Type 1 Chi-He Anti-Tank Gun

The Imperial Japanese Army initiated development of this 47 mm (L/53.7) high-velocity towed anti-tank gun in 1939, in response to the success of Soviet 45 mm-armed tanks against Japanese armor during Soviet-Japanese border conflicts. The Japanese army accepted it into service in 1942. The Osaka Arsenal produced about 2,300 units through 1945. Being Japan's first completely indigenous anti-tank gun design, it was relatively modern and shared many characteristics with the Soviet ZIK 45 mm gun. It had a split-rail carriage and a low-profile shield to protect a crew who were expected to operate the gun from kneeling or prone positions. The gun itself was a semi-automatic breech-block type, firing armor-piercing high explosive rounds for anti-tank engagements, and high explosive rounds for soft targets. Operationally, the gun proved effective in combat, though was never available in large numbers. The Japanese Army fielded it in many areas of the Pacific and mainland East Asia, most notably the Philippines and Okinawa; the weapon continued to be used with diminishing effectiveness until the end of World War II. A tank-mounted variant was used in the Type 97 ShinHōtō Chi-Ha, Type 1 Chi-He, Type 3 Ka-Chi, and Type 5 Ke-Ho tanks.