二次世界大戰資料庫 (WW2DB)

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe Type 98 Ke-Ni (sometimes Chi-Ni) light tanks were designed as the successor to the Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks. The design completed in 1938, but production did not start until 1942. The delay was largely due to the fact that the Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks met little opposition in China, thus only when the Pacific War began and when the Japanese Army encountered more advanced western tank designs that better tanks were seriously demanded. The production contract was awarded to Hino Motors and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Between 1942 and 1945, only 132 were built (24 were built in 1942, 79 in 1943, and 29 in 1944). Compared to their predecessors, Type 98 Ke-Ni light tanks' most significant improvement was thicker and better-angled armor.

SPECIFICATIONS

Type 98 Ke-Ni

Machinery	One Mitsubishi Type 100 air-cooled v-12 diesel engine rated at 130hp
Suspension	Bell crank
Armament	1x37mm Type 100 gun, 1x7.7mm Type 97 machine gun
Armor	6-16mm
Crew	3
Length	5.50 m
Width	2.20 m
Height	2.38 m
Weight	17.0 t
Range	300 km

Photographs