Type 95 So-Ki

Last updated
Type 95 So-Ki armored railroad car
Kho-Gi Bronetransporter-drezina Kho-gi (tip 2595).JPG
Type 95 "So-Ki" at Kubinka Tank Museum
TypeArmored car [1]
Place of origin Empire of Japan
Production history
No. built121 to 135 [1] [2]
Specifications
Mass8.7 tons
Length4.9m
Width2.56m
Height2.54m (on rail line); 2.43 (on road)
Crew6

Enginegasoline (petrol)
84 hp
Suspensionwheeled or Bell crank
Maximum speed (rail line) 72 km/h; (ground) 30 km/h

The Type 95 So-Ki was an armored railroad car of the Imperial Japanese Army. It was used for patrolling and guarding railway lines in both Manchuria and Burma. The chassis was based on the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank. The Type 95 So-Ki had light armor and no fixed weapons armament. Hand-held weapons by the crew would be the only armament available. It had a simple suspension system with bogie wheels suspended on bell cranks on each side of the chassis. The tracks were driven through the front sprockets. There were three small return wheels. [1] [2]

The Type 95 So-Ki was unique as it had both a track and wheel drive system. The vehicle could be changed between railway line wheels mode and track mode for ground use within a few minutes time as it had retractable wheels. In addition, the width of the wheels could be adjusted to the various widths of the rail gauges. [1] [2]

Type 95 So-Ki with mounted crew Type 95 So-Ki with crew.jpg
Type 95 So-Ki with mounted crew

The Type 95 So-Ki was produced between 1935 and 1943, with 121 to 135 units built. [1] [2]

Notes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 94 tankette</span> Japanese tankette

The Type 94 tankette was a tankette used by the Imperial Japanese Army in the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Nomonhan against the Soviet Union, and in World War II. Although tankettes were often used as ammunition tractors, and general infantry support, they were designed for reconnaissance, and not for direct combat. The lightweight Type 94 proved effective in China as the Chinese National Revolutionary Army had only three tank battalions to oppose them, and those tank battalions were equipped only with some British export models and Italian CV-33 tankettes. As with nearly all tankettes built in the 1920s and 1930s, they had thin armor that could be penetrated by .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine gun fire at 600 yards (550 m) range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 97 Te-Ke tankette</span> Japanese tankette

The Type 97 Light armored car Te-Ke was a tankette used by the Imperial Japanese Army in the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Nomonhan against the Soviet Union, and in World War II. It was designed as a fast reconnaissance vehicle, and was a replacement for the earlier Type 94 tankette.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 1 Ho-Ha</span> Half-track armoured personnel carrier

The Type 1 Ho-Ha was a half-track armoured personnel carrier (APC) used in limited numbers by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 94 disinfecting vehicle and Type 94 gas scattering vehicle</span> Armored military vehicle (chemical/biological warfare)

The Type 94 disinfecting vehicle and Type 94 gas scattering vehicle were variants of the Type 94 tankette adapted to chemical warfare by the Imperial Japanese Army. The Type 94 disinfecting vehicle and Type 94 gas scattering vehicle were configured as either an independent mobile liquid dissemination chemical vehicle or a respective mobile disinfecting anti-chemical agents vehicle to support the Japanese chemical infantry units in combat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road–rail vehicle</span> Vehicle capable of travelling on roads and railway tracks

A road–rail vehicle or a rail–road vehicle is a dual-mode vehicle which can operate both on rail tracks and roads. They are also known as two-way vehicles, hi-rail, and rail and road vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 95 Ha-Go light tank</span> Light tank

The Type 95 Ha-Gō was a light tank used by the Empire of Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War, at the Battles of Khalkhin Gol against the Soviet Union, and in the Second World War. It proved sufficient against infantry but was not effective against other tanks. Approximately 2,300 were produced, making it the most numerous Japanese armoured fighting vehicle of the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 2 Ho-I</span> Infantry support tank

The Type 2 gun tank Ho-I was a derivative of the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tanks of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Similar in concept to the early variants of the German Panzer IV, it was designed as a self-propelled howitzer to provide the close-in fire support for standard Japanese medium tanks with additional firepower against enemy anti-tank fortifications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 92 heavy armoured car</span> Weapon

The Type 92 heavy armoured car, also known as the Type 92 cavalry tank, was the Empire of Japan's first indigenous tankette. Designed for use by the cavalry of the Imperial Japanese Army by Ishikawajima Motorcar Manufacturing Company, the Type 92 was meant for scouting and infantry support. The Type 92 was thin armored and lightly armed. It was called a sōkōsha in Japanese due to political sectionalism within the Japanese Army. The same device was used in America with the M1 combat car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 98 Ke-Ni light tank</span> Weapon

The Type 98 light tank Ke-Ni or Type 98A Ke-Ni Ko was designed to replace the Imperial Japanese Army's Type 95 Ha-Go light tank, Japan's most numerous armored fighting vehicle during World War II. Although designed before World War II began, production did not start until 1942, with 104 being produced by the end of the war in the Pacific.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 1 Ho-Ki</span> Weapon

The Type 1 Ho-Ki was a tracked armored personnel carrier (APC) developed by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 3 Ka-Chi</span> Amphibious tank

The Special Type 3 Launch Ka-Chi was an amphibious medium tank developed by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. The Type 3 Ka-Chi was based on an extensively modified Imperial Japanese Army Type 1 Chi-He medium tank and was a larger and more capable version of the earlier Type 2 Ka-Mi amphibious tank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese tanks of World War II</span>

The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) initially purchased foreign tanks for evaluation during World War I, and began developing its own indigenous designs during the late 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 95 heavy tank</span> Japanese heavy tank prototype

The Type 95 heavy tank was the final result of Japanese multi-turreted tank design and was in commission during the time period between World War I and World War II. The main armament being a 70 mm cannon in a central turret, with its secondary front turret mounting a 37 mm gun and a 6.5 mm machine gun in the rear turret. Four prototypes were produced in 1934.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 2 Ke-To light tank</span> Light tank

The Type 2 Ke-To was a light tank of World War II, produced in small numbers for the Imperial Japanese Army as an improvement of the existing Type 98 Ke-Ni. No Type 2 Ke-To light tanks are known to have engaged in combat prior to Japan's surrender at the end of World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 5 Chi-Ri medium tank</span> Medium tank

The Type 5 medium tank Chi-Ri was a medium tank developed by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. It was intended to be a heavier, more powerful version of Japan's prototype Type 4 Chi-To medium tank. Only one incomplete prototype was built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanks in the Japanese Army</span>

This article deals with the history and development of tanks of the Japanese Army from their first use after World War I, into the interwar period, during World War II, the Cold War and modern era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumida M.2593</span> Weapon

The Sumida M.2593 was an armoured car produced by the Empire of Japan in the 1930s. It could operate on both the roadway and railway lines. There were two main versions of the Sumida M.2593 made. The Type 91 armoured railroad car was used by the army and the Sumida Model P armored car was used by the Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF) of the navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 87 Chi-I medium tank</span> First Japanese experimental Medium tank

The Type 87 Chi-I medium tank a/k/a Experimental tank No.1 was the first indigenously designed tank produced by Japan for the Imperial Japanese Army. Development of this medium tank began in June 1925 and was completed by February 1927. During the field trials, the tank proved to be too heavy and under-powered. The project was cancelled and a new light tank design was finished by April 1928 and designated the Type 89 I-Go.

References