kelvin Fong Brigadier Perceval had requested 2 Regiments of tanks in the late 1930’s when he did the plans for defense of Malaya, over 40 Battalions of infantry and 350 of the new monoplane aircraft. John

[@bingobongo1615]

Briseur De Lance Well the tanks didnt go through the Forest but the small roads through it. Pretty different story ;)

[@ConstantineJoseph]

Some were taken out at Muar Johor by British 5 pdr AT guns. They were highly vulnerable to AT weapons but they were generally unopposed in Malaya due to lack of anti tank equipment by the British and her auxiliaries in Malaya

[@TrailsTrailsTrails]

Don't bring a knife to a... never mind.

[@SKILLED521]

Bring a can opener this thing

[@niclyx7970]

And the award for Best Hidden Button goes to...

[@migmadmarine]

one would have thought it would been used on brit tanks to signal the crew it was time for tea

[@randomcoyote8807]

I remember seeing a picture of a US M4 Sherman crew that had found a Japanese tankette; they were able to park it on the back of their M4 on the engine grille, it was so small. I think they drove around and told everyone it was their lifeboat, lol.

[@Musketeer009]

ROFL!!!

[@spamuraigranatabru1149]

American Soldier "We're hit! Get to the lifeboat!" Japanese Soldier "They stole one of our tanks!"

[@linokleinmeuleman3348]

Random Coyote i saw that piccture ?

[@robinbennett5994]

Found it! upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/M4-sherman-killer-kwajalein.gif

[@randomcoyote8807]

That's it! Good find!

[@Dahajda]

Ah yes, the good ol "Stab the tank!" doctrine.

[@his1ojd]

There can't be many tanks which could be defeated by a good old fashioned bayonet!

[@Masada1911]

his1ojd They dont like it up em! The Japanse cant abide it you know.

[@enest94]

Where's the honor in having a tank that can't be taken out by a heroic bayonet charge?

[@PavarottiAardvark]

Compared to many interwar light tanks that barely worked at all....eh, it's fine.

[@hermanmuncly1044]

If what he says at 7:41 is true, than this is probably the very same tank from that video.

[@klleong7051]

early kv 1 can be defeated by the molotov cocktail by the Finns..

[@carlistasycia]

That rivet-comunication button is pretty cool!

[@kistler1994]

Carlos I very nifty. I'd panic in the midst of battle and forget which one to press though.

[@watcherzero5256]

Maybe a few false alerts when it gets knocked.

[@PavarottiAardvark]

Anyone know how it worked? did it ring a bell or complete a circuit?

[@jerryrip]

Enemy troops could just sneak up behind the tank and push the button so that the commander would open his hatch, then shoot him😂

[@59Lemony]

I light would be lit inside the tank and they would know people are behind the tank @@PavarottiAardvark

[@elisgibbard5215]

I have a real soft stop for inter-war to early 1940 tank designs. Something about their wacky and experimental nature is just really fun and interesting to me. Either this, the m3 lee, or Char 1 bis are my absolute favourites

[@Warspite1]

Same, it's an absolutely crazy time period, where everyone's trying to figure out how to properly use tanks and trying to see if bigger machines really are better. And I think out of this, the Lee and the B1, my vote goes for the Char B1. The gun embodies the doctrine at the time, support the infantry, while the size and armour of the machine harken back to the landship designs of the first world war. One could envision them taking part in the 1919 planned offensive against the Hindenburg line, rather than against German panzers in 1940

[@rubenskiii]

Duuuuude the KV-1! That thing is a real tank: just look at it! It looks heavy and stronk, that frontal armour! That bolted turret, awww yesch!

[@elisgibbard5215]

ah yes the landship design doctrine. Can't imagine what WW2 would have been like if the major players decided that THIS was the way to build tanks. It would have been a slow war for sure.

[@Delta-ro3kx]

Finally someone who appreciates those rather ugly tanks (M3 Lee is the best). I have been wondering why I could get myself to like such tanks, now I know what I knew all along without realizing, thx. xD

[@101jir]

"That thing is a real tank" when I think of "real tank," the Churchill comes to mind, at least in the context of having all the stereotypical characteristics: slow, extremely heavily armored, and well armed. And quite big. Not that all of those things are necessarily good, certainly a mess to try and produce, but it the closest thing to the typical conception of a "tank" that I can think of in WWII. I mean, usually Tiger comes to most people's mind, but even in terms of weaknesses the Churchill fits more because of how slow the Churchill was. Even with those weaknesses, it has to be one of my favorites, and it sure wasn't a bad tank from the perspective of a tanker. From the perspective of a general or factory worker I could see the issue.

[@classicfrog80]

A tank full of asbestos? Oh dear. I guess the crew was getting screwed up sooner or later, whether they survived the combat or not.

[@chasespeer251]

in fairness in a Japanese tank, the crew likely didn't have to worry about the long term effects

[@Squidsha]

It was common for most tanks of the period.

[@n1k1george]

American ships were full of asbestos: many shipyard workers suffered horrible effects years later and died.

[@caif4]

classicfrog80 asbestos was everywhere during this time period. The glove US gunners used to remove hot barrels were lined with asbestos.

[@classicfrog80]

I'm aware of that. But I would think there would be a difference between wearing asbestos lined gloves for a brief moment of handling some hot object, and having to breathe the air inside asbestos lined tank interior for extended periods of time.

[@anthroimperzia3927]

One of my favorite tanks of all time, its a little work of art

[@stephen9869]

I'm visiting the museum with my dad tomorrow! Drove 180 miles to get here, in a hotel by the sea tonight, looking forward to it...

[@derekmcmanus1423]

Stephen Keeler I hope you have a great time! 😀

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

The Ha-Go is chained to the floor to keep visitors from walking out with it!

[@stephen9869]

Thanks, it was awesome!

[@derekmcmanus1423]

Stephen Keeler Glad you had a good time my parents took me many years ago...I must try and take my little boy sometime

[@Puzzoozoo]

It's on my little to do list after I retire in a little over two years from now.

[@stevenhess5528]

My former boss was a Marine Corps Raider. He loved to tell the story where he walked up to one ,during combat. The Japanese were buttoned up right inside. He and his squad only had light arms and some grenades so they could not take out the tank without a batch opening up. So Ray, my boss, threw a bunch of coral into the current track and jammed it up. He then walked back and started pressing the call button then kept circling the tank banging on it. The Japanese could not see him could not turn the current so they began to turn the tank on its tracks to get him. They couldn't , fed up the tank commander popped the hatch, with that a member of his squad jumped up and chucked in a couple gernades. Taking out the tank.

[@red_d849]

thats funny, and also sad kinda, at least to me anyway

[@Punisher9419]

Cool something that isn't, German, French, British or American. Would like to see more weird tanks to be honest, Japanese and Italian tanks. Really interesting they put asbestos int he tank, makes sense really I guess no one at the time thaught asbestos would be so dangerous in the future.

[@randomcoyote8807]

Agreed; the Japanese and Italian tanks are interesting and neglected; and their use of tankettes.

[@florianbecker6655]

weird tanks? look the S-Tanks from Sweden ! very cool tanks :D

[@jballew2239]

Asbestos used to be a very commonly found insulator/filler in many products. Roofing and siding, in concrete, as insulation in wiring and many appliances. IIRC the asbestos panels used in the Japanese tanks were somewhat sealed by the internal paintwork.

[@lavrentivs9891]

Use of asbestos goes back to the stone age really and it's generally not dangerous until turned to dust, through degradation, sawing or handled badly, and inhaled. That's when it can kill you.

[@cvtamata5710]

absestos has ever been used for avoiding things catch fire

[@peterkoch4746]

Ich mag die Berichte aus dem Panzer Museeum in Bovington sehr,die sind immer Klasse!

[@tommeakin1732]

I'm just imagining a 200 page report about this tank, and at the end it just says "So after extensive analysis; the most effective ways of removing this tank from the battlefield seem to be: literally anything heavier than the standard infantry rifle round, pretty much any quantity of explosives - oh, and knives...yeah a knife will do it...."

[@biggseye]

My father served in the Pacific Islands in WWII. AP ammo from an M2 would rip right through the armor. the light rifle fired grenade could knock them out. That is the real reason they were not used in mass in the islands as they were basically garbage on tracks.

[@Edax_Royeaux]

I seem to recall that a lot of Chinese soldiers were killed trying to overrun these tanks and many more if the Chinese were overrun.

[@Edax_Royeaux]

@The Emperor of Mankind They were never designed to engage tanks to begin with.

[@z54964380]

A moving pile of garbage huh

[@rocket_sensha4337]

"from its time" ,in 1936 the thing could rock against 6 tonners ,ft's ,panzers 1 and m2's. you heard the man, they never actually replaced the thing

[@CaptainGrief66]

Let's say some more things. The original Japanese camo scheme for armoured vehicles is a three tone of (dark brown, grass green and basically piss yellow.) The light machine guns initially used by Japanese tanks and vehicles was the Type 91which had the interesting feature of not using actual magazines but instead it used Type 30/38/96 Nanbu-Arisaka Rifle charger clips: the operator lifted up that plate on top of the hopper and dumped in five, five rounds stripper clips (also, the caliber is the same as the rifles, 6.5x50mm Arisaka) The Type 91 was later replaced by the Type 97, which was specially made to be mounted in vehicles. It fired the new Ordenance round introduced with the Type 99 Service Rifle, the 7.7x58mm Arisaka, the LMG was pretty much a copy of the Czech ZB-26, with some improvements and the capability to mount optics, this one magazine-fed of course. Japanese weapons in general were property of the Emperor, so no modifications were allowed whatsoever. The designation for Japanese vehicles is a pretty interesting one: First of all, Japan used their own Imperial Calendar, which starts from when Japan was officially united in 660 B.C. Type 95 means "Model of the Imperial Year 2095"(1935 AD), Ha-Go (the Ha-Go designation uses old criteria) is a secondary designation which uses a poetic alphabet created 1097 years after Japan's unification. To make it short, "Ha" means Third, I'm not sure about "Go", but later designations are much "cleaner" Example with the Type 97 Chi-Ha Type 97 means that the tank entered service in the year 2097 (1937 AD), "Chi" is an abbreviation of the Japanese word for Medium, "Ha" means, again, Third in that alphabet. There are three classification for Japanese tanks, them being "Chi", "Ke","Ho", where "Ke" would be "Kei" (Light), and "Ho" means artillery (SPGs/TDs).

[@janflorovic5880]

Ha-Go type 98 37mm - 701m/s, 40mm @ 500m penetration. However before 1938 it used type 94 37mm (575m/s) Ha-Go was introduced the same year as Panzer I. Both have same armour but whereas panzer I main armament is 2x 7.92mm whereas Ha-Go has 37mm main tank gun armament

[@miskakopperoinen8408]

Panzer 1 was meant as a training vehicle and industry stop-gap adaptation measure. The fact that Pz 1s were brought to Poland and France was not because the Germans wanted to use them, but because there was nothing else to use and the tank units needed something.

[@janflorovic5880]

The Stoned Videogame Nerd By the time Panzer II came the Ha-Go had the 40mm @ 500m penetrating 37mm. No problem penetrating panzer II from 600 metres. By 1937 the Japanese also had the Type 97 Chi-Ha with 25-33mm of FHA armour, immune to the 20mm cannon on panzer II

[@MrGeek1111]

7.5 tons is a medium tank for Italy. I do really like the nations tanks you dont hear about a lot, Japan, Italian, Hungarian, Polish, ect.

[@chaz8758]

The Italian light tank L6/40 was just under 7 tonne, the Italian medium L11/39 (the lightest they had) was 11.5 tonnes, while the M13/40 and later were 14.5 tonnes and up - pretty much the same as the US M2/M3/M5 light tanks

[@MrGeek1111]

chaz8758 guess i thought the m11 was lighter...

[@vanders4198]

Same. I love "obscure" tanks from countries that don't get a lot of attention in the armour department. Italian tanks are pretty high up there for me considering they were a major faction.

[@maciblobmicsurlift492]

Check tanks

[@CaptainGrief66]

Well, if you take a look at a russian T-26 you're pretty much looking at a Polish 7TP, just swap the russian 45mm with a Swedish Bofors 37mm cannon. The Hungarian tanks look really nice, italian designs were quite good, but you know, just like its allies italy couldn't exactly fight back from a resources and economy point of view.

[@loveofmangos001]

This tank got extremely famous after the Battle of Saipan. After that battle was over Tojo was asked to step down by the Emperor. So Tojo threw everything at the Americans in Saipan, Crack infantry from the Manchuko Army, along with 40 of these tanks which made the only co-ordinated Japanese tank attack of the war on the Marines the 1st night they were on Saipan.

[@TheBob3759]

Most of them were knocked out by bazookas and grenades.

[@dannyzero692]

⁠​⁠@@TheBob3759unsurprisingly. The Japanese never had a chance of making out of Saipan alive, the US Navy already cornered them, so might as well throw everything they have into the fight to kill as many Americans as they could, to their credit they did kill a lot but the final result were the same, total defeat.

[@SamOrthodoxy]

Thanks for reviewing this tank. Living out here in China, I have become really fascinated with this side of the war, but it's hard to get good quality documentation of what the conflict was like. While this is a small part to a massive puzzle it did enlighten some parts of it.

[@allewis4008]

Eventually, this guilt trip 'political correctness' trash will be thrown away, leaving the truth of the matter exposed.

[@Eiferius]

seems like you had a bad history teacher.

[@oron61]

Rumor has reached me that VietNam's schools only spew on about how weak and innocent Vietnam is and how the struggle against the French, Americans, then later the Chinese and Cambodians was all an act of pure VC willpower and blood without the help of NVA, USSR, and PRC numbers, technology and equipment. No video game I know of really goes into the the RoC's struggles. The Japanese and Germans agreed to not let their media know each other's atrocities, and the USA's history classes always reach WWII in the last weeks of Spring semester, and we never really see anything except holocaust reels, if even that.

[@bingobongo1615]

Weedus what? We have amazing works on the war here in Germany. Just not as easily digestible as here on KZbin...

[@pieguy7157]

Check out www.tanks-encyclopedia.com they are fantastic source of information for tanks they have Japanese and Chinese tanks of the Second World War as well as many others, they are good reads, hope I helped :)

[@failureblanket8559]

Love me a mini-history lesson during my busy. Love this channel.

[@neilwilson5785]

Really interesting. Thanks, again, the Tank Museum.

[@Oscarhobbit]

Wonderful delivery and knowledge imparted in this peice. Thanks for this, I am really enjoying the posts from Tank Museum.

[@devonopdendries7722]

Thank you so much for doing a video on this tank! I was excited to see it in your collection and I'm glad you made this video about it. Very interesting! It would be amazing to see it restored and cleaned-up with the proper paint scheme.

[@lordofdunvegan6924]

Excellent video as always. Thank you.

[@pulido6974]

Once again another great video. Keep the work up. Once again you taught me things I didn't know before watching this video. And I pride myself on knowing such matters.

[@LA_Commander]

These Japanese tanks are rare indeed! Here in California we have one on display at the California Army National Guard base in Camp San Luis Obispo. You can walk right up to it. Just sitting there all alone where two roads cross. I was amazed at how small it was, especially after seeing M4 Shermans up close before.

[@Cancun771]

Excellent, highly informative video once again!

[@monkeydude3987]

This is a great review of the tank, thank you guys so much for putting these out. I'm a history nerd especially about war and vehicles and appreciate the effort that goes into them. If I ever make it to your part of the world I'll surely stop in.

[@argsgsgsgnngndg9894]

8:46 baionet best AT weapon confirmed

[@chaz8758]

The US experimented with throwing rocks into the tracks, using rifles to try and jam the sprockets and suspension - at the start of WW2.

[@wbertie2604]

Most Japanese weapons had bayonet attachments, and this tank was no exception.

[@SuperColonel91]

Very interesting! Thank You for posting!

[@davidfromkyushu6870]

I enjoyed this video and noticed when I visited Bovington the black electrical tape covering the Ha-Go's gun port. Now I know why it's the only tank in the museum like that.

[@aaron___6014]

Thanks Michael

[@asaphobbies3366]

That little button on the back is pretty cool. Nice looking little tank.

[@zafranorbian757]

A cute little tank.

[@linokleinmeuleman5233]

Zafran Orbian the te-ke is more cute !

[@michaelmilburn911]

Ha go is what I say to trick or treaters on halloween

[@F.Krueger-cs4vk]

I visited Rabaul in 2014. There's one these Japanese tanks parked on the side of the road where it was knocked out during the war. Great video, thankyou for posting. 👋 🇦🇺

[@okrajoe]

Such an interesting little tank.

[@pieinaapplegaming]

Well this was a good start to my day.

[@jaguar123987x]

Love Tanks!

[@damarei]

Incredible video!

[@varovaro1967]

Great videos! Great voice! And accent!

[@Daniel-S1]

Thanks.

[@Grandizer8989]

13 of these ‘tanks’ went into action against the Marines on Peleliu. It didn’t work out very well.

[@timothy1949]

what do you expect from these light tanks that were designed in the 1930s when the American were rolling with shermans?

[@73north]

wonderful video

[@hagamapama]

You can easily see the influence of the French Renault tank in the Ha-Go

[@andrewrutherford78]

Wow I am currently at the Australian War Memorial right next to one of these tanks on display and sure enough, yes there is that small button on the back of the tank that the infantry use to communicate. Learnt something new ha ha.

[@SNOUPS4]

Very interesting!!

[@Rudi-Mhz]

What a small beast ! the Suspension is really good, like the Suspension later after the War used by the french 2CV "Duck" Car !

[@curiousgeorge5992]

Nice presentation

[@Vore667]

Cool touch that asbestos liner.

[@GaudialisCorvus]

"If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, you may be entitled to financial compensation."

[@Askeletontrappedinamanbody]

It is so unbelievably refreshing to hear a non-biased breakdown of a japanese tank.

[@Chipchase780]

Corporal Jones defeated one of these armed just with his bayonet. “ THEY DON’T LIKE THE STEEL UP ‘EM !”

[@Reactordrone]

11:05 quite an offset on the gun mount. I suppose the small amount of left and right pivot helps with fine gunlaying without having to rotate the whole turret.

[@Pugiron]

I hope that guy doesn't fall over on the Ha-Go, he'll crush it.

[@Muck006]

The way to "remove asbestos" is to ... - close all openings/seams in plastic (NOT extremely tight because they have to be able to let air in again [see below]) and - create a negative pressure inside by sucking out the air through a filter which then collects all the asbestos in the air.[1] You basically control where the air flows so any tiny fibre of asbestos in the air is directed towards that filter. Oh and the worst thing you can do to a piece of asbestos is to "wipe it to clean it" because you break off tiny pieces of the stuff that way. The asbestos inside is probably mounted in either matting or as a prebuilt piece of solid asbestos and for documentation purposes I would also suggest trying to wrap them in clear plastic and shrink-wrap them ... instead of simply disposing them. [1] The easiest way to do this is probably having a small workshop treated this way, because there are filter / evacuation units for cleaning up houses and they also need airlocks for the workers ... this way would make working with the tank easier, but that workshop would have to be prepared for the job, because you need to clean/decontaminate it afterwards. This would include removing any non-essential gear and probably creating an artificial wall/floor cover which can be disposed afterwards.

[@Rickinsf]

Interesting driver hatch/shield arrangement 11:22.

[@familyplans3788]

telescopic sight on a machine gun used on a tank LOVE IT

[@ChimpFromSpace]

Aww it's adorable!

[@bmcg5296]

That’s crazy the button looking like a metal rivet of the tank. The issue of communication between rank and infantry was an ingenious design, for the infantry able to talk to the tank commander without him being exposed when his head pops up bank and it’s gone!🤭

[@madzen112]

In a way you can say that the Renault FT-17 really had a lot of clones, copies and upgrades, the Ha-Go being one of them.

[@StAlchemyst]

Oh my god... glad I wasn't a pre-WWII Japanese tank driver! Riding around in one of those for a month would be like smoking a pack of cigs a day for 10 years!

[@philhsueh4860]

Not really, it's asbestos dust that's worrisome, not asbestos in and of itself. To add to that, it requires long term exposure to large quantities of asbestos dust to cause health issues.

[@kurosumomo]

Asbestos is bad, but when it's a newly manufactured product, it really is pretty much inert, if you're not rubbing it over your face you have little to worry about. When it starts to fall apart due to age into dust then it becomes dangerous.

[@nuoksu]

"Oh my God, the tank is lined with asbestos!"

[@VonRammsteyn]

The ha - go is my favorite japanese tank of ww2. Even when i know it wasn't the best of anything... I just love its lines...

[@Mercenary_Dog]

I'm not alone after all...

[@davidtorre7370]

I want a 1/87 model of it.

[@agoogleaccount2861]

Possibly One of the most interesting tanks .. it's so unusual looking compared to most others of the era

[@AchseBerlinTokio]

It was good for its time and perfect for tropic island fighting

[@pukalo]

I'd like to see the only surviving Type 3 Chi-Nu restored to running condition.

[@titakristengco]

pukalo [CDN] most of them were scrapped by them the only one that survive it in the that was almost captured the the Allied. And display in Japan

[@xcalibrx1653]

You’d have to go to their self defense force academy I think. That’s where they have their chinu.

[@keithallver2450]

I never thought I would ever describe a tank as being cute.

[@jawedz]

Greetings from Japan. Love your videos. You and your curators are very knowledgeable and thorough. I would like to point out one thing, the reason Japan did not attack USSR was that there was a neutrality treaty between the countries. Stalin breached it in 1945 though.

[@firepower7017]

I mean, that and also the distant relations the Germans and Japanese had. As well as the looming threat of the US forcing Japan to use any and all they got to fight. Not to mention that Japan was completely unprepared of fighting a European power on land. The conflict of Khalkhin Gol just reinforced it.

[@robertmoore1839]

I’m glad that there was some photos of the interior. As you can easily see, tanks were not a priority in the Japanese military in World War Two.

[@pieshka4509]

0:30 is like having mega blocks when everyone else has legos, everyone else has a tank so to copy you pull a field gun with a bull dozer

[@WSOJ3]

This tank was mainly designed for island and jungle warfares were people didn’t thought tanks could go there. Japan had a very limited access to iron and steel so they saved those for building warships.

[@porksterbob]

The tank was made for fighting on poor infrastructure in difficult terrain. The Japanese did not make tanks for fighting on islands.

[@WSOJ3]

@@porksterbob those were the only tanks showed up on pacific islands. They sucked against Soviet tanks on land, but it was a different story on pacific islands where other tanks didn’t exist. It’s the same story with the latest American M10 Booker. It’s meant as an Pacific island hopper close range infantry support artillery.

[@porksterbob]

@@WSOJ3 Japan was not optimizing its army for fighting on islands. They knew that their likely and desired battlefield was the Asian mainland... but, China and the Russian far east had terrible roads and few rails. You couldn't do what the Germans or Soviets or French did where they moved around their comparatively heavy tanks by rail and could supply them the same way. The Japanese knew that they would have to support their army in a low supply environment on bad roads. They also knew that the Chinese didn't have an answer to tanks. This meant that a basic tank would be fine especially if it was light. Again, they weren't thinking at all about their pacific holdings. The Japanese doctrine called for their tanks to be used offensively. Any Japanese offensive would require that the tanks be supported by convoys of fuel trucks. It would require that the tanks be shipped across the ocean. This meant Japanese tanks were built to be light. Now, as the war went wrong, Japan sent tanks to the islands, but this was desperation, not their designed role. The Japanese could do this partially because the tanks were already light and easy to move by boat, but they weren't designed for island defense. The US, by contrast, did build purpose built armored vehicles to be specifically used on islands.

[@gordonlawrence4749]

Superb. I have never seen a review of these before. Any chance of other relatively obscure tanks?

[@TheBob3759]

WWII Japanese tanks were so light because the Army was given low priority in steel production. The Navy and Air Force got more priority. The Type 97 Chi Ha is considered the best Japanese tank of WWII.

[@samuelmorales2344]

This little tank was actually one of the most successful tanks of WWII.

[@leeboy29680-ol7gf]

firing and loading two guns commanding the tank and rubbing against asbestos in an enclosed space.....great job.

[@randyhavard6084]

David looks like the British Rambo holding that machine gun

[@cavscout888]

David Fletcher: "The Americans really liked machine guns...." David Willy: 'Look what I have!!!'

[@stuff4ever]

It's so cute!

[@nolanolivier6791]

Impressively objective presentation of this wonderfully flawed but historically malighned tank. Most people would simply be inclined to harp on about its gross inadequacies. But of course, it is the Tank Museum.

[@cerisambrook7692]

Full respect due to Mr Willey but I've noticed that sometimes he reminds me of Rick from Rick and Morty when it seems he's suppressing a burp whilst talking. Love it.

[@liltoaster7308]

There were actually a few large tank attacks from type 95s in large groups. On Saipan there was a tank attack with 44 tanks and US shermans destroyed them. On Peleliu there was also a 17 tank counter attack, but Marine infantry, a dive bomber and four shermans destroyed them all in a matter of minutes.

[@kenoliver8913]

To be fair, Japanese tanks were simply never designed for attacks against prepared defences or for tank-on-tank combat. They were designed to shoot Chinese villagers.

[@iannordin5250]

@@kenoliver8913 not true. They were designed along global specifications of the pre-war period. These tanks were cutting edge when they were designed, and in many ways superior to european designs of the era, but Japanese command were hindered by severe material shortages so they allowed Japanese tank development to fall into obsolescence in order to invest in their navy. Remember at the time that the IJN and IJA were basically two competing governments technically united under one Emperor, and had two entirely different visions for a Japanese empire. The IJA wanted more resources and tanks for the China project as they were terrified of more potential conflicts with the Russians, while the IJN wanted more planes and ships for their pacific project so they could kick out US and commonwealth holdings. The stalling of the IJA in China and failure to breach into the USSR lost them favor, so the government ended up granting preferential treatment and RnD to the IJN.

[@nostradamusofgames5508]

we REALLY need vids on japanese tanks. theyre very very VERY rarely mentioned in so many ww2 vids, even more rare to see 360 degree around view and inside view.

[@tvgerbil1984]

When the Japanese Ha-Go's emerged from the jungle in the Malayan Campaign of 1941, the British had no effective means to counter them. When these tanks landed on the Philippines in 1941, they were equal to the American M3 Stuart's. The first US Japanese tank battle was between the M3's and the Ha-Go's and it took place north of Damortis during the American retreat to the Bataan Peninsula in 1941. The Ha-Go's won.

[@JohnDoe-ee6qs]

best part of it was the clever button on the outside

[@PavarottiAardvark]

A pity that certain major nations have so few tanks in the collection. But I guess that's the nature of war - the losing side isn't going to have many tanks left...

[@Nutzkie2001]

Weren't there a bunch of these used on Saipan in 1944? I seem to recall reading something about an night time armored banzai charge.

[@Cryptic_]

We need both davids to talk about it

[@koenvangeleuken2853]

the french actually built a passenger car with a comparable bell.crank suspension system, the Citroen 2CV! at the suspension worked very well. the effect it has, as you hit an obstacle(hump) on the road, the front wheels get pushed up, which pushes down the rear wheels. this keeps the vehicle more or less level, and provides the rear wheels with more travel right when they are about to hit this obstacle too. you can easily get the same effect with air or hydropneumatic suspension, i believe the last Range Rovers have that.

[@imagifyer]

Interestingly I've read a report on this type of tank in the Australian archives, and on the example tested they found that a number of the bearings (which they also found to be of high quality) had German markings. Also of interest they rated the quality of the armour steel as being metallurgicaly very good, if only thick enough to stop .303 and non AP .50 ammunition

[@hodaka1000]

@ imagifyer I've got a Jap sword that belonged to my father he was 2/19th 8th Division and one of the 6 from Borneo. On the swords scabbard it has brass press studs made in England.

[@MajorSpam]

something something TOTSUGEKI

[@Szalami]

Ah, asbestos. What a great idea!

[@Reactordrone]

It was also all over warships of the period.

[@thesayxx]

And most MG crews were issued asbestos gloves for changing the overheated barrels on their MG's

[@TheKajunkat]

asbestos is a wonderful material with many applications across many industries. There are still certain applications where only asbestos will work. The obvious drawback is the long term health effects but the knowledge of the long term effects didn't come until much later. Twenty to thirty years from now there will be new "asbestos, benzene, PCB" products from the electronic age that we shake our head about and say "what were they thinking?"

[@gewizz2]

@@TheKajunkat are you saying that there is benzene in our electronics?

[@petermilsom1109]

maybe better a slow death from asbestos issues 20 to 30 years after the war than dying in a fire during the war?

[@gilanbarona9814]

In Pohnpei, Micronesia, there is a wreck parked next to the tourist information office in downtown Kolonia. It is of this type of tank. It appears to have been destroyed more by the local terrain and weather than by Allied fire. Still, there is enough of it left to show how well Japanese tank doctrine was adapted to the jungle warfare of the Pacific.

[@inibudi6516]

so cute tank.. like a toys

[@Real_British]

Would like to recommend to review chi nu tank,but yeah..its very far from your place since its on JGSDF Ordnance School, japan

[@ken90ny]

De_ BritishMan you should get the Chieftain or Challenger. The Tank Museum only reviews those in their collection.

[@i_nameless_i-jgsdf]

They would also meet the Type 89 i-go which is still in running condition. They both are parking aside from each other.

[@solowingborders3239]

Can a tourist see said collection?

[@jacktownend3050]

The type 95 ha-go boom

[@Spidehman]

Any chance you could do that tiny little Italian flamethrower tank you guys had last time I came? Or maybe your KV-1 tank?

[@CaptainGrief66]

Mister Frooty The L6/40 lf. or the CV-33/CV-35 lf. ?

[@Spidehman]

Carro Veloce L3-33, that's it.

[@royalhero4608]

That thing is terrifying, it's like a coffin

[@CaptainGrief66]

SmoothSoulLover A coffin that reaches 40km/h and shoots 15 metres long flames.

[@royalhero4608]

Up against Matilda II's...

[@Haasenpad]

it just looks so cute...