Type 4 Ho-Ro
Encyclopedia
The was a self-propelled gun
developed by the Imperial Japanese Army
in World War II
.
series of self propelled artillery vehicles developed by Nazi Germany
during World War II
, wherein a 15 cm sIG 33 Infantry support gun
was mounted on a tracked chassis, engineers at the Army Technical Bureau resolved to do the same. Production was assigned to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
. The exact number produced is uncertain, but was approximately 25 units in total.
chassis. On to this platform, a Type 38 15 cm howitzer
which was based on a design by the German
arms-manufacturer Krupp
was mounted. This gun was capable of firing a 79 lb shell 6,000 meters, but dated from 1905 and had been withdrawn from service as being obsolete in 1942.The gun crew was protected by an open gun shield
with armor thickness of 25 mm to the front, but was unprotected to the sides and rear, which made the design extremely vulnerable to close combat. Other issues with the design was that the gun had a traverse movement of only 3 degrees, and had a slow rate of fire due to its breech loader.
during the final months of the World War II
. Remaining units were deployed to Okinawa in ones and twos for island defense during the Battle of Okinawa
, but were severely outnumbered by American artillery.
Self-propelled gun
A self-propelled gun is form of self-propelled artillery, and in modern use is usually used to refer to artillery pieces such as howitzers....
developed by the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History and development
Inspired by the GrilleGrille (artillery)
The Grille series of self propelled artillery vehicles were used by Nazi Germany during World War II. The Grille series was based on the Czech Panzer 38 tank and used a 15 cm sIG 33 infantry gun.-Development:...
series of self propelled artillery vehicles developed by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, wherein a 15 cm sIG 33 Infantry support gun
Infantry support gun
Infantry support guns are artillery weapons designed and used to increase fire power of infantry units they are intrinsic to, offering immediate tactical response to the needs of the unit's commanding officer. The designs are typically with short low velocity barrels, and light construction...
was mounted on a tracked chassis, engineers at the Army Technical Bureau resolved to do the same. Production was assigned to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...
. The exact number produced is uncertain, but was approximately 25 units in total.
Design
The chassis selected was a modified Type 97 Chi-HaType 97 Chi-Ha
The was a medium tank used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Nomonhan against the Soviet Union, and in the Second World War. It was the most widely produced Japanese medium tank of World War II, although the armor protection was considered as average in the 1930s...
chassis. On to this platform, a Type 38 15 cm howitzer
Type 38 15 cm howitzer
The was a 1905 German design that was purchased by the Empire of Japan as the standard heavy howitzer of the Imperial Japanese Army at the end of the Russo-Japanese War.-History and development:...
which was based on a design by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
arms-manufacturer Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
was mounted. This gun was capable of firing a 79 lb shell 6,000 meters, but dated from 1905 and had been withdrawn from service as being obsolete in 1942.The gun crew was protected by an open gun shield
Gun shield
thumb|A [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine]] manning an [[M240 machine gun]] equipped with a gun shieldA gun shield is a flat piece or section of armor designed to be mounted on a crew-served weapon such as a machine gun or artillery piece, or, more rarely, to be used with an assault rifle...
with armor thickness of 25 mm to the front, but was unprotected to the sides and rear, which made the design extremely vulnerable to close combat. Other issues with the design was that the gun had a traverse movement of only 3 degrees, and had a slow rate of fire due to its breech loader.
Combat record
The Type 4 was deployed in four vehicle batteries, which saw combat with the Japanese Fourteenth Area Army during the Battle of the PhilippinesBattle of the Philippines
Battle of the Philippines may refer to several wars, military campaigns, and major battles which have been fought in the Philippine Islands, including:...
during the final months of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Remaining units were deployed to Okinawa in ones and twos for island defense during the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
, but were severely outnumbered by American artillery.